Contact TREO:
Laura Shaw, Sr. Vice President, Marketing and Communications
(520) 243-1940 office, (520) 609-5972 or laura.shaw@treoaz.org

Contact Arizona Canning Company LLC:
Shane Gesbeck, Plant Manager
(520) 663-4726, or sgesbeck@arizonacanning.com

Tucson, AZ (February 19, 2010) – Arizona Canning Company, a Tucson-based food manufacturer, announces today that it has purchased the Luck’s brand from ConAgra Foods to complement its line of canned foods produced in Southern Arizona. Arizona Canning Company will sell, source raw material, produce, warehouse and fulfill customer orders of the Luck’s brand directly from Tucson across the U.S. The purchase was effective February 15, 2010, and the purchase price was not disclosed.

The brand acquisition will add 40 much-needed jobs in the Tucson region. Currently the plant employs 94 people and the brand acquisition will bring the total projected workforce to 134. The additional jobs will be in production, maintenance, logistics, quality assurance and engineering. In addition, Arizona Canning Company has added 92,000 square feet of dry warehouse space in preparation for the growth, bringing the total square footage to 532,000.

The addition of the Luck’s brand of products results in the Arizona Canning Company plant running 24 hours a day/5 days per week, or at near capacity. The purchase of Luck’s will also allow a major expansion of the La Costeña-owned U.S. headquarters into Mid South/Southeast markets and the ability to maximize the brand’s potential by adding it to the La Costeña product portfolio.

Arizona Canning Company, which selected Tucson for its U.S. operations in 2006, is a manufacturer of canned foods including refried beans, whole beans and enchilada sauces, under licensed brands such as La Costeña and SunVista.

Shane Gesbeck, Plant Manager said, "The Luck’s brand is a perfect fit for our operation and we are excited about this new challenge. Arizona Canning Company will continue to look for opportunities to maximize the full potential of this state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and it’s highly-skilled, committed employees." To view a video about La

Costeña’s presence in Tucson, visit http://www.treoaz.org/Data-Center.aspx

"In this recession, this is truly welcome news for Tucson’s manufacturing and transportation/logistics sectors. Arizona Canning Company is a great example of foreign direct investment success here in Southern Arizona," said Joe Snell, TREO president & CEO.

Luck's has provided authentic Southern flavor for decades with a variety of canned food products. For more information, visit http://www.conagrafoods.com/consumer/brands/getBrand.do?page=lucks

With over 80 years of experience, 2,000+ employees, 3 manufacturing plants and over 130 products, La Costeña’s mission is to be a market leader giving families high-quality canned foods that preserve the flavor of Mexican cuisine and make preparation easier. For more information, visit www.lacostena.com.mx.

TREO’s mission is to provide insight, infrastructure, resources and development efforts to accelerate economic prosperity throughout the Southern Arizona region. TREO supports the creation of new business, the growth and expansion of existing businesses, and the attraction of companies that offer high-impact jobs and share the community’s values. For more information, visit www.treoaz.org.