Midwest Bakers Square Slices Through the Competition at 2009 American Pie Council Championships with 34 Blue Ribbons

Restaurant Chain Finds Winning Ful-"Filling"

ORLANDO, Fla., May 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Call it the World Series of pie baking -- with Bakers Square Restaurants winning the championship.

A record 34 "blue ribbons" -- the highest honor in the world of pie baking -- were awarded to Bakers Square for a variety of their pie offerings at the recent American Pie Council (APC) championships in Orlando, Fla. It was the highest number of blue ribbons ever received by a single commercial producer.

"We're absolutely thrilled with this record-setting performance," said Hazem Ouf, president and chief executive officer of American Blue Ribbon Holdings, LLC, which owns and operates the Bakers Square restaurants. "It says volumes about the quality of our pies and our people...it is truly a great honor for all our employees -- they should all feel very proud."

The American Pie Council (APC) is the only organization committed to maintaining America's pie heritage, passing on the tradition of pie-making and promoting the nation's love affair with pies.

Two versions of each pie were presented at the competition, one for display and one for the judges to sample. Preparations for the championship began weeks ago with Bakers Square pastry chefs deciding which pies were to be entered into each category. "We obviously made the right decisions," Ouf noted.

New this year was the introduction of Trans Fat Free pie crusts -- which are used in all pie varieties made by Bakers Square.

Approximately 500 pies were entered in the commercial bakery category judged during the three-day event. Thirty-one commercial pie bakers from across the U.S. participated in this annual competition.

Examples of pies that garnered blue ribbons included:

Variety Category Fruitabulous Apple Gourmet Apple Brownie Bottom Banana Gourmet Banana Cream Candy Cane Premium Candy/Cookie European Truffle Gourmet Chocolate Cream Triple Chocolate Treat Super Gourmet Chocolate Cream Key Lime Premium Key Lime Pecan Premium Pecan White Chocolate Cherry Gourmet Open Cream/Crumb Caramel Pecan Silk Supreme Gourmet Open Cream/Pastry Hawaiian Strawberry Gourmet Open Fruit/Berry Fresh Raspberry Super Gourmet Open Fruit/Berry Pumpkin Cream Gourmet Pumpkin Peach Supreme Super Gourmet Peach

"We're just ecstatic over these 2009 awards," Ouf said. "Now we'll have to work even harder to win more next year."

About American Blue Ribbon Holdings, LLC

Headquartered in Denver, American Blue Ribbon (ABR) Holdings, LLC operates two restaurant concepts under proven and well-recognized brands, Bakers Square and Village Inn -- as well as commercial baking subsidiary VICOM. ABR Holdings has 307 restaurants in 25 states, consisting of 217 company-operated restaurants and 90 franchised restaurants. Both Bakers Square and Village Inn are synonymous with award-winning pies and also offer distinct, high-quality menu items for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emerich Gutter 212-994-7576 Emerich.Gutter@rfbinder.com Etty Lewensztain 212-994-7543 Etty.Lewensztain@rfbinder.com

Bakers Square

CONTACT: Emerich Gutter, +1-212-994-7576, Emerich.Gutter@rfbinder.com ; or
Etty Lewensztain, +1-212-994-7543, Etty.Lewensztain@rfbinder.com