CREMONINI GROUP: the new “Chef Express” motorway catering area on the A14 at Santerno Ovest opened today.

The structure is the pilot premises for the new motorway catering formula using the Chef Express layout.

In connection with its project for the development and reorganisation of the motorway catering activities, the Cremonini Group today opened the new "Chef Express" service area at Santerno Ovest (BO), on the Bologna-Taranto A14 close to Faenza.

Completely refurbished and unique of its type, the area constitutes the first integrated catering model with the new "Chef Express" (a brand launched at the beginning of 2007) formula and layout. The structure is characterised by an innovative format and a new conception of catering services, increasingly destined to accompany motorway travel and commuter movement.

The new premises are more than double the size of the previous structure and were constructed with an investment of some 3 million Euro: they extend over a total of 1,610 m2 with 168 seats, have 41 employees and offer, in addition to bar/snack and Self Service catering, a Roadhouse Grill Steakhouse corner (an absolute novelty for a motorway area). When fully operative it is expected that over 1,600,000 customers will be served annually, with revenues of about 8 million Euro (excluding fuel sales).

Amongst the additional services are the Market and Infopoint, with the possibility of (free) Internet access for travel information - hotel bookings, news on the road systems, local points of interest, etc., - cash point and baby room. Furthermore, there is an appropriate "baby corner" in the restaurant area, where, as a sign of particular attention to families, baby food is supplied free of charge.

Amongst the novelties proposed at Santerno, and throughout the Chef Express network, the "Prezzo KO" initiative should be mentioned: a group of products (bread rolls, single restaurant meals, decaffeinated coffee, some market products, etc.) offered at a reduced price to allow customers to choose the best quality/price relationship.

The premises thus meet the objective of offering travellers a really relaxed break, uniting ample availability of seats with product quality and attention to service.

The innovative architectural layout, designed in accordance with the international best practice of Architect Mario Ferruccio Rovescalli, were constructed commencing from a concept in which the spaciousness and brightness of the environment have a central role, as illustrated by the great attention that was dedicated to the modularity and flexibility of utilisation of the premises' areas.

Cremonini now manages 34 catering areas all along the Italian motorway network, 22 of which have already been refurbished, 4 are in the course of refurbishment (Monferrato Ovest, Gargano Ovest, Piacenza Sud and Aprilia), and another 8 areas will be started by the end of the year (Piave Est, Mirabella Nord and Sud, Vallescrivia Est, Tolfa Est, Arrone Est, Villanova and Masseria Est), thus completing the plan of updating to the new Chef Express catering model, which has definitively substituted the old Moto commercial brand.

On the occasion of presentation of the new area, the Cremonini Group has confirmed its commitment in a segment with particularly interesting growth prospects, which are also related to the opportunities generated by the process of re-assignation of the concessions that, for the next three-years 2007 - 2009, foresees tenders for over 150 service areas, equal to about a third of the entire market.

Chef Express S.p.a- formerly Moto Spa - which had total revenues in 2006 of 125.7 million Euro is today the second Italian operator in motorway catering, with a 7.6% market share.

Cremonini, with over 7,600 employees, 5,000 of whom are in the catering sector, is one of the largest food groups in Europe and operates in three business sectors: production, distribution and catering.

The Group, which had total revenues of 2,348.8 million Euro in 2006, is the absolute leader in Italy in the production of beef and meat-based transformed products (Montana) and the marketing and distribution of food products (MARR) to the food service sector. It also has a significant presence in the catering sector and, in particular, the leadership in Italy in on-board train and railway stations catering (Chef Express). Finally the Group is in 2nd place in the Italian motorway catering market.

Santerno (BO), 24 July 2007

Contacts:
Luca Macario
Cremonini Press Office:
luca.macario@cremonini.com
tel. 059 754630