for immediate release
December 30, 2003


WISCONSIN-BASED KRAUT MANUFACTURER OUTPRODUCES THE COUNTRY OF GERMANY
From Krautzza to Chocolate Cake, Kraut Breaks Traditional New Year’s Barriers

Bear Creek, Wis.— Wisconsin, long known as America’s Dairyland, has gained a unique new
distinction as a Wisconsin-based manufacturer surpasses the entire country of Germany in its
2003 Sauerkraut production.

As the world’s largest producer of Sauerkraut, Wisconsin-based Great Lakes Kraut, with
manufacturing facilities in Bear Creek, Wis., and Shortsville, N.Y., produced more than 270
million pounds of America’s finest Sauerkraut in 2003. That’s more than 45 million heads of
cabbage! In fact, at the height of the production season in November, Great Lakes Kraut
processed an average of 4,000 pounds of cabbage each minute.

But when Great Lakes Kraut wrapped up the 2003 production season in mid November, they
had done more than just outproduce all of the world’s other kraut makers. For the first time ever,
Great Lakes Kraut produced 270 million pounds of Sauerkraut– more kraut than all of the
manufacturers in Sauerkraut’s homeland combined.

“We at Great Lakes Kraut will definitely be celebrating this production milestone with a traditional
New Year’s feast of pork and Sauerkraut,” says co-owner of Great Lakes Kraut Ryan Downs.

Downs states that the world’s love of kraut stems from its quirky yet delightful properties that
make it truly versatile in cuisine. Though a traditional European New Year’s dish thought to be
symbolic of good fortune and prosperity in the coming year, kraut continues to break all
seasonal boundaries.

Great Lakes Kraut Outproduces Germany

In American cuisine, kraut is a favorite summertime food used as a topping for hot dogs,
burgers, and brats. But Great Lakes Kraut’s web site, www.krrrrispkraut.com, currently lists
many recipes demonstrating that Sauerkraut is much more than a traditional New Year’s dish or
a summertime topping.

Recipes from the web site include popular main dishes like a pizza made with kraut dubbed
“Krautzza,” as well as many appetizers and side dishes, all of which gain their unique
deliciousness from Sauerkraut. The versatility of kraut is most uniquely seen in how it adds to
indulgent desserts like “Chocolate Kraut Cake.”

Great Lakes Kraut Company is the largest Sauerkraut producer in the world. Headquartered in
Bear Creek, Wis., with manufacturing facilities in both Bear Creek and Shortsville, N.Y., Great
Lakes Kraut manufactures and markets the leading brands of Sauerkraut, Silver Floss and the
official sauerkraut of Lambeau Field, Krrrrisp Kraut. Great Lakes Kraut has been producing
kraut since 1900. For recipes or more information log on to www.krrrrispkraut.com.

Editor’s Note: Traditional New Year’s recipes and other kraut creations ranging from Krautzza
to Chocolate Kraut Cake can be found at www.krrrrispkraut.com.