Aldi Stores, USA -Aldi-, Is Awarded the Private Label Manufacturers Association's -PLMA- Prestigious ``SALUTE to EXCELLENCE'' for Klassiek Beer.

IRVINE, Calif. -- GK Skaggs, Inc., a supplier of premier international beers, is proud to salute its retail partner, Aldi, for its recent award from the Private Label Manufacturer's Association (PLMA), for one of the first three private-label beer offerings on Aldi's shelf, Klassiek(R).

These awards are the result of a large-scale taste test in a joint undertaking by Supermarket News and the PLMA. The objective was to identify a number of best-in-class, private-label products that will be showcased at this year's annual PLMA Trade Show in Chicago during the week of November 14-16. Some 260 private-label products, introduced over the last year, were nominated and then judged by a panel of food industry professionals and consumers. Klassiek(R) won for the beer category.

During the past year, Aldi has teamed up with GK Skaggs to create 3 private-label beer offerings, of which Klassiek(R) is one. Supermarket News reported that the entire process of formula development, package design, beer production and shipment into the US was completed in about five months. The award-winning Klassiek(R) is a value-priced, premium quality lager beer with bright green colored packaging, brewed in Holland and is a registered trademark.

"We are excited that our retailing partner, Aldi, has received this award. Its recognition is timely given the recent launch of the Klassiek(R) label and beer, and of course, we are proud to be their supplier," said Gregory Skaggs, Chief Executive Officer at GK Skaggs, Inc. "Our retailers have received awards in the past so we believe that this is just the beginning for Aldi."

Aldi, the 10th largest retailer in the world, headquartered in Essen, Germany, operates 7,000 stores worldwide and ranks 24th here in the United States, operating over 700 stores. Retailers like Aldi have come to recognize the positive impact store brands can have on a company's financial statement and the growing private label industry is proof that improvements have been made in both quality and category expansions as seen with this new beer offering by Aldi.

GK Skaggs, Inc. has been supplying premium, international beers to thousands of retail stores throughout the United States since 1984 and is licensed in 44 states. They specialize in the design and development of corporate label beer programs that emphasize value-priced, high quality import beers from breweries in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.