Ahhh...Chocolate Is Now a Delicious Reality for People with Food Allergies

Until now, a chocolate-less world was very real to millions of children and adults in America with food allergies and food intolerances. That world has changed with the introduction of Enjoy Life Foods' boom CHOCO boom bars, the first dairy-, nut- AND soy-free chocolate. (Photo: Business Wire)

SCHILLER PARK, Ill.-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Imagine life without chocolate. Until now, a chocolate-less world was very real to millions of children and adults in America with food allergies and food intolerances. That world has changed.

Now, thanks to Enjoy Life Foods, food-allergic children and adults need no longer miss out when it comes to enjoying the rich, creamy, irresistible taste of chocolate. Enjoy Life Foods has launched a revolutionary new allergy-friendly¹ chocolate -- boom CHOCO boom? bars -- the first dairy-, nut- AND soy-free chocolate bars, available nationally at Whole Foods Market^? and other select natural food and grocery stores.

More than 12 million Americans have food allergies, and diagnoses are on the rise. Eight foods, including wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish, account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions in the U.S. Approximately 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts and another 30 to 50 million are lactose intolerant. Safety concerns around cross-contamination or the use of dairy-based ingredients cause people with these conditions to avoid most mass-produced chocolate…until now.

Enjoy Life Foods’ boom CHOCO boom bars get their delicious chocolatey taste from dairy-free rice milk as opposed to cow’s milk, and are made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free facility so most everyone can enjoy them. The great-tasting bars are available in three chocolatey varieties: boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk, boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk with crispy rice, and boom CHOCO boom dark chocolate.

• boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk is made for those with a passion for the sweet, smooth and creamy taste of milk chocolate.
• If it’s crunch they crave, food-allergic shoppers will enjoy boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk with crispy rice.
• Finally, dark chocolate lovers will appreciate the intense, rich and complex “notes” of boom CHOCO boom dark chocolate.

“Until now, most packaged chocolate bars were strictly off limits to anyone with food allergies because of the ingredients used and/or the prevalence of nut warnings,” says Nancy Curby, Director of Marketing for Enjoy Life Foods. “Now, food-allergic chocolate lovers throughout the U.S. can safely enjoy the chocolatey taste sensation of boom CHOCO boom bars and easily find them where they regularly shop.”

Enjoy Life’s boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk bar contains 230 calories, 17g of fat, 0mg cholesterol, 25mg sodium, 21g carbohydrates, 1g of fiber and 1g of protein. Its ingredients include evaporated cane juice, non-dairy cocoa butter, natural chocolate liquor, rice milk powder and salt.

The boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk with crispy rice bar contains 220 calories, 15g of fat, 0mg cholesterol, 30mg sodium, 22g carbohydrates, 1g fiber and 1g of protein. Its ingredients include evaporated cane juice, non-dairy cocoa butter, natural chocolate liquor, rice crisps, rice milk powder and salt.

The boom CHOCO boom dark chocolate bar contains 200 calories, 15g of fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 22g carbohydrates, 3g fiber and 2g protein. Its ingredients include evaporated cane juice, natural chocolate liquor and non-dairy cocoa butter.

boom CHOCO boom bars are available at all Whole Foods Market stores and other select natural food and grocery stores throughout the United States at suggested retail prices ranging from $1.79 to $1.99 for each 1.4-ounce bar.

The addition of the three new boom CHOCO boom bars brings to 24 the number of delicious products sold under the Enjoy Life brand. Other products include allergy-friendly AND gluten-free soft-baked cookies, snack bars, granola, trail mixes, bagels and semi-sweet chocolate chips, all of which are free of the eight most common allergens and made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free facility. The company also markets five gluten- and nut-free cereals under the Perky’s brand.

Not only are Enjoy Life’s three new boom CHOCO boom bars -- like all other Enjoy Life products -- free of the eight most common allergens² including dairy, nut and soy, they are also certified gluten-free (by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization), and are all-natural, trans fat-free and Kosher. More than 80 percent of Enjoy Life’s products are vegan with the exception of four products³ that are vegetarian because they contain honey.

About Enjoy Life Foods

Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC (d/b/a Enjoy Life Foods, LLC (ELF)) was founded in 2001 with the mission of making great-tasting allergy-friendly foods that most everyone can eat freely. The company launched the Enjoy Life brand in 2002 with a broad product line that is free of the eight most common allergens and gluten-free. To meet the needs of a rapidly growing consumer base, in 2004 the company acquired Perky’s?, a line of gluten- and nut-free cereals. Today, ELF offers 29 different Enjoy Life and Perky’s products that are sold in natural food and select grocery stores throughout the United States and Canada. Visit www.enjoylifefoods.com and www.perkysnaturalfoods.com for store locations and more. In September 2007, Enjoy Life Foods was named to Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the U.S. For more information, visit www.enjoylifenb.com.

¹ Free of the eight most common allergens (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish)

² The eight most common allergens are wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish, which account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions in the United States

³ Classic Original bagels, Cinnamon Raisin bagels, Sunbutter? Crunch snack bars and boom CHOCO boom dairy-free rice milk with crispy rice bar

for Enjoy Life Foods

Susan Schneider, (847) 438-4465

prwhiz@aol.com