Company Overview

Federated Group has a history – of innovation, of quality, of commitment to its business partners. This proud tradition goes as far back as 1928, when the S.M. Flickinger Company of Buffalo, New York was formed. Through several transitions in identity, philosophy, and business practices, Federated Group enters the 21^st Century as a leading sales and marketing agent for the consumer products industry.

Specializing in store brand and controlled brand development, Federated Group offers a menu of innovative services designed to benefit both domestic and international customers. Today, as throughout over 70 years in the business, the Federated Group commitment to quality is a constant in a rapidly changing and highly competitive industry. We have experienced a 175% sales increase over the last five years, demonstrating a true dedication to our Federated Group Mission Statement:

Federated Group, on behalf of our vendors and employees, will enhance the success of our customers by selling Store Brand Programs and by providing them with quality products and marketing services.

Our dedication to quality in every aspect of our business will continue into the next century.

Brands

Federated Group proprietary brands, including Hy-Top, Parade, Red & White, and Better Valu, provide private label value to a range of our customers. By maintaining ownership of its own brands, Federated offers a first class level of quality to our customers that consumers recognize.

Services include:

• Sales plan development and execution
• Vendor contact/reviews
• Void analysis
• Ad and promotional support
• Detailed business reviews
• Retail services for store coverage

A growing and dynamic area of Federated Group business is Managed Brands accounts. Managed Brands belong to chains and wholesalers who own their own store brand labels and maintain control of those labels. Managed Brand Account Executives offer project or category management support to our Managed Brand accounts, including:

• Sales and marketing services for these large, multi-state companies.
• Working closely with vendors to identify the best products to represent the customer's managed brands.
• Flexibility to work within the requirements set up by the customer while providing the best level of service utilizing Federated Group Quality Assurance and Labels and Packaging departments.

Quality Assurance Quality Assurance monitors Federated Group brands and managed brand labels to ensure they are at a predetermined peak level of quality - one that is often higher than the national brands. A variety of services are offered to ensure stringent quality levels, including WIC (Women, Infants and Children) registration, QA consulting work for our vendors, and product quality category reviews.

Customer Concerns Federated Group products are of a consistently high level of quality, and customer feedback is an integral part of that process. The Quality Assurance staff is a vital connection to the customer, and Federated provides a means to alert staff of a possible problem with either a product or manufacturer. Our enhanced product recall notification system includes detailed contact information on all Federated customers and vendors.

Product Testing Quality Assurance performs product quality testing, or cuttings, for various buying groups or retailers. Cutting presentations for customers determine how they compare to national brands and involve a side by side comparison of our brands and other regional and national brands.

Retail Audits Federated routinely evaluates manufactured items on a regularly scheduled basis - 750 different items per month. Suppliers submit regular line production items for evaluation in our quality assurance labs. Products are examined against their established specifications to assure that they are meeting those requirements. Quality Assurance staffers also pull in products from the retail stores.

Plant Visits Quality Assurance staff members conduct 250 plant visits per year in an effort to maintain the high level of quality found in all the items produced by Federated vendors. This serves to reinforce good manufacturing process and proper employee procedures among all our Federated suppliers. We are also able to develop a closer working relationship with the vendor community. Better quality at the plant means better quality on the shelves.

Marketing:

Your Federated Foodservice representatives can provide a wide array of valuable marketing programs and services. Among them are:

• National Trade and Purchasing Conference
• Quarterly Newsletter - Focus Magazine
• Distributor Flyer Program
• Video Lending Library
• Ad Slicks
• Crop Reports
• Menu Design
• Support Local Marketing Efforts
• Resource Center
• Travel Incentive Program
• Web-based reporting WebSAS
• Web-based Power Buy System

Company Headquarters

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