OCTOBER OPENING ANNOUNCED FOR SWEET PEPPERS DELI IN WEST STARKVILLE
Columbus, MS -- MAY 21, 2005

Sweet Peppers Deli Franchise Systems, LLC has announced plans to open a Sweet Peppers Deli restaurant concept on Highway 12 West in Starkville, MS. With successful locations in Columbus, Tupelo, and Memphis, TN and a franchised location in Hattiesburg, MS, the company is eager to expand to West Starkville. This will be the fifth company-owned Sweet Peppers Deli for the Columbus-based restaurant group.

"We are excited to have a second location opening in west Starkville," says Robin Fant, who created Starkville, MS dining favorite, Bulldog Deli, the inspiration for Sweet Peppers. "Given the positive economic climate and growth potential for Starkville and MSU, this location in west Starkville is a natural fit." Sweet Peppers Deli is scheduled to open in October of 2005 and will be located west of Stark Road in a new RMR Investments/MS Corporation shopping center development.

The Sweet Peppers Deli concept features a menu of salads, soups, signature sandwiches, panini (Italian pressed sandwiches), wraps, and LiteLine reduced calorie offerings presented in a relaxed, family-oriented atmosphere. Sweet Peppers Deli also offers an extensive catering menu for delivery, a great way to feed everybody for any event.

With a price range that hits between a $3 -$6 fast food meal and the $9 - $14 range of casual restaurants like Applebee's and Chili's, the cost for a fast-casual meal is very appealing. Also, with more and more Americans eating out, consumers are looking for dining options that offer the convenience of fast food with some of the service aspects found in casual concepts. Fast-casual provides the best of both.

Sweet Peppers Deli Franchise Systems represents over 20 years of experience in the food service industry, with six other successful restaurants among its partners. John, Bernard, and Myrrl Bean have created Harveys restaurants in Columbus, Starkville and Tupelo, the Grill at Jackson Square in Columbus, and the Cotton District Grill in Starkville. Partner, Robin Fant created Starkville's Bulldog Deli, the prototype for Sweet Peppers Deli. Robert Fort, the remaining partner, has worked with the Bean family restaurants since 1985.

For the Sweet Peppers Deli Franchise Systems partners, the people factor is still the most important. "We want to make sure that as we grow we still maintain that personal touch that a lot of chains lose when they expand," says Fant. "That's the part that makes Peppers, Peppers."

Groundbreaking for an October, 2005 opening of a Sweet Peppers Deli in west Starkville. [Pictured from left, front row: John Bean, President; Bernard Bean, Director of Operations; Robin Fant, Vice President; Robert Fort, Partner, Controller; Gus Davis, Corporate Chef; Kristi Brown, VP GSDP-Chamber Division; Debra Shafer, Chamber Chair; Ann Hooven, VP MS Corporation; Bill Mann, Architect; Darlene Comish, Marketing Manager - back row: Dale Ray, MS Corporation, Lynn Forbes, staff,architect's office, Ricky Pullen, Project Manager; Pete Ware, Job Superintendent; Kevin Hall, staff, architect's office; Kathryn Long, staff, architect's office.]