ATLANTA, July 8, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- AFC Enterprises, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFCE), the franchisor and operator of Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, Church's Chicken(tm), Cinnabon(r), Seattle's Best Coffee(r) and Torrefazione Italia(r) Coffee, today announced that Frank Belatti, AFC's chairman and chief executive officer, and Gerald Wilkins, AFC's executive vice president and chief financial officer, will address participants at the CIBC World Markets' Annual Consumer Growth Conference on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. EST.
All interested parties are invited to listen to the presentation live, beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST on the Company's Website at www.afce.com. A replay of the Web cast will be available on the site beginning on July 10 at approximately 1:00 p.m. EST and will be available for approximately two weeks following the conclusion of the conference.
AFC Enterprises, Inc. is the franchisor and operator of 3,896 restaurants, bakeries and cafes in the United States, Puerto Rico and 30 foreign countries under the brand names Church's Chicken(tm), Popeyes(r) Chicken & Biscuits, Cinnabon(r), Seattle's Best Coffee(r) and Torrefazione Italia(r) Coffee. AFC's primary objective is to be the world's Franchisor of Choice(r) by offering investment opportunities in highly recognizable brands and exceptional franchisee support systems and services. AFC Enterprises had system-wide sales of approximately $2.6 billion in 2001 and can be found on the World Wide Web at www.afce.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by or on behalf of AFC or its brands are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Statements regarding future events and developments and our future performance, as well as management's expectations, beliefs, plans, estimates or projections relating to the future, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of these laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are the cost and availability of our principal food products, increased energy costs, labor shortages or increased labor costs, our ability to franchise new units and expand our brands, our and our franchisees' ability to successfully operate existing units and open new units, changes in consumer preferences and demographic trends, competition, general economic, political and regulatory conditions and the risk factors detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2001 and the other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, since those statements speak only as of the date they are made.