Sara Lee Names Ingrid Baron Chief Marketing Officer of CoffeeCo

UTRECHT, The Netherlands, November 9, 2011 -

Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE: SLE) today announced the appointment of Ingrid Baron as chief marketing officer of its International Beverage business. She will also serve as chief marketing officer of “CoffeeCo” once it is spun-off from Sara Lee Corp. in the first half of calendar 2012. Baron joins the company’s senior management team and will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Michiel Herkemij, who will assume his position with the company on Dec. 1.

As the most senior marketing executive in International Beverage, Baron, will be in charge of driving the innovation portfolio, brand strategy and marketing talent for the business.

“We are thrilled Ingrid is joining the CoffeeCo management team,” said Sara Lee Executive Chairman Jan Bennink. “Her strong design and innovation skills will help CoffeeCo build a new marketing culture focused on bringing exciting products to market at greater speed and with bigger impact,” added Bennink.

An industrial designer by background, Baron joins Sara Lee from IDEO, one of the world’s leading design agencies. She managed the agency’s London office and led client relationships with Havaianas, Hewlett Packard, Amore Pacific, Olivetti and IKEA. Prior to that, she held positions of increasing responsibility at Electrolux AB in the US and Sweden.

CoffeeCo’s leading brands will include Douwe Egberts, Senseo, Pickwick, Maison du Café, L‘OR, Café Pilão and Marcilla.  

About Sara Lee Corporation

Sara Lee Corp. (NYSE: SLE) and its leading portfolio of food and beverage brands, including Ball Park, Douwe Egberts, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean, Pickwick Teas, Sara Lee and Senseo, generate nearly $9 billion in annual net sales from continuing operations and employ approximately 20,000 people worldwide.  In January, 2011, Sara Lee Corp. announced that it will divide the company into two pure -play publicly-traded companies, one focused on the international coffee and tea market and the other on North American meats.  For more information on the company, please visit www.saralee.com.

Media (International): Ernesto Duran, +31-30-292-7290; Media (North America): Mike Cummins, +1-630-598-8661; Analysts: Melissa Napier, +1-630-598-8739