India Brook Partners client Cinnamon Acquisition Company completes acquisition of Atlantic Quality Spice & Seasonings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, NY, February 2, 2004– India Brook Partners, L.L.C. announced the completion of the acquisition of Atlantic Quality Spice & Seasonings, Inc. by India Brook client Cinnamon Acquisition Company, a company organized by Stanley Gorski, Jr. and the senior management team. Based in Edison, NJ, Atlantic is a leading importer, processor and distributor of premium spices, seasonings and other food ingredients. The Company is the leading U.S. supplier of Saigon cinnamon, the high-oil content, premium grade of cinnamon imported from Vietnam.

India Brook represented Cinnamon Acquisition and led the negotiation of the purchase of the Company from the founders. India Brook also arranged a related bank financing provided by PNC Bank, NA.

Jeffrey Tarplin, Managing Director and CEO of India Brook, noted "With the Atlantic Spice acquisition, we continue our focus in the food industry. Atlantic is a highly successful and well established company with a blue chip customer roster that includes Kraft Foods, Starbucks and Williams Sonoma. The Company is continuing its growth by focusing on specialty products such as organic spices and seasonings."

India Brook Partners, L.L.C., based in New York, NY, is a mergers and acquisitions advisory firm founded in 1993, providing specialized industry expertise and financial advisory services to both buyers and sellers of successful middle market companies, with a particular focus in the food industry. The firm and its principals have completed several hundred transactions in the public and private markets. The firm specializes in representing entrepreneurs, management groups and private equity firms as buyers of quality middle market companies. The India Brook Deal Team provides end-to-end services that give buyers immediate access to the right combination of advisors specializing in transaction structuring, tax planning, financial diligence and acquisition financing.

In addition to offices in New York and Arizona, the firm maintains affiliate relationships with investment banking firms in San Francisco, Nashville, Chicago, Boston and Washington, D.C. The firm’s website is at www.indiabrook.com.