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04 September 2008

Gak's Snacks/Homefree Treats Press Release

Here's the scoop on Gak's Snacks and Homefree Treats!


GAK’S SNACKS IS NOW HOMEFREE™
Allergy-friendly Cookie Company Announces New Name

WINDHAM, NH (September 3, 2008) – Gak’s Snacks, LLC, the Windham, New Hampshire-based maker of organic, ready-to-eat, whole grain cookies and coffee cakes free of common food allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and eggs, today announced it is changing its company name to HomeFree™, LLC.
According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), more than 12 million Americans have food allergies, and 3 million of them are children.  HomeFree, the treats you can trust, were created for people with food allergies and for health conscious people looking for a more enjoyable, certified organic, wholesome snacking option.  HomeFree will continue to manufacture the same delicious products at its dedicated baking facility, where it conducts testing on ingredients and random product batches to ensure its ingredients, cookies and coffee cakes are free of common food allergens.
“As our distribution and sales continue to grow, we are changing the name of our company to create a brand that will better resonate with our core consumer,” said Jill Robbins, president of HomeFree.  “The word ‘home’ projects a safe product for individuals with food allergies and ‘free’ highlights that we are free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy, as well as trans fat and cholesterol.  And the expression ‘home free’ means you can relax because everything is taken care of.”
Jill Robbins, HomeFree founder and clinical psychologist, turned to baking when her son was diagnosed with food allergies almost ten years ago. The author of Allergen Free Baking: Baked Treats for All Occasions, Jill focused on creating a solution to the social aspect of food allergies, finding it heartbreaking to know that many children, and adults, cannot fully participate in school and social events when treats with potential allergens are served.
HomeFree products are:
§  Free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy
§  Certified whole grain – each cookie serving contains at least ½ serving of whole grains
§  Certified organic
§  Fine for most people allergic to wheat (not gluten-free; contain oats)
§  Fine for most people allergic to soy (most contain soy lecithin)
§  Baked and packaged in a dedicated bakery
§  Allergen tested
§  Without trans fat or cholesterol
§  Without corn sweeteners, artificial colors, artificial flavors, MSG, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
§  Certified vegan (oatmeal cookies, and coffee cakes)
§  Certified kosher pareve
HomeFree cookies carry a suggested price of $4.99 per box at retail locations or $5.49 per box (plus shipping and handling) through the company’s website, www.homefreetreats.com.  HomeFree cookies are available in a variety of flavors including chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chip, and oatmeal (6.3 ounce boxes), as well as mini chocolate chip, mini chocolate chocolate chip and new mini oatmeal chocolate chip.  Individually wrapped cookies are $1.79 each or $16.90 for a case of 12. HomeFree Apple and Cranberry coffee cakes (net wt. 32 oz.) are available online for $27.95 and $28.95 plus a cooler, shipping and handling.
HomeFree cookies, coffee cakes, allergen-free baking cookbook, and specialized allergen-tested baking ingredients are available for purchase through the company’s website. The cookies are available at more than 185 retail locations nationwide, as well as at a growing number of institutions such as schools, camps, and sporting venues. For more information, or to purchase HomeFree products, please visit www.homefreetreats.com.
About HomeFree
HomeFree, LLC, formerly Gak’s Snacks, LLC, is the maker of delicious, organic, ready-to-eat whole grain cookies and coffee cakes free of common food allergens including peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy.  HomeFree was founded by Jill Robbins, a clinical psychologist, self-taught baker, author of Allergen Free Baking: Baked Treats for All Occasions, and the mother of a child with food allergies.  HomeFree manufactures and packages its products in a dedicated facility. With the highest commitment to product integrity, HomeFree sources its ingredients with great care and conducts allergen testing on ingredients and random product batches.  HomeFree cookies, coffee cakes and specialized allergen-tested baking ingredients are available for purchase through the company’s website or at more than 185 retail locations.   HomeFree, which is headquartered in Windham, NH, donates a portion of its profits to organizations that provide food allergy research and education.  For more information, or to purchase HomeFree products, please visit www.homefreetreats.com.

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