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For Release: December 3, 2003

Media Contact:
Maverick Ranch Natural Meats
Matt Barnes, Communications Manager
303-294-0146x113, 303-913-1703 (c)
mattbarnes@maverickranch.com

Maverick Ranch Natural Meats now available at Sunflower Markets in Denver
Consumers can now purchase award-winning natural meats at new natural foods store

Denver – Maverick Ranch Natural Meats are now available at Sunflower Markets in Denver. Sunflower Markets carries Maverick Ranch’s all natural pork, chicken, lamb, and beef (NaturaLite steaks and 96 percent extra-lean ground beef). Maverick Ranch’s NaturaLite Beef contains 50 percent less fat, 33 percent less calories and 25 percent less cholesterol than regular beef.

Founded by the original partners of Wild Oats (Randy Clapp, Libby Cook, Mike Gilliland), Sunflower Markets brings a fresh perspective to the grocery store philosophy. The stores follow the farmer’s market format, with a primary focus on produce and meat. “We sell serious food at silly prices with a commitment to offer the best quality food available,” said Gilliland, president of Sunflower Markets. “Our goal is to make natural foods more affordable to everybody.”

Maverick Ranch strongly believes in the importance of “real” all natural meats. Maverick Ranch’s NaturaLite Beef is free of any antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. Maverick Ranch’s featured product is our Heart Healthy ground beef program, which is certified in the American Heart Association Food Certification Program*. Our 96 percent lean ground beef and ground round are not only lower in fat than regular ground turkey; they are 20 percent lower in cholesterol. “Our heart healthy grinds allow everyone to enjoy great tasting natural beef without the worry,” said Rex Moore, Maverick Ranch Natural Meats president and family owner.

The tender, juicy flavor of Maverick Ranch Natural Pork is claimed by many to have an old fashioned taste—pork that tastes like it used to. This can be attributed to production practices employed by Maverick Ranch suppliers. Hogs are allowed plenty of space to root and roam and are provided fresh supplies of feed (with no added animal byproducts) and water. This atmosphere allows hogs to be free of stress and unnecessary discomfort. Hogs are never administered antibiotics and waste lagoons are not permitted. In addition, Maverick Ranch Natural Pork is never pumped with water or sodium phosphate, and is always minimally processed with no artificial ingredients. Maverick Ranch’s 96% extra lean pork tenderloin is certified as Heart Healthy under the AHA Food Certification Program*.

Maverick Ranch Natural Chicken is both air-chilled and free-range. This natural chicken is never given any antibiotics, and has no added water during processing. Our chickens are free to range outside in an all natural environment. The extra space given to free range chicken while growing gives the chicken better texture and allows our chickens to be raised in a stress free environment. Our chickens are only fed a high quality diet of corn, soybeans, vitamins, and minerals with no animal byproducts. We do not allow debeaking, which is a common practice in the industry. Their diet, along with care used in raising our chickens in a natural, free-range environment gives us the best tasting and highest quality chicken available.

Maverick Ranch Natural Lambs are raised in small herds in an environmentally friendly and stress-free method. We work with well-respected family farms and ranchers to continue improving the genetics of our breeding stock naturally. Our sheep enjoy the benefits of cool, fresh air and a pollution-free environment. We raise our lambs without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones. Our sheep and lambs are fed a natural grain diet, supplemented with vitamins, which provide the essentials for healthy growing lambs. We never feed our lambs animal byproducts. With room to roam, our lamb mature at nature’s pace, with minimal stress.

Founded a year ago, Sunflower Markets’ footprint in this market continues to grow. In addition to the Denver store, there are two stores in Phoenix, and one in Albuquerque, NM. Another store will open in Tucson in January. “Our goal is to have ten stores operating in the southwest by the end of next year,” Gilliland said.

*To qualify under the American Heart Association Food Certification Program a beef cut must meet USDA guidelines for Extra Lean: less than 5g fat, 2g saturated fat and less than 95mg cholesterol per 4 oz. uncooked serving and per 100 grams.

Providing natural meat products free of antibiotics, steroids and pesticides since 1985, Maverick Ranch Natural Meats is a family-owned business based in Denver, Colo. The company provides natural beef, free-range, air-chilled chicken, buffalo, lamb, and pork to approximately 2,000 grocery retailers nationwide. In 2002, Maverick Ranch’s safety-assured ground beef won the Denver Business Journal’s Most Innovative Product in the edible category. Maverick Ranch features nine 96 percent lean beef and pork products that are certified in the American Heart Association Food Certification Program. In addition, Maverick Ranch is proud to be associated with the U.S. Olympic Committee, providing natural beef and pork to over 20,000 Olympic hopefuls training at three U.S. Olympic Training Centers. To learn more about Maverick Ranch, call 800-497-2624 or visit www.maverickranch.com.