Press Kit. chocolate flows in deep dark, sweet waves, a river to ignite my mind and alert my senses. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

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1 F R A N C H I S E chocolate flows in deep dark, sweet waves, a river to ignite my mind and alert my senses Press Kit Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Sullivan Retail Center in Veradale 506 N. Sullivan Road, Suite E Spokane Valley, WA RMCF

2 is it love or is it CHOCOLATE? It s undeniable. Chocolate holds a special place in our hearts. Feeling sad? Have some chocolate. Celebrating? You deserve chocolate. Want her attention? Give her chocolate. And the place where Naperville chocolate lovers go to satisfy their cravings is Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. There they experience largerthan-life gourmet candies and everything imaginable dipped in chocolate! All are made with the finest, fresest ingredients using time-tested recipes and traditional candymaking methods. We feature a variety of packaged candies in upscale boxes, decorative tins, and bags, perfect for gift giving, holiday time and special occasions. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Coming soon to Sullivan Retail Center in Veradale 506 N.Sullivan Road, Suite E Spokane Valley, WA Contact Aaron Blackmer: RMCF wa.spokanevalley50795@rmcf.com website: rmcf.com/wa/spokanevalley50795 Company Facts The first Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory shop opened in 1981 in Durango, Colorado by Frank Crail, where the 53,000 square foot factory produces and ships confections daily on its fleet of trucks. Today there are over 300 franchised locations in U.S. and Canada. The Company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol RMCF. The Peak of Perfection in Handmade Chocolates

3 Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory s new-concept shops feature sparkling interiors, copper accents and a cooking area in full view of the customer. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is best known for its old-fashioned caramel apples and huge loaves of fudge made in copper kettles and cooled on a massive marble slab. Yes, and everyone gets a sample!

4 Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Sullivan Retail Center in Veradale 506 N. Sullivan Road, Suite E Spokane Valley, WA RMCF FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Home is Where the Chocolate Is: Couple to Open First Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Spokane (Spokane Valley, WA) When Rachelle and Aaron Blackmer moved back to their hometown to start a family, Spokane had everything they were looking for except their favorite chocolate shop. Now the couple is filling the void with the city s first Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, slated to open in Spokane Valley by early November. Born and raised in Spokane, the Blackmers are excited to bring their new chocolate store to town. It will be located at 506 North Sullivan in Spokane Valley among a cluster of stores near the corner of Sullivan and Broadway. Rachelle is particularly happy to bring home a favorite indulgence she acquired when they lived in Seattle. Married in 2001, the couple moved to Seattle while Aaron completed an education in graphic design. Rachelle worked at a jeweler s in a mall that also featured a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. "I would buy an Apple Pie Apple every week. I also bought Aaron chocolate for special occasions and just because. His favorite is nut clusters," Rachelle says. Visitors to the new Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory will be treated to a bright shop filled with the irresistible smell of chocolate and shiny display cases filled with the trademark Bears, truffles, English toffee, nut clusters, caramels and more, available in signature generous portions and all made from time-honored recipes. In addition, a complete line of sugar-free chocolates will be offered. Cases will also be filled with fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate and crisp apples spun in chocolate or caramel and rolled in tasty toppings. Traditional boxed chocolates, packaged items and gift baskets will tempt as well. Rich premium ice cream will be offered, something visitors may not expect at a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

5 Aaron especially looks forward to making fudge in the store and handing out samples to customers. Rachelle enjoys making custom gift baskets and treat trays. She sees a real need for the corporate and special-occasion offerings, from chocolate business cards, dipped-apple party trays and holidaythemed gift items to wedding trays and customer "thanks for the business" baskets. Rachelle thinks it will be an easy transition from helping customers in a jewelry store to putting smiles on people s faces at her chocolate shop. "Fine chocolate is a lot like fine jewelry. Instead of their jeweler, I will be their fine chocolatier. I love helping customers one on one because I can get to know them. And I love that chocolate makes everybody feel good," says Rachelle, who worked as a jeweler for nine years in Seattle and Spokane. Rachelle and Aaron met in driver s education class during their sophomore year in high school and have been together ever since. They have two children, Peter Edward, 3, and Annabelle Mae, 2. When he s not making fudge for the store or helping behind the scenes, Aaron continues to work as a freelance graphic designer. The first Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store opened in 1981 in the picturesque Old West mining town of Durango, Colorado, where the factory continues to create chocolates for more than 300 franchised and company-owned stores throughout North America. For more information about the Spokane Valley Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory visit www. rmcf.com/wa/spokanevalley ###

6 Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. BACKGROUND In 1981, Frank Crail had a dream to move his family from congested Southern California and raise them in the more family-friendly environment of Colorado. Not having a plan to support his dream in Durango, the quaint Victorian-era town they had chosen to settle, he began surveying the town s local residents and merchants. It came down to either a car wash or a chocolate shop, recalls the father of seven. I think I made the right choice. So with longtime friends, Jim Hilton and Mark Lapinski, together they opened a little chocolate shop on Main Street. Although having moved from its original location, a shop still stands on Main Street, with its sights and smells tempting tourists and locals alike to experience a cornucopia of chocolatey treats before a breath-taking ride on the scenic Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad or after a half-day white water rafting trip through town. From that tiny shop downtown emerged the need for a 53,000 square foot chocolate factory located on the town s outskirts, built to supply the now hundreds of chocolate shops throughout the United States, Canada, and most recently, the Middle East. What is the recipe that has driven the company to success? The number one factor is the quality of the product, says President and CEO Crail. Without that customers aren t going to stay around long. As a testament, Crail proudly points to a page from Money magazine mounted on his office wall which features Rocky Mountain Chocolate winning the coveted 3-heart rating in a blind taste test. The candy maker s chocolate beat out See s Candies, Perugina, Teuscher, Godiva and Fanny May for the richest chocolate, with intense natural flavor. We also have a great marketing advantage with our unique in-store candy making demonstrations, Crail adds. Customers smell caramel or fudge bubbling in a traditional copper kettle on a gas-fired stove. They can watch the cook spin a skewered apple in the hot caramel, or watch fudge being made before their eyes. That s what people remember most about the experience. Another trademark is the unusually large portions of chocolate on display. This was a fortunate mistake, Crail recalls. In the early days, my partners and I did not know how to make chocolate and had to literally learn on a ping pong table. From the start we made the candy centers too big, not compensating for the added size and weight when coating the pieces in chocolate. And if they didn t look quite right we would dip them again. But the huge pieces instantly caught on and have remained the Rocky Mountain benchmark ever since. Crail also gives credit to the hundreds of independent franchise operators that bought in to his concept. They are the ones that really make this company a success, he remarks. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory continues to claim high marks in surveys that rate various franchise opportunities. Best of all are the classic treats the visitor will find at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory many of which haven t been seen by more mature adults since childhood. Besides the delightful caramel-covered apples (some stores feature over 30 varieties!), fudge is made fresh every day using the marble slab to literally suck the heat out of the favorite confection while the cook shapes it with paddles into a giant 22-pound loaf. A variety of fruits, nuts, pretzels and cookies are also dipped by hand in pots of melted milk, dark and even white chocolate. Fine chocolates, such as the Company s signature piece, the Bear, a paw-sized concoction of chewy caramel, roasted nuts and a heavy coating of chocolate, are shipped fresh on one of the Company s many refrigerated trucks. Other pieces include favorites like nut clusters, butter creams, exotic flavored truffles, toffee and a king-sized peanut butter cup aptly dubbed Bucket. Recently, the Company developed a new line of sugar-free and nosugar-added candies. Results have been spectacular, filling a need for those with special dietary requirements. Also featured are a variety of packaged candies in traditional boxes, decorative tins and bags, perfect for gift giving, holiday time and special occasions. Store operators are happy to prepare special requests for fund raising, corporate gifts or catering for weddings or other special events. In 1985, Crail took the Company public where it is now found on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol RMCF. Information can be found at the Company s web site, rmcf.com. A great deal has happened over the years, recounts Crail with a twinkle in his eye. I never imagined that in my search for a place to raise a family things would turn out so sweet! Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. Headquarters: 265 Turner Drive Durango, Colorado website: rmcf.com