House Of Brussels Chocolates Signs Exclusive Canadian Distribution Agreement With Direct Plus Food Group

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 12, 2003--House of Brussels Chocolates ("HBSL" or "Brussels") (OTC BB: HBSL) is pleased to announce that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Direct Plus Food Group Ltd. ("Direct Plus") of Calgary, Alberta to distribute Brussels' newly released "Sonic The Hedgehog" Line of licensed chocolate products to their substantial network of 3800 grocery store and 5300 convenience store locations.

Direct Plus, a division of Premium Brands Inc. ("PBI"), provides direct-to-store sales, delivery, and merchandising to grocery and convenience stores across Western and Atlantic Canada.

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Grant Petersen, Managing Director of Brussels, said, "As one of the major players in food distribution in Canada, Direct Plus was selected to partner with Brussels because of their ability to get our Sonic line onto Canadian retail shelves in a quick and expeditious manner." Petersen went on to say, "Solid distributors are the core of the wholesale chocolate business and we are pleased to be partnering with one of Canada's best."

John Beliveau, Vice President and General Manager of Direct Plus, stated, "We are very excited to be adding 'Sonic The Hedgehog' products to our line-up. House of Brussels has created an excellent product with appeal to the entire cross-section of grocery and convenience store retailers."

About Direct Plus

Direct Plus Food Group Ltd., a division of Premium Brands Inc. (Toronto Stock Exchange: FFF), provides direct-to-store sales, delivery and merchandising into grocery and convenience store retail channels. Amongst others, Direct Plus represents the proprietary brands of PBI including Fletcher's, Grimm's, Harvest, McSweeney's(TM), and Quality Fast Foods. Premium Brands is an integrated food processing company headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia. The corporation manufactures, markets and distributes a variety of branded consumer food products in markets across Canada and the Western United States. In operation since 1917, Premium Brands employs approximately 1,450 people.

About House of Brussels Chocolates, Inc. (www.brusselschocolates.com)

House of Brussels Chocolates has manufactured and distributed gourmet Belgian chocolates around the world since 1983. HBSL's signature product is a "hedgehog" - a molded chocolate design that blends the traditional Belgian symbol of good luck with taste for a strong customer appeal. Most of HBSL's 100 products are based on its signature hedgehog. Most recently, HBSL developed a new hedgehog treat - the Sonic The Hedgehog(TM) chocolate bar - under license from SEGA(R) of America, Inc. Other products in the HBSL line include an assortment of tourist oriented truffles including some made with genuine maple syrup and some with Canadian ice wine, fine quality chocolate bars made in several distinct flavors, and their recently introduced no-sugar-added/low-carbohydrate line of chocolate bars and truffles. All products have a tried and true track record of customer acceptance. In addition to house brands, HBSL creates custom packaging and sizing as well as private labels.

This Press Release may contain, in addition, to historical information, forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are based on management's expectations and beliefs, and involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from the results implied herein. Key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements are:

(i) the inability of the Company to increase sales of House of Brussels chocolates;

(ii) the inability of the Company to achieve the financing required to pursue its planned business operations, of which there is no assurance;

(iii) the inability of the Company to complete its plan of operations.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements made in this Press Release.