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Trans-Ocean's Crab Classic Products Gain Certification From American Heart Association

Product packaging will display the familiar heart-check mark.

BELLINGHAM, WA, March 13, 2009 - Continuing its efforts to ride the wave of the consumer-driven health and wellness movement, Trans-Ocean Products, Inc. announces that its best-selling heart-healthy Crab Classic surimi seafood products have been certified by the American Heart Association (AHA). Beginning in Spring 2009, packaging for Crab Classic flake, chunk and leg styles and Lobster Classic will display the American Heart Association's heart-check mark on the front panel. This certification, along with Crab Classic's "fortified with Omega-3" value proposition, continues the brand's compelling nutritional messaging and gives health-conscious consumers another reason to visit the refrigerated seafood department.

The American Heart Association is one of the nation's most recognized and trusted sources for information on nutrition, healthy eating and heart health. The AHA Food Certification Program targets the millions of American consumers who are concerned about the leading cause of death in the country: cardiovascular disease. The heart-check mark is the only heart symbol on packaging that is backed by American Heart Association science and makes shopping for healthy products, low in saturated fat and cholesterol, easy and reliable. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, 88-percent of consumers think that the heart-check mark is "important or very important" when choosing foods.

"We recognize consumers' increased desire to buy healthier foods creates a variety of promising business opportunities for us as long as we continue to reinforce the message that Crab Classic is a heart healthy seafood from a brand they can trust," commented Lou Shaheen, Trans-Ocean's Vice President of Sales & Marketing. "The American Heart Association is certainly a respected, nationally-recognized organization and this certification, we believe, will help further increase consumer interest in Crab Classic." Over the past two years, Trans-Ocean has also invested in a number of consumer marketing initiatives to raise the profile of Crab Classic, most recently running print and online advertising with Weight Watchers in early 2009.

Crab Classic is a surimi seafood product made from wild caught, sustainable Alaska Pollock and is fat free, low in cholesterol and an excellent source of heart healthy omega-3. The brand is the #1 selling surimi product line in the United States with a 36.1% share of the market and distribution in virtually all of the major supermarket chains. In addition to the American Heart Association certification, Crab Classic is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as a sustainable and environmentally responsible seafood choice.

About Trans-Ocean
Trans-Ocean Products, Inc., founded in 1985, is one of the country's largest processors of surimi seafoods sold under the Classic brand name and also as private labels. The vertically integrated company is a United States subsidiary of Maruha-Nichiro which owns three surimi block plants in Alaska and two floating processor ships in addition to a surimi seafood processing facility in Bellingham, WA.

For more information on Crab Classic products, please contact Trans-Ocean Products, Inc. at 350 West Orchard Drive, Bellingham, WA 98225, call (800) 290-2722 or visit www.trans-ocean.com. For more information about the American Heart Association Food Certification Program, visit www.heartcheckmark.org.

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