GREENWICH, Conn., July 20, 2001 (PRIMEZONE) -- Blyth, Inc. (NYSE:BTH), a leading manufacturer and marketer of candles and home fragrance products, today announced the debut of a record number of new products at the summer gift shows for its premium brands and sub-brands, including Colonial Candle of Cape Cod(r), Colonial at HOME(r), Kate's Original Recipe(tm) and Carolina Designs(r). The new products are designed and marketed by Candle Corporation of America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Blyth, Inc.
Blyth continues its efforts to strengthen the resources behind its premium brands, which began last year with additions and enhancements at the senior management level at Candle Corporation. Eight new, expanded or refurbished permanent showrooms, which were completed earlier this year for the January gift shows, feature the Colonial Candle of Cape Cod(r) brand and its sub-brands. A management focus in recent months has been refining the brand positioning for Candle Corporation's three major brands, a process in which the consumer and the consumer's needs are identified and targeted and a sales and marketing plan is implemented. The process of the brand positioning is a critical and continuing step towards building brand equity, increasing customer satisfaction and improving profitability.
Commenting on the sales initiatives and new product launches, Robert B. Goergen, Blyth's Chairman of the Board and CEO, said, "By working closely with Blyth's Global Services group, which includes Research and Development, Corporate Marketing and Global Sourcing, the sales and marketing team at Candle Corporation has expedited the new product development process such that most of the products debuting at the summer gift shows are available for immediate shipment. Moreover, these teams have worked in tandem not only to ensure that our products get to market faster, but that the quality of those products is improved and favored in 'blind tests' with consumers. This is a significant accomplishment, and we believe that we can leverage our core competencies such that we will continue to see increased sales and profitability."
Colonial Candle of Cape Cod, founded in 1909 as 'the company that grew from a Bayberry,' is one of Candle Corporation's leading brands today, and its traditional bayberry and mulberry candles are still top sellers. New candles and accessories sold under the Colonial Candle of Cape Cod(r) brand include fragrant bayberry tapers and votives and ceramic plates and holders, all accented with a holiday design of berries and greenery.
Building on the growing importance of secondary holidays, a Valentine's Day assortment for 2002 also debuted at the summer shows, including fragranced heart-shaped pillars and floater candles, as well as ceramic plates and holders. Additional new accessory collections offer more decorative options, with the spirit of 92 years of heritage and continued dedication to quality an integral part of the Colonial Candle of Cape Cod(r) brand.
Mr. Goergen continued, "New products are one of the key factors for success in this business. The management at Candle Corporation, while completely revamping the new product development process and improving quality, has also refocused its fiscal discipline, both in managing its day-to-day operations and in the creation of profitable products, which we believe will help ensure a healthier enterprise as they grow their business."
New 'edible' fragrances have debuted under the Colonial at HOME(r) sub-brand, including Sweet Caramel(tm) and Chocolate Brownie(tm), as well as new 'thirst-quenching' fragrances in Mint Mango, Papaya Tea(tm) and Cranberry Apple Tea(tm). Hallmark Gold Crown stores will feature exclusive new Watermelon and Lemonade(tm) scents. New, themed jar toppers, complementing the patented oval shape of Colonial at HOME(r) products, and new oval glass votive holders are available. Simmer Snaps(tm), non-wicked scented wax products with decorative new ceramic Snap Warmers are available in additional fragrances.
The Company's recent consumer research led to the creation of additional sub-brands, including Kate's My Home(tm), a line of candles and accessories as part of the Kate's Original Recipe(tm) brand. It offers entirely new fragrances such as Caramel Apple(tm), Butterscotch Pecan Pie(tm) and Spring Bouquet(tm), which are all depicted on new labels with fresh, bright photography. Other new sub-brands include Kate's My Life(tm) unfragranced wax products, Carolina(r) Home Fragrance and Carolina(r) Home Decor. New products launched under the Carolina(r) brand offer consumers fragrances such as Lemon Meringue(tm) and Raspberry Sorbet(tm). New collections include an assortment of hand-crafted mosaic candles and a seashell collection. Value packs and a new Scent-of-the-Month program for retailers have also been introduced at the summer gift shows.
Additional information may be found on the Internet at www.colonialathome.com and www.blythinc.com.
Blyth, Inc., headquartered in Greenwich, designs, manufactures and markets an extensive line of candles and home fragrance products including scented candles, potpourri and other fragranced products and markets a broad range of related candle accessories. Its products are sold direct to the consumer under the PartyLite(r) brand, to retailers in the mid-tier and premium retail channels, under the Colonial Candle of Cape Cod(r), Kate's Original Recipe(tm) and Carolina Designs(r) brands and in the mass retail channel under the Ambria(tm), Florasense(r) and FilterMate(r) brands. In Europe, its products are also sold under the Gies, Colony and Wax Lyrical brands. Blyth also markets a broad range of Creative Expressions and Foodservice products for the consumer market, including decorative seasonal products under the Midwest of Cannon Falls(r) and Impact(tm) brand names, paper-related products under the Jeanmarie(r) brand and tabletop illumination products, and portable heating fuel for the hotel, restaurant and catering trade, under the Sterno(r) and HandyFuel(r) brand names. Net sales for the twelve months ended April 30, 2001 totaled $1,167 million.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. Actual results could differ materially due to various factors, including the risk of a continuing weakness of the retail environment, the effects of our restructuring, the risk of maintaining the Company's growth rate, the Company's ability to respond to increased product demand, the risks (including foreign currency fluctuations) associated with international sales and foreign products, the risks of being able to recruit new independent sales consultants, dependence on key management personnel, competition in terms of price and new product introductions, and other factors described in this press release, in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 30, 2001 and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2001.