MID-AMERICA, TCBY IN DISTRIBUTION ACCORD

LEBANON, Mo. -- Mid-America Dairymen here has forged an agreement with TCBY Enterprises, Little Rock, Ark., to exclusively distribute TCBY refrigerated yogurt products throughout the United States.

Mid-Am has been manufacturing the TCBY Traditional Style yogurt products since they were introduced in 1991. But prior to the agreement, TCBY had used its own distribution network.

"This agreement will allow for the continuing placement and development of the TCBY brand in the refrigerated yogurt category of the retail grocery trade," said Frank D. Hickenbotham, chairman and chief executive officer of TCBY.

TCBY Traditional Style products had sales of approximately $35 million in 1994.

Mid-Am, with sales of $2.5 billion last year, is the nation's largest dairy marketing cooperative, with almost 18,000 dairy farm members in 30 states.