Year-end report 1 January - 31 August 2008: Cloetta Fazer reports growth in sales

Year-end report 1 January - 31 August 2008: Cloetta Fazer reports growth in
sales 

Cloetta Fazer's net sales for July-August 2008 rose by 7% to SEK 510 million
(476). Operating profit was SEK 47 million (48), with an operating margin of
9.2% (10.1). The Extraordinary General Meeting on 25 July 2008 approved an
amendment to the Articles of Association entailing a change of financial year
from the calendar year to the period from 1 September to 31 August. The first
new financial year is an abbreviated year from 1 January to 31 August 2008. 

Net sales for the 8-month period rose by 8% to SEK 2,030 million (1,874).
Excluding a goodwill impairment arising from the demerger, operating profit was
SEK 101 million (160). The operating margin, excluding impairment, was 5.0%
(8.5).

“The eight months from January to August have been a challenge,” says the
Cloetta Fazer's CEO Jesper Åberg. “Operating profit has been weakened by
increased manufacturing costs and higher selling and marketing expenses, of
which the higher manufacturing costs are an effect of rising prices for cocoa,
fresh milk and energy. In response to this, we will be forced to further raise
our market prices while taking continuous measures to optimise internal
efficiency.”

“We are fast approaching Christmas, the most important sales period of the year
in the confectionery business. In view of the positive response our customers
have shown to the year's Christmas product offering and campaigns, I look
forward to the holiday season with confidence.”

The new Cloetta company and new Fazer Confectionery division will commence their
respective new operations around year-end 2008, at which time they will be fully
demerged. Already in December, the Cloetta share will be listed on the OMX
Nordic Exchange Stockholm. An agreement has been signed between the new Cloetta
and Fazer Confectionery to continue a certain collaboration in production and
logistics. 

The information from Cloetta Fazer contained herein is subject to the disclosure
requirements in the Swedish Securities Market Act and the Financial Instruments
Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication on 14 October 2008,
6.00 p.m. CET. 


For additional information contact:
Jesper Åberg, CEO and Managing Director, mobile +46 70-180 21 01 
Curt Petri, CFO and Deputy Managing Director, mobile +46 70-593 21 69
Website: www.cloettafazer.com

About Cloetta Fazer
Cloetta Fazer is the Nordic region's leading confectionery company, with a
market share of around 22 per cent. The company has production facilities in
Sweden and Finland. Cloetta Fazer's strength lies in its many popular brands,
such as Karl Fazer, Kexchoklad, Dumle, Geisha, Polly and Center. The average
number of employees is around 1,600 and annual sales amount to approximately SEK
3.3 billion.