WASHINGTON, DC — May 1, 2002 — The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) announces a new strategic alliance with Merchants Express Money Order Co. (MEMO), providing FMI members with the ability to add money orders and gift certificates to their service offering.

“MEMO will bring additional benefits and ease-of-use to our members and their customers,” said Patrick Davis, director of strategic initiatives for FMI. “We are pleased to make this important new service available to our members at a time when convenience and efficiency are of the utmost importance.”

Among the benefits MEMO provides:

• Automated document dispensers
  
• Electronic processing system that traces, stores, files and researches records
  
• Elimination of the need to mail in reports or money order copies
  
• Easy-to-follow training and support procedures and processing controls
  
• Multi-lingual customer service
  

Formed in 1986, MEMO is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA). It is the fourth largest money order company in the U.S., servicing more than 4,500 agents that represent a diverse group of outlets, including supermarkets and convenience stores.

“The PFMA board developed this project with a specific goal in mind: To provide a money order service that helps retailers sell and purchase money orders at competitive prices while providing support services that are second to none,” remarked Christy Spoa, owner of Ellwood City Save-A-Lot near Pittsburgh and a PFMA member. “We are very pleased that our program goal has been exceeded and that the program, through this alliance with FMI, is now available to retailers throughout the country.”

The MEMO initiative is the sixth strategic alliance launched by FMI and will be featured in a Strategic Solutions Pavilion at the 2002 FMI Show in Chicago, May 5-7. For more information, please visit the FMI Web site (www.fmi.org) or contact Patrick Davis (202-220-0670).