Tree Of Life, Inc. Receives Organic Certification From Quality Assurance International, Inc.

Tree of Life Becomes the Nation's Largest Certified Organic Distributor

St. Augustine, Fla., September 4, 2003 – Tree of Life, Inc. announced today that it has achieved "certified organic" status under the U. S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program for all of its operations in the United States. "Certified Organic" status means that products labeled organic have been verified by a USDA-accredited third party to meet strictly defined organic standards. With this certification, which was verified by Quality Assurance International, Inc. (QAI), a global leader in organic certification, Tree of Life becomes the nation's largest certified organic distributor.

Tree of Life has been an important participant in the development and growth of the organic products industry for more than 30 years as both a distribution company and brand marketer. The Company also was active in its support of the legislation that led to the development of the Organic Food Production Act in 1990 and, ultimately, the development of the National Organic Program (NOP) that was fully implemented in October 2002. Even though certification is not required of distribution companies under the NOP, Tree of Life believes that certification should be expected from any distributor who wishes to enjoy the sales growth of the organic products category.

“The organic product category is one of the most rapidly growing segments of Tree of Life’s business and a significant percentage of our total sales currently comes from products that make an organic claim,” said Rick Thorne, Tree of Life chairman and CEO. “Organic certification ensures our continued participation in this category, enhances our role as a leader in the organic products industry, and allows us to be an effective supply chain partner for our retail customers who wish to be organically certified themselves.”

Greg Leonard, corporate vice president and coordinator of the organic certification process for Tree of Life said, “While the certification process was lengthy, it was easier than we had anticipated because many of the standard operating procedures we previously had in place, including sanitation and pest control procedures, were already nearly in full compliance with the National Organic Program.”

Ellen P. Holton, director of marketing and business development for QAI, commended Tree of Life saying, “We applaud Tree of Life in taking on the arduous, time consuming and challenging process of becoming organically certified, especially when they were not required to do so. This further demonstrates and affirms Tree of Life’s commitment to preserving organic integrity throughout the entire supply chain, while reinforcing the importance the company places on the organic food industry and its continued growth. Tree of Life has certainly made it easier for retailers who wish to be certified to complete the required audit trail necessary for organic compliance.” Tree of Life, Inc. is the world’s leading marketer and distributor of natural and specialty foods, serving customers throughout the United States and Canada. Tree of Life, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wessanen U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Koninklijke Wessanen. The parent company, Wessanen NV, has over two centuries of experience in the food industry. # #

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