The Original SoupMan Stirs Up 2013 with New Distribution Agreement with Nash-Finch, One of the Nation's Top Food Distributors

NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Original SoupMan — the inspiration for the famous Seinfeld "No Soup for You!" episode and #1 Zagat-rated, best-tasting soup in the world — today announced that Nash-Finch, the second largest publicly-traded wholesale food distributor in the United States servicing thousands of food retailers, is now featuring The Original SoupMan among its portfolio of brands. 

Nash-Finch, based in Minneapolis, is a Fortune 500 company and one of the leading food distribution companies in the United States. Nash-Finch's core business, food distribution, serves independent retailers and military commissaries in 36 states, the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Azores, Egypt and Bahrain. The Company also owns and operates a base of retail stores, primarily supermarkets under the Econofoods, Family Thrift Center, AVANZA, Family Fresh Market, No Frills, Bag 'N Save and Sun Mart trade names. Further information is available on the Company's website, www.nashfinch.com.

"We are very pleased to start 2013 with a bang as truckloads of The Original SoupMan soups head to Nash-Finch as we keep stirring up supermarket soup aisles nationwide," said Arnold Casale, CEO, SoupMan, Inc.  "As our newest distribution partner and one of the leaders in the food distribution industry, Nash-Finch provides The Original SoupMan with an important means of supplying many new supermarkets across the United States."

The Original SoupMan soups available in supermarkets feature the same obsessive perfectionism and eclectic varieties for which the brand is famous, starting with Lobster Bisque, Chicken Noodle, Lentil and Tomato Bisque.  The soups are packaged in an innovative, shelf-stable Tetra Recart carton package that maintains the impeccable taste and quality standards which made The Original SoupMan famous, while allowing consumers to now find The Original SoupMan in the soup aisle along with Campbell's and Progresso soups, where over $6 billion in soup purchases occur annually.  The Tetra Recart carton package is made mainly from paper, a renewable resource, and is BPA-free and recyclable.  Suggested retail price is $3.79 to $3.99 for a two-serving, 17.3 oz. carton.

The Original SoupMan can be found in the soup aisle of a growing array of supermarkets nationwide, including: A&P, Associated Food Stores, Carrs, D'Agostino's, Dominick's, Fairway, Food Basics, Food Emporium, Foodtown, H-E-B Supermarkets, Ingles Markets, Pathmark, Pavilions, Price Chopper, PriceRite, Randalls, Safeway, Schnucks, Shop 'n Bag, Super Fresh, The Fresh Market, Thriftway, Tom Thumb, Vons, Waldbaum's, Weiss, Woodman's, and more. The soups are also available online at Amazon.com.  To find the nearest retailer, visit www.originalsoupman.com/soup-shop/grocers-near-you.

As the national rollout of The Original SoupMan in supermarket soup aisles continues, the company is also offering fans a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip to meet Shaquille O'Neal, brand ambassador and SoupMan, Inc. equity partner.  The "Soup with Shaq Sweepstakes" is a Facebook-driven promotion that will reward one Grand Prize winner the chance to win a trip for two to meet with "The Original Shaq Man" over a bowl of The Original SoupMan soup.  For Official Rules and to register to enter, visit www.facebook.com/OriginalSoupMan.

About SoupMan, Inc.:
In 1984, The Original SoupMan opened its doors at 55th Street & 8th Avenue in Manhattan. The tiny storefront quickly became a worldwide destination. Rated #1 by Zagat and praised in The New York Times as "Art, not Soup," it set the standard for innovation and excellence long before the famous Seinfeld episode made it a cultural icon. The Company's franchise operations include highly visible locations in the Mohegan Sun Casinos and more. The Company's branded soup is also being offered by Tim Horton's, Earl of Sandwich and other leading QSRs. The Original SoupMan products are now available throughout the United States in innovative, shelf-stable cartons for sale in the soup aisle of major supermarket chains.  The Company also distributes its products through the foodservice channel, including school lunch programs.

Shaquille O'Neal serves as an advisor to and equity partner in the Company, as does Mr. October, Reggie Jackson and Emmy and Golden Globe nominated and Tony Award winning actor Jason Alexander. In addition, Tim Gannon, the co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, is The Original SoupMan Culinary and Business Director and Board Member. SoupMan, Inc., parent company of The Original SoupMan (www.originalsoupman.com) is a fully reporting public company trading under the ticker symbol SOUP.

For additional information on SoupMan, Inc., please visit http://www.soupmaninc.com. Learn more at http://www.originalsoupman.com, follow us on Twitter @OriginalSoupMan and "Like" us on Facebook.

Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections made by management. The Company intends for the forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," or variations of such words are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.  The forward-looking statements contained in this letter include statements regarding the launch of its shelf-stable product, its distribution and availability in supermarkets and marketing plans.  All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements other than as required by law. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth or implied by any forward-looking statements, such as our ability to implement our marketing plan, raise sufficient capital to implement the plan and comply with our on-going obligations to our senior secured creditor, and the risk factors discussed in the Business and Management's Discussion and Analysis sections in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Copies of these filings are available on the Company's website www.soupmaninc.com  and at www.sec.gov

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SOURCE SoupMan, Inc.