Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp.

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International Guild of Hospitality & Restaurant Managers

Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., founded in 1983, operates 94 salad buffet restaurants in California, Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington under the names Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. The Company also operates one Ladles, A Soup and Salad Takery (Ladles) and one Slurp! The Soup Experience (Slurp!) in California ; however, the Company has determined that they will exit these concepts in fiscal 2002. The Company's restaurants feature fresh salads and other complementary foods. Due to its salad focus, the Company's concept falls within a segment of the restaurant industry that is distinct from other buffet concepts and moderately priced casual restaurants.

The Company's fundamental strategy is to provide a casual restaurant dining experience that incorporates the variety and choice inherent in a buffet restaurant, but the food quality and service expected in casual chains. The Company seeks to provide fresh wholesome food with a strong emphasis on salads, which are featured on two 55-foot bars that include a wide range of salad offerings featuring three freshly tossed salads as well as a large assortment of fresh cut produce, dressings and toppings and several signature prepared salads. Various other offerings include made from scratch soups, a hot pasta bar, a bakery that serves a variety of hot muffins, focaccias and other breads and a dessert bar centered around a frozen yogurt station with toppings complemented by fresh fruits and puddings.

The Company intends to expand in fiscal 2002 in existing markets. In fiscal 2001 (year ended September 30, 2001), the Company opened three new restaurants and re-opened one existing restaurant in California, as well as one new restaurant in Arizona, two new restaurants in Missouri, and three new restaurants and one stand-alone kitchen facility in Illinois. Subsequent to the close of fiscal 2001, the Company opened one additional restaurant in Irvine , California . In fiscal 2002, the Company anticipates opening a total of four new restaurants, of which three have signed leases and one has purchased land. The Company has purchased two sites to be opened in fiscal 2003.

The Company's menu is designed to focus on freshly made, great tasting food. The focal point of the menu is the salad bar, but not to the point of neglecting other interesting and exciting food offerings at the hot pasta, soup, bakery, frozen yogurt and dessert bars. The Company seeks to provide guests with an excellent value by offering unlimited access to its entire menu of high quality fresh items at a fixed price. Discounts are provided to children under 12 and senior citizens, along with various other discount programs.

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