Sara Lee Corporation Unveils New Name for Coffee & Tea Business - D.E Master Blenders 1753

DOWNERS GROVE, Illinois, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

As Sara Lee Corporation (NYSE: SLE) becomes two publicly-held, pure-play companies, the company has announced that its International Coffee and Tea company will be named D.E Master Blenders 1753.

D.E Master Blenders 1753 is operating across Europe, Brazil, Australia and Thailand under leading brands such as Douwe Egberts, Senseo, L'OR EspressO, Marcilla, Pilão, Moccona, Pickwick and Hornimans.

"With a brand that is beloved worldwide and has been for centuries, this new name and brand identity is the logical next step in our strategy," said Michiel Herkemij, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Sara Lee International Beverage.

"D.E Master Blenders 1753 expresses what we have become as an organization, as well as what we aspire to be -  the best blenders in the world - transcending the boundaries of traditional companies and bringing innovations that enhance and improve the way the world enjoys coffee and tea."

The meaning

Since 1753, Douwe Egberts has been a name synonymous with exceptional coffee. This has made Douwe Egberts one of the best-selling brands in Europe.  D.E Master Blenders 1753 places great respect on the company's heritage while placing a strong emphasis on the future.  D.E Master Blenders 1753 is a dynamic expression of the new company's marketplace positioning as a bridge-builder between the traditional and breakthrough innovation.

"When determining the new name, we thought of things like strong heritage, leadership, dynamic brands, bold growth, operational excellence and a great place to work," said Herkemij. "D.E Master Blenders 1753 captures all of those elements."

D.E Master Blenders 1753 was selected after an intensive six-month research and analysis process involving thousands of candidate names. A short-list group of about 50 names, all of which met the positioning and personality criteria for the firm, was evaluated globally for trademark and URL availability, possible cultural sensitivities and local market pronunciation.

The initiative was led by Jan Bennink, executive chairman, Sara Lee Corporation, and supported by the international branding and identity firm IDEO, as well as law firms in several countries who conducted the more than 3,000 trademark searches required under the project's tight deadline.

Ingrid Baron, chief marketing officer, said the company intends to celebrate with its employees with rebranded offices, signage and stationery. "Once the spin is completed, we will launch an aggressive global campaign that will reinforce our marketplace positioning and introduce the new company to our customers, recruits and the public at large."

About Sara Lee Corporation

Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE: SLE) and its leading portfolio of food and beverage brands, including Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Pickwick Teas, Sara Lee and Senseo, generate nearly $9 billion in annual net sales from continuing operations and employ approximately 20,000 people worldwide.  In January, 2011, Sara Lee Corp. announced that it will divide the company into two pure -play publicly-traded companies, one focused on the international coffee and tea market and the other on North American meats.  For more information on the company, please visit http://www.saralee.com.