This Week in Food and Restaurants
by Aristotle Munarriz (TMF Edible)

Miami, FL. (May 9, 1997) -- Marie's go round? Yesterday CAMPBELL SOUP <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: CPB)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: CPB)") end if %> announced it is selling its Marie's line of bottled salad dressing to DEAN FOODS <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: DF)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: DF)") end if %>. Just nine years ago, the giant soup conglomerate had bought Marie's from Specialty Brands. With steady earnings and healthy (sodium reduced) stock appreciation, investors of Campbell Soup have been Mmmm, mmmm, happy. Before one points out that Campbell had no business being in the salad topping business anyway, it should be known that the company also owns unlikely but savory food lines like Pepperidge Farm, Vlassic pickles and Godiva chocolates.

Produce distributor FRESH AMERICA <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: FRES)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: FRES)") end if %> reported ripe earnings as earnings soared from $0.09 a share to $0.24 a share. Earlier this year Fresh was slapped down when its most high profile account, WAL-MART <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: WMT)") end if %>, announced it was going to service some of its Florida units directly, effectively cutting Fresh America from the picture at those particular stores. Fresh certainly did not seem to miss the business much, given a 50% increase in sales for the quarter.

BEN & JERRY'S HOMEMADE <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: BJICA)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: BJICA)") end if %> have been long known in the socially responsible investing circles as one of the best companies to work for. Beyond offering paternity leave, the company is also in tune with giving back to the community. So, with its own stock beaten down ever since the departure last year of CEO Robert Holland and lackluster earnings, the company decided to be charitable to an organization down on its luck, -- itself! Yesterday the company announced a 200,000 share buyback, or a little less than 3% of the shares outstanding.

THE EDIBLE EIGHT

May has been a good month. Just six trading days in and we're already seeing roses and chocolates forwarded to the lucky month. As the market has shown resiliency, so has the E8, which rose smartly along with the market. The 5.3% gain now puts our returns back on the plus side, and the same can be said for the Nasdaq Composite. The Investors Business Daily Retail-Restaurant Index is also beginning to rise again. While the market has rallied quite a few times in the past it seems the eatery stocks are not being left behind to wait on empty tables this time.

1997 Returns To Date:
The Edible Eight      +2.5%
NASDAQ                +3.1%
S&P 500              +10.7%

The May Edible Eight

Stock Appreciation for May-to-Date:
Rainforest Cafe <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: RAIN)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: RAIN)") end if %>        +4.7%
Lone Star Steakhouse <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: STAR)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: STAR)") end if %>   +5.4%
Bertucci's <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: BERT)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: BERT)") end if %>             +6.8%
Quality Dining <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: QDIN)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: QDIN)") end if %>         +8.3%
Coca Cola <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") else Response.Write("(NYSE: KO)") end if %> ***short***      -1.5%
Garden Fresh <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: LTUS)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: LTUS)") end if %>           -2.4%
Grist Mill <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: GRST)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: GRST)") end if %>             +3.2%
Logan's Roadhouse <% if gsSubBrand = "aolsnapshot" then Response.Write("(Nasdaq: RDHS)") else Response.Write("(Nasdaq: RDHS)") end if %>     +18.0%

Until next week, Digest Foolishly,

MF Edible

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