White Hen Pantry Enters into Master Franchise Agreement

Clark Retail Enterprises, Inc. announced a new growth strategy for building its White Hen Pantry brand. As a vehicle for creating a stronger presence in the New England area, White Hen Pantry, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Clark Retail Enterprises, Inc., has entered into an agreement with New England Pantry, Inc., based in Middletown, Rhode Island. Upon closing, New England Pantry, Inc. will purchase all 55 White Hen Pantry stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and will execute a Master franchise agreement with White Hen Pantry, Inc. This will make New England Pantry, Inc. a sub-franchisor of White Hen Pantry and the exclusive franchisor of White Hen Pantry convenience food stores in the six-state New England area.

White Hen Pantry is a premier franchisor, known for its high-quality, brand name product lines featuring fresh deli items, soups, garden salads, fresh-ground coffee and cappuccino, pastries and fresh produce as well as core convenience products and exceptional customer service.

New England Pantry, Inc.'s president and chief executive officer, Robert E. Swain, is also the president and chief executive officer of The Newport Creamery, Inc., a chain of 45 family-style restaurants and an ice cream manufacturer and distributor to more than 400 retail locations throughout Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts.

Clark Retail Enterprises, Inc., based in Oak Brook, Illinois, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clark Retail Group, Inc. Clark Retail Enterprises, Inc. and its subsidiary, White Hen Pantry, Inc., are leading owners and operators of convenience food stores and gasoline retail locations, predominantly located in the central United States. Clark Retail Enterprises, Inc. has 1,262 total locations, consisting of 766 company-operated and 200 branded jobber gasoline and convenience stores and 296 predominantly franchise- operated White Hen Pantry convenience food stores, 55 of which are in New England, 241 in the Chicago area.