October 17, 2011, London, U.K., – Leading international brand licensing agency and consultancy, Beanstalk, has been appointed by Chiquita Brands, a leading international marketer and distributor of high-quality fresh and value-added food products best known for the iconic Chiquita banana. Chiquita is the number one consumer preferred banana brand globally and has over 90% brand awareness in its key European markets. Beanstalk is tasked with developing the strategic licensing programme for Chiquita in quality food brand extensions across Europe and the Middle East. Nancy Bailey & Associates manages the Chiquita Licensing Program in the U.S. This is one of the first global assignments resulting from the merger of Nancy Bailey & Associates and Beanstalk in December 2010. Ciarán Coyle, Beanstalk’s Managing Director, International said, ‘This is an exciting time for the Chiquita brand. Consumers’ fast-paced lifestyles today demand convenience but also quality and freshness. There is an increasing awareness of and focus on natural ingredients and eating for health. There are significant market opportunities now for a brand such as Chiquita, renowned for its commitment to freshness and real fruit taste, to innovate and add value to the food categories with the inclusion of its high-quality fruit.’

Chris Pieterse, Director of Marketing and Brand Development for Chiquita, comments, ‘Brand licensing is a key component of Chiquita’s overall strategy for brand extension. Our mission is to improve world nutrition, winning the hearts and smiles of consumers by providing superior healthy and nutritious branded products. We have accelerated investment in the brand and now partnered with Beanstalk, we are confident we have the team and structure in place to realise our ambitions for the brand and business.’

Beanstalk will be exhibiting at the Brand Licensing Europe trade show at London Olympia 18th – 20th October, stand no. D055.

About Chiquita Brands International, Inc.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. is a leading international marketer and distributor of high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas and other fruits to nutritious blends of convenient green salads. The company markets its healthy, fresh products under the Chiquita® and Fresh Express® premium brands and other related trademarks. With annual revenues of $3 billion, Chiquita employs approximately 21,000 people and has operations in nearly 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.chiquita.com

About Beanstalk

Beanstalk, a global brand licensing agency and consultancy, extends brands through the strategic and creative development of licensed products. The company works with blue-chip brands and other high-profile clients to leverage licensing as a strategic tool to enhance brand awareness, increase consumer touch-points, and generate revenue. Beanstalk also works with manufacturers to help identify and acquire compelling brands and properties to help them gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Beanstalk is the licensing agency of record for over 50 world-class brands. The agency has developed thousands of brand extensions in every major product category, resulting in nearly $2.3 billion in retail sales in 2010 alone. Headquartered in New York, Beanstalk’s global reach includes offices in London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and Hong Kong, and affiliates throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.beanstalk.com.

Beanstalk is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Diversified Agency Services (NYSE: OMC). Omnicom (www.omnicomgroup.com) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company.