Bruegger's South Carolina Expansion Continues Bakery-Cafe Experience Comes to Columbia

Portion of grand opening sales to Harvest Hope Food Bank

COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 20, 2007) – Today, Lowcountry Bagels, LLC. celebrated the grand opening of the first Bruegger’s bakery-cafe in Columbia at 4699 Forest Drive. The Lowcountry Bagels franchise group, led by principal Daniel B. Krueger welcomed local business people, friends and family for a sneak preview party on Thursday night. A portion of the proceeds from today’s grand opening celebration will be donated to the Harvest Hope Food Bank, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing for the needs of the hungry by gathering and sharing quality food with dignity, compassion and education.

Krueger was joined this morning by Mayor Frank Brunson, members of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Deloris Perry, development director for the Harvest Hope Food Bank, and Alan Roark, Bruegger’s vice-president of Franchise Operations, for the official ribbon cutting ceremony.

The Columbia location has seating for 56 guests and currently employs 15 people. The new bakery features free wireless Internet for guests and is open Monday through Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

To celebrate the grand opening Bruegger’s offered guests an Herby Turkey SoftwichÔ, the most popular deli-style sandwich which is made to order and served on a freshly baked square bagel, for just $1.04.

“This is an important market for Bruegger’s expansion . We’re confident that the Columbia bakery will soon become a community favorite for breakfast and lunch,” said Daniel B. Krueger, Bruegger’s franchisee and principal of Lowcountry Bagels, LLC. “Bruegger’s offers delicious, healthful menu options that are always fast and fresh.”
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“More than 40 percent of our bakeries are operated by our franchise partners such as Lowcountry Bagels, who help make the Bruegger’s bakery-cafe an inviting place for our guests,” said James J. Greco, CEO of Bruegger’s.

There are currently three other Bruegger’s locations in South Carolina. The first Bruegger’s bakery-cafe opened in Charleston in August of 2006. More than 100 of Bruegger’s 256 locations are operated by franchisee owners like Lowcountry Bagels.

Kettle boiled first; Bruegger’s bagels are baked fresh throughout the day to give them an authentic crunchy crust on the outside and a dense, chewy texture on the inside. In addition to fresh, hot bagels, Bruegger’s offers an extensive menu that includes hand-crafted, fresh-tossed salads, made-to-order sandwiches and unique coffee blends, including a daily Fair Trade CertifiedÔ blend. Bruegger’s is one of the largest distributors of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Fair Trade CertifiedÔ coffee.

A soft color scheme, emphasizing natural textures and warm tones balanced with bright colors is an integral part of the Bruegger’s bakery design making it an inviting experience.

About Bruegger's Enterprises, Inc.
Bruegger's Enterprises, Inc., an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., is a leader in the quick, casual restaurant segment. Bruegger's and its GUEST-focused team are dedicated to serving delicious, healthy food that brings guests back again and again. In approximately 260 neighborhood bakery-cafes in 21 states, Bruegger's offers a warm, comfortable setting for guests to enjoy a wholesome meal with family and friends. Famous for authentic boiled and baked bagels, Bruegger's bakers lend their expertise to crafting a variety of other stone-hearth baked breads, such as Ciabatta and the exclusive Softwich™. Guests can count on innovative menu items, including fresh-made salads, whole wheat wraps, hearty soups, specialty and deli-made sandwiches, desserts, unique Fair Trade coffee blends and original cream cheese flavors. Founded in 1983, Bruegger's is headquartered in Burlington, Vermont and supports its neighbors in every community it serves. For more information, please visit www.brueggers.com

Contacts:

Bruegger's
Norm Morneau, Mason Onofrio Public Relations
(203) 393-1101 ext. 109
nmorneau@mason23.com