Preliminary Results Indicate Concerned Pantry Shareholders (CPS) Receives Overwhelming Support To Elect All Three Of Its Nominees To Pantry's Board At Today's Annual Meeting

HOUSTON, March 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Concerned Pantry Shareholders ("CPS" or "we"), a group led by JCP Investment Management, LLC and Lone Star Value Management, LLC, together a significant shareholder of The Pantry, Inc. ("Pantry" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PTRY), announced that, based on preliminary results from today's Annual Meeting, the shareholders of Pantry have elected all three of CPS's director nominees, Todd E. Diener, James C. Pappas and Joshua E. Schechter, to Pantry's Board of Directors (the "Board") by a six to one margin for Messrs. Pappas and Diener and a four to one margin for Mr. Schechter.  The results are expected to be certified in the coming days.

James Pappas of JCP Investment Management and Jeff Eberwein of Lone Star Value Management stated, "We appreciate the overwhelming support from Pantry' shareholders for all three of our nominees.  We fully understand the mandate to work with the Board and management to enhance value for the benefit of all shareholders. We have already begun planning with management and the new Board and are excited to work hard to improve the performance and fundamental value of Pantry."

CPS's nominees elected to the Board include:

Todd E. Diener -- Former executive officer of Brinker International, Inc. ("Brinker") where he most recently served as the President of Chili's Grill & Bar ("Chili's") and On the Border restaurants.  In his role as President of Chili's, Mr. Diener led all aspects of the brand, including finance, P&L, marketing, operations, real estate, human resources and franchising.  Prior to his role as President of Chili's and On the Border, Mr. Diener served in the roles of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Brinker, where he was responsible for more than 1,500 restaurants. Mr. Diener oversaw company-owned and franchised operations for On the Border, Macaroni Grill, Maggiano's and Corner Bakery Cafe restaurants in the United States and 24 other countries.

James C. Pappas -- Managing Member of JCP Investment Management, LLC and sole member of JCP Investment Holdings, LLC.  Mr. Pappas is the Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Compensation and Leadership Committee of Morgan's Foods, a public company that operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries KFC restaurants under franchises from KFC Corporation, Taco Bell restaurants under franchises from Taco Bell Corporation and Pizza Hut Express restaurants under licenses from Pizza Hut Corporation.  Previously, Mr. Pappas was with the Investment Banking / Leveraged Finance Division of Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. where he advised private equity groups and corporations on appropriate leveraged buyout, recapitalization and refinancing alternatives, and prior to that with Banc of America Securities, where he focused on Consumer and Retail Investment Banking, providing advice on a wide range of transactions including mergers and acquisitions, financings, restructurings and buyside engagements. 

Joshua E. Schechter -- Director of Aderans Co., Ltd., a multi-national company engaged in hair-related business, and Executive Chairman of Aderans America Holdings, Inc. Mr. Schechter is a former Managing Director of Steel Partners Ltd., a privately owned hedge fund sponsor and co-President of Steel Partners Japan Asset Management, LP, a private company offering investment services. Mr. Schechter served on the Board of Directors of WHX Corporation (n/k/a Handy & Harman Ltd.), a diversified manufacturer of engineered niche industrial products with leading market positions in many of the markets it serves and the Board of Directors of Puroflow, Inc. (n/k/a Argan, Inc.), a provider of a full range of power industry and telecommunications infrastructure services.

About JCP Investment Management:

JCP Investment Management, LLC is an investment firm headquartered in Houston, TX that engages in value-based investing across the capital structure.  JCP follows an opportunistic approach to investing across different equity, credit and distressed securities largely in North America.

About Lone Star Value Management:

Lone Star Value Management, LLC ("Lone Star Value") is an investment firm that invests in undervalued securities and engages with its portfolio companies in a constructive way to help maximize value for all shareholders.  Lone Star Value was founded by Jeff Eberwein who was formerly a Portfolio Manager at Soros Fund Management and Viking Global Investors.  Lone Star Value is based in Old Greenwich, CT.

Investor Contact:
John Glenn Grau
InvestorCom, Inc.
(203) 972-9300 ext. 11

SOURCE Concerned Pantry Shareholders