ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT by and between GENERAL MILLS, INC., and DIAMOND FOODS, INC. made as of August 13, 2008
Exhibit 2.1
by and between
GENERAL XXXXX, INC.,
and
DIAMOND FOODS, INC.
made as of
August 13, 2008
Table of Contents
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I. PURCHASE AND SALE |
1 | |||
1.01 Purchase and Sale of Assets |
1 | |||
1.02 Purchase Price |
1 | |||
1.03 The Closing |
2 | |||
1.04 Purchase Price Adjustment |
2 | |||
1.05 Certain Definitions |
3 | |||
1.06 Allocation |
5 | |||
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER |
6 | |||
2.01 Formation and Corporate Power |
6 | |||
2.02 Execution, Delivery; Valid and Binding Agreement |
6 | |||
2.03 No Breach |
6 | |||
2.04 Governmental Authority; Consents |
7 | |||
2.05 Financial Statements; Absence of Certain Changes |
7 | |||
2.06 Title to Inventory and Purchased Equipment |
8 | |||
2.07 Contracts and Commitments |
9 | |||
2.08 Intellectual Property Rights |
10 | |||
2.09 Litigation |
12 | |||
2.10 Permits |
12 | |||
2.11 Inventory |
12 | |||
2.12 Brokerage |
12 | |||
2.13 Product Recall |
12 | |||
2.14 Customers and Suppliers |
13 | |||
2.15 Trade and Consumer Programs |
13 | |||
2.16 Sufficiency of Purchased Assets |
13 | |||
2.17 No Other Representations |
14 | |||
ARTICLE III. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER |
14 | |||
3.01 Formation and Corporate Power |
14 | |||
3.02 Execution, Delivery; Valid and Binding Agreement |
14 | |||
3.03 No Breach |
14 | |||
3.04 Governmental Authorities; Consents |
14 | |||
3.05 No Litigation |
15 | |||
3.06 Financial Ability |
15 | |||
3.07 Brokerage |
15 | |||
3.08 Acknowledgements by Buyer |
15 | |||
ARTICLE IV. COVENANTS OF SELLER |
15 | |||
4.01 Conduct of the Business |
15 | |||
4.02 Noncompetition Agreement of Seller |
17 | |||
4.03 Confidentiality |
18 | |||
4.04 Sublicenses |
18 | |||
4.05 Capital Projects |
19 | |||
4.06 Covenant Not to Xxx |
19 |
i
Page | ||||
4.07 2008 Audited Statements; Stub Income Statement |
19 | |||
ARTICLE V. COVENANTS OF BUYER |
19 | |||
5.01 Record Retention |
19 | |||
5.02 International Distributors |
19 | |||
ARTICLE VI. ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS |
20 | |||
6.01 Further Assurances |
20 | |||
6.02 Transitional Use of Packaging UPC Codes |
21 | |||
6.03 Settlement of Accounts Receivable, Liabilities and Pre Paid Amounts |
21 | |||
6.04 Transfer Taxes |
22 | |||
6.05 HSR Act and Foreign Laws |
22 | |||
6.06 Transitional Trademark License |
23 | |||
6.07 Further Actions |
24 | |||
ARTICLE VII. CLOSING CONDITIONS |
24 | |||
7.01 Conditions to Buyer’s Obligations |
24 | |||
7.02 Conditions to Seller’s Obligations |
26 | |||
ARTICLE VIII. TERMINATION |
26 | |||
8.01 Termination |
26 | |||
8.02 Effect of Termination |
27 | |||
ARTICLE IX. SURVIVAL; INDEMNIFICATION |
27 | |||
9.01 Survival of Indemnification Obligations |
27 | |||
9.03 Indemnification by Buyer |
29 | |||
9.04 Method of Asserting Claims |
29 | |||
9.05 Certain Additional Limitations on Indemnification Obligations |
31 | |||
9.06 Arbitration |
31 | |||
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS |
32 | |||
10.01 Press Releases and Announcements |
32 | |||
10.02 Expenses |
32 | |||
10.03 Amendment and Waiver |
32 | |||
10.04 Notices |
32 | |||
10.05 Assignment |
33 | |||
10.06 Severability |
33 | |||
10.07 Disclosure Schedules |
33 | |||
10.08 No Third Party Beneficiaries |
33 | |||
10.09 Governing Law |
34 | |||
10.10 Waiver of Jury Trial |
34 | |||
10.11 Specific Performance |
34 | |||
10.12 Complete Agreement |
34 | |||
10.13 Construction |
34 | |||
10.14 Counterparts |
35 | |||
10.15 Time is of the Essence |
35 |
ii
Table of Defined Terms
Defined Term | Page | |||
Adjustment |
2 | |||
Affiliate |
18 | |||
Agreement |
1 | |||
Allocation |
6 | |||
Assignment and Assumption |
27 | |||
Assumed Liabilities |
2 | |||
Audited 2008 Financial Statements |
6 | |||
Audited Statements |
8 | |||
Building |
9 | |||
Business |
1 | |||
Business Books and Records |
7 | |||
Buyer |
1 | |||
Buyer Indemnified Parties |
30 | |||
Buyer Indemnified Party |
32 | |||
Buyer Losses |
30 | |||
Cap |
31 | |||
Claim |
32 | |||
Closing |
2 | |||
Closing Date |
2 | |||
Code |
6 | |||
Confidential Information |
12 | |||
Confidential Information |
20 | |||
Consumer Programs |
14 | |||
Controlling interest |
19 | |||
Corn Statement |
24 | |||
Curves License |
20 | |||
Deductible |
31 | |||
Disclosure Schedules |
6 | |||
Effective Time |
2 | |||
Encumbrance |
4 | |||
Environmental Laws |
9 | |||
Equitable Remedies Exception |
7 | |||
Excluded Assets |
1 | |||
Excluded Liabilities |
2 | |||
Final Pre-Paid Corn Amount |
24 | |||
Final Purchase Price |
3 | |||
GAAP |
8 | |||
GMI Marks |
25 | |||
Guaranteed Corn Amount |
4 | |||
Hazardous Materials |
9 | |||
HSR Act |
7 | |||
Indemnified Party |
32 | |||
Indemnifying Party |
32 | |||
Independent Auditors |
3 |
iii
Defined Term | Page | |||
Intellectual Property |
13 | |||
International Distributors |
21 | |||
Inventory |
4 | |||
Inventory Amount |
4 | |||
Inventory Statement |
2 | |||
Key Distributor |
22 | |||
Key Distributors |
22 | |||
Knowledge |
5 | |||
Knowledge of Seller |
5 | |||
Latest P&L Statement |
8 | |||
Laws and Orders |
18 | |||
Losses |
30 | |||
Marked Materials |
26 | |||
Material Adverse Effect |
5 | |||
Merchandise Licenses |
26 | |||
Notifying Party |
32 | |||
Objection Notice |
3 | |||
P&L Statements |
8 | |||
Parties |
1 | |||
Party |
1 | |||
Permitted Encumbrances |
10 | |||
Person |
10 | |||
Pre-Paid Amounts |
23 | |||
Pre-Paid Assets |
23 | |||
Pre-Paid Corn Adjustment |
24 | |||
Pre-Paid Corn Amount |
5 | |||
principal business |
19 | |||
Product Claims |
14 | |||
Purchase Price |
2 | |||
Purchased Assets |
1 | |||
Purchased Equipment |
3 | |||
Purchased Intellectual Property |
11 | |||
Registered Intellectual Property |
11 | |||
Resolution Period |
33 | |||
Restricted Parties |
18 | |||
Seller |
1 | |||
Seller Indemnified Parties |
31 | |||
Seller Indemnified Party |
32 | |||
Seller Losses |
31 | |||
Seller Restricted Business |
18 | |||
Settlement Date |
6 | |||
Target Inventory Amount |
2 | |||
Threshold |
30 | |||
Trade Program |
14 | |||
Transaction Documents |
7 | |||
Transfer Taxes |
24 |
iv
Defined Term | Page | |||
Transferred Marks |
26 | |||
Transition Services Agreement |
27 | |||
Unlimited Indemnification Claims |
31 | |||
UPC Codes |
23 | |||
Xxxxxx |
9 |
Exhibits
Exhibit A – Form of Transition Services Agreement
Exhibit B – Form of Xxxx of Sale
Exhibit C – Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement
Exhibit D – Form of Limited Warranty Deed
Exhibit E – Form of Microwave Sciences Sublicense
Exhibit F – Form of Sucralose License
Exhibit G-1 – Form of Domain Name Transfer Agreement
Exhibit G-2 – Form of Patent Assignment Agreement
Exhibit G-3 – Form of Trademark Assignment Agreement
Exhibit B – Form of Xxxx of Sale
Exhibit C – Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement
Exhibit D – Form of Limited Warranty Deed
Exhibit E – Form of Microwave Sciences Sublicense
Exhibit F – Form of Sucralose License
Exhibit G-1 – Form of Domain Name Transfer Agreement
Exhibit G-2 – Form of Patent Assignment Agreement
Exhibit G-3 – Form of Trademark Assignment Agreement
v
This ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), entered into as of August 13, 2008, is made
by and between General Xxxxx, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Seller”), and Diamond Foods, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (“Buyer”). Seller and Buyer are sometimes referred to herein collectively as
the “Parties” and individually as a “Party.”
WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell, and Buyer desires to buy, certain assets of Seller related to
the manufacturing (through third parties), producing (through third parties), marketing, selling
and distribution of microwave popcorn under the brand name “Pop Secret,” (the “Business”), and
Buyer is willing to assume certain specified liabilities of Seller, in each case, on the terms and
subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual promises herein
made, and in consideration of the representations, warranties, and covenants herein contained, the
Parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. PURCHASE AND SALE
1.01 Purchase and Sale of Assets.
(a) Purchased Assets. At the Closing and on the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in this Agreement, Seller agrees to convey and sell, or cause its wholly-owned
subsidiaries to convey and sell, to Buyer, free and clear of all Encumbrances other than Permitted
Encumbrances, and Buyer agrees to buy from Seller, all of Seller’s right, title and interest in and
to (i) the specified assets which are set forth on Schedule 1.01(a) to this Agreement and
(ii) the Pre-Paid Assets to be purchased by Buyer from Seller pursuant to Section 6.03(c)
(collectively, the “Purchased Assets”).
(b) Excluded Assets. All assets of Seller not specifically set forth on Schedule
1.01(a) hereof shall be retained by Seller and are not being acquired by Buyer (the “Excluded
Assets”), including, but not limited to, those Excluded Assets which are set forth on Schedule
1.01(b) to this Agreement.
(c) Assumed Liabilities. Buyer shall assume, and agree to pay, perform and discharge
when due, the liabilities and obligations of Seller which are set forth on Schedule 1.01(c)
to this Agreement (the “Assumed Liabilities”).
(d) Excluded Liabilities. Buyer is not assuming, and shall not be deemed to have
assumed, any liability or obligation of Seller which is not set forth on Schedule 1.01(c)
to this Agreement as an Assumed Liability (the “Excluded Liabilities”), including, but not limited
to, the Excluded Liabilities which are set forth on Schedule 1.01(d) to this Agreement.
1.02 Purchase Price. The aggregate consideration to be paid by Buyer to Seller shall
equal one hundred ninety million United States Dollars ($190,000,000) (the “Purchase Price”),
subject to the Adjustment as set forth in Section 1.04. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary
1
in this Agreement, the Purchase Price shall not include any Pre-Paid Amounts to be paid
from Buyer to Seller pursuant to Section 6.03(c).
1.03 The Closing.
(a) The closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “Closing”) shall take
place at the offices of Xxxxxx & Whitney LLP at 00 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx, upon
the later of (i) five (5) business days after the date on which the conditions set forth in
Article VII have been satisfied or (ii) at such other time or place as may be agreed to by
Seller and Buyer. The date on which the Closing occurs is referred to herein as the “Closing
Date.” The Closing shall be deemed to be effective as of 12:01 a.m. CST on the Closing Date (the
“Effective Time”).
(b) At the Closing, the Parties shall deliver to each other the documents required to be
delivered at the Closing pursuant to Article VII hereof.
1.04 Purchase Price Adjustment. Following the Closing Date, the Purchase Price shall
be adjusted, if at all, as set forth below:
(a) Seller shall prepare and deliver to Buyer, within 45 days after the Closing Date, a
statement of the Inventory Amount (as defined in Section 1.05(a)) as of the Effective Time
(the “Inventory Statement”) which shall set forth an adjustment amount determined by calculating
(i) the Inventory Amount and (ii) the difference between the Inventory Amount and $9,000,000 (the
“Target Inventory Amount”) (such difference (whether positive or negative) being hereinafter
referred to as the “Adjustment”). The Inventory Statement, the Inventory Amount and the Adjustment
shall be prepared in a manner consistent with the procedures set forth on Schedule 1.04
hereto. During the 45-day period following such initial 45-day period, Seller will provide
Buyer with reasonable access to its books and records related to the Business, including
records indicating the age of the finished goods inventory, to the extent necessary for Buyer to
evaluate the Inventory Statement to determine whether to deliver an Objection Notice. Seller shall
give Buyer five (5) business days notice before any physical count of the inventory, which physical
count will occur on the Closing Date and at the locations identified on Schedule 1.04 hereto,
underlying the Inventory Statement, and Buyer and its outside auditors shall have the right to be
present at such physical count of the inventory.
(b) On or prior to the 45th day following Seller’s delivery of the Inventory
Statement, Buyer may give Seller a written notice stating in reasonable detail Buyer’s objections
(an “Objection Notice”) to the calculation of the Adjustment. Any Objection Notice shall specify
in reasonable detail the dollar amount of any objection and the basis therefor. If Buyer does not
give Seller an Objection Notice within such 45-day period, then the Inventory Statement will be
conclusive and binding upon the Parties and the Adjustment will be final and binding upon the
Parties for purposes of calculating the Purchase Price under this Agreement.
(c) Following Seller’s receipt of any Objection Notice, Seller and Buyer shall negotiate in
good faith to resolve such dispute as promptly as practicable. In the event that such negotiations
result in a resolution of the dispute, Seller and Buyer shall agree in writing to an Adjustment
that shall be binding as to all Parties. In the event that Seller and Buyer fail to agree
2
on any
of Buyer’s proposed adjustments set forth in the Objection Notice within 30 days after Seller’s
receipt of the Objection Notice (or such longer period as Seller and Buyer may mutually agree in
writing), Seller and Buyer agree that a mutually acceptable accounting firm of nationally
recognized standing (the “Independent Auditors”) shall, within the 30-day period immediately
following referral of the Inventory Statement and Objection Notice to the Independent Auditors,
make the final determination of the Adjustment in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
Seller and Buyer each shall provide the Independent Auditors with their respective determinations
of the Adjustment and the Independent Auditors shall only review and rely upon those items set
forth in the Objection Notice and any responses by Seller to such Objection Notice. The
Independent Auditors shall make an independent determination of only those items set forth in the
Objection Notice and not resolved by the mutual agreement of the Parties. Based on such
determination, the Independent Auditors shall determine the resulting Adjustment that shall be
final and binding on Seller and Buyer; provided that such independent determination shall be within
the range created by Seller’s and Buyer’s proposals set forth in the Adjustment and the Objection
Notice. If the Independent Auditors’ determination of any Adjustment is outside of the range
proposed by Seller and Buyer in the Inventory Statement and the Objection Notice, then the Party
whose proposed Adjustment was closer to that of the Independent Auditors shall be final and binding
on Seller and Buyer.
(d) Promptly after the Inventory Statement and the Adjustment are finally determined and
become final and binding on the Parties under this Section 1.04, Seller or the Independent
Auditors (if applicable) shall recalculate the Purchase Price by adding such final and binding
determination of the Adjustment (which for the avoidance of doubt may be positive or negative) to
the Purchase Price (the result of such recalculation being referred to herein as the “Final
Purchase Price”). If the Final Purchase Price exceeds the Purchase Price (i.e., because the
Adjustment was positive) by an amount greater than $200,000,
then Buyer shall pay to Seller, within seven (7) business days following the Settlement Date,
an amount equal to the full amount by which the Final Purchase Price exceeds the Purchase Price.
If the Purchase Price exceeds the Final Purchase Price (i.e., because the Adjustment was negative)
by an amount greater than $200,000, then Seller shall pay to Buyer, within seven (7) business days
following the Settlement Date, an amount equal to the full amount by which the Purchase Price
exceeds the Final Purchase Price. If the difference between the Final Purchase Price and the
Purchase Price is less than or equal to $200,000, whether positive or negative, then the Final
Purchase Price shall be deemed to be equal to the Purchase Price for purposes of this Agreement and
no further payment shall be due from any Party to the others under this Section 1.04.
(e) If a payment is made by any Party pursuant to Section 1.04(d), the fees, costs and
expenses of the Independent Auditors shall be paid by the Party making such payment. If no payment
is due pursuant to Section 1.04(d), one half of the fees, costs and expenses of the
Independent Auditors shall be paid by each of Buyer and Seller.
1.05 Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) “Encumbrance” means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, deed of trust, lien, pledge,
charge, security interest, title retention device, conditional sale or other security arrangement,
collateral assignment, claim, charge, adverse claim of title, ownership or right to use,
restriction or other encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset (including any
3
restriction on
(i) the receipt of any income derived from such asset, (ii) the use of such asset, and (iii) the
possession, exercise or transfer of any other attribute of ownership of such asset).
(b) “Guaranteed Corn Amount” shall be included in the Purchase Price and shall mean an amount
of raw material corn with a value, as of the Effective Time which approximates the amount of raw
material corn necessary for one month of production in accordance with the past practices of the
Business. The Guaranteed Corn Amount is set forth on Schedule 1.05 hereto. The value of
the raw material corn, for purposes of calculating the Guaranteed Corn Amount, shall be based on
the prices set forth in the 2007 Xxxxxx Crop Contract and the amount of raw material corn shall be
determined in a manner consistent with the procedures set forth on Schedule 1.04.
(c) “Inventory Amount” shall mean the physical quantity, determined as of the Effective Time,
multiplied by the appropriate price therefor, of all raw materials (including the
Guaranteed Corn Amount, the appropriate price for which shall be the price set forth in the 2007
Xxxxxx Crop Contract, but excluding the Pre-Paid Corn Amount), work in process, finished
goods having at least 50% of the Standard Shelf Life for such finished goods and non-obsolete
packaging materials of Seller relating to the Business and included in the Purchased Assets (the
“Inventory”). The total value of the Inventory Amount shall be determined in a manner consistent
with the procedures set forth on Schedule 1.04 hereto. The Inventory Amount shall not
include any Pre-Paid Amounts to be paid by Buyer to Seller in accordance with Section
6.03(c). As used herein, the “Standard Shelf Life” of finished goods
shall be such shelf life identified in accordance with the Seller’s policies in effect as of
the date of this Agreement. The Standard Shelf Life for all finished goods is set forth on
Schedule 1.04.
(d) “Knowledge of Seller” or Seller’s “Knowledge” means the knowledge of the following
persons, with respect to their respective areas of expertise except for those persons listed in
clauses (xiii) through (xvi), whose knowledge shall not be limited any particular area with respect
to Seller: (i) Xxx Xxxxxx (President of the division containing the Business), (ii) Xxxx Xxxxxx
(Director of Financial Operations of the division containing the Business), (iii) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx
(Director of Operations of the division containing the Business), (iv) Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx (former
Trade Director of the division containing the Business), (v) Xxxx Xxxxxx (Seller’s Chief Trademark
Counsel), (vi) Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx (Seller’s Chief Patent Counsel), (vii) Xxxx X’Xxxxx (Seller’s Senior
Patent Counsel), (viii) Xx Xxxxxxxxx (Director of Alliances), (ix) Xxxxx Xxx (corn sourcing and
purchasing), (x) Xxxx Xxxxxx (other sourcing), (xi) Xxxxx Xxxxx (Director of Marketing), (xii) Xxxx
Xxxxxxx (Research & Development), (xiii) Cam Xxxxx (Counsel and Assistant Secretary), (xiv) Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx (Associate General Counsel), (xv) Xxxxx Xxxxxxx (Corporate Development) and (xvi)
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx (Corporate Development).
(e) “Material Adverse Effect” means any change, development, occurrence, effect or condition
that, individually or in the aggregate, has had, or is reasonably likely to have, a material and
adverse effect on the Purchased Assets, Assumed Liabilities, financial condition or results of
operations of the Business; provided that, none of the following shall be deemed to constitute, and
none of the following shall be taken into account in determining whether there has been, a Material
Adverse Effect: any adverse change, event, development, or effect arising from or relating to (1)
general business or economic conditions in the United States (to the extent that any such change,
event, development or effect does not have a disproportionate effect on the
4
Business as compared to
its competitors), (2) changes in the food industry in general (to the extent that any such change,
event, development or effect does not have a disproportionate effect on the
Business as compared to
its competitors), (3) changes in laws, rules, regulations, orders, or other binding directives
issued by any governmental authority (to the extent that any such change, is not applicable or
binding uniquely or disproportionately on the Business), (4) the taking of any action contemplated
or required to be taken by the terms of this Agreement and the other agreements contemplated hereby
or otherwise taken at Buyer’s request and/or (5) the subsequent public announcement of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any of the other agreements contemplated hereby.
(f) “Pre-Paid Corn Amount” shall not be included in the Purchase Price and shall mean
the value, as of the Effective Time, of the raw material corn purchased by Seller under the 2007
Xxxxxx Crop Contract (the “Xxxxxx Pre-Paid Corn”), minus the Guaranteed Corn Amount. The
value of the raw material corn, for purposes of calculating the Pre-Paid Corn Amount, shall be
based on the prices set forth in the 2007 Xxxxxx Crop Contract and the amount of raw material corn
to be valued shall be determined in a manner consistent with the procedures set forth on
Schedule 1.04. The amount of Xxxxxx Pre-Paid Corn and the calculation of the Prepaid Corn
Amount are set forth on Schedule 1.05. The Pre-Paid Corn Amount shall be paid by Buyer to
Seller in accordance with Section 6.03(c).
(g) “Settlement Date” shall mean the date on which the Inventory Statement and Adjustment are
finally determined pursuant to Section 1.04.
1.06 Allocation. Within sixty (60) days following the Closing Date, or, if the May
25, 2008 audited financial statements related to the Business (the “Audited 2008 Financial
Statements”) have not been delivered by Seller to Buyer within the sixty (60) days following the
Closing Date, then within five (5) days of delivery of the Audited 2008 Financial Statements by
Seller to Buyer, Buyer and Seller shall in good faith agree upon an allocation of the Purchase
Price among the Purchased Assets in accordance with Section 1060 of the Interval Revenue Code of
1986, as amended and the Treasury regulations thereunder (the “Code”) and any similar provision of
state, local or foreign law, as applicable (the “Allocation”). In the event that Buyer and Seller
cannot agree upon the Allocation within such period, all items of disagreement shall be submitted
to an Independent Auditor for resolution, whose determination shall be provided with 30 days
following submission and shall be final and binding on Seller and Buyer. The fees and expenses of
the Independent Auditor shall be paid one-half each by Buyer and Seller in such event. In the
event that that the Final Purchase Price has not been determined in accordance with Section
1.04 by the later of sixty (60) days following the Closing Date or five (5) days after the
delivery of the Audited 2008 Financial Statements, the Allocation shall remain subject to
adjustment. The Parties shall file their respective Tax returns (including, but not limited to,
Internal Revenue Service Form 8594) in all respects and for all purposes consistent with the
Allocation, and no party shall take any position (whether in audits, tax returns or otherwise) that
is inconsistent with the Allocation unless required to do so by applicable law. Buyer and Seller
each agree to provide the other a copy of their Form 8594 promptly after the filing thereof.
5
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER
Seller hereby represents and warrants to Buyer that, except as set forth in the disclosure
schedules delivered by Seller to Buyer (the “Disclosure Schedules”) (which Disclosure Schedules set
forth the exceptions to the representations and warranties contained in this Article II
under captions referencing the sections and subsections, if any, of this Agreement to which such
exceptions apply; provided, however, that disclosure of any fact or item in the Disclosure
Schedules shall, should the existence of such fact or item be reasonably applicable from the actual
text of such disclosure to another section or subsection of this Agreement, such disclosure shall
also be deemed disclosed with respect to such other section of this Agreement) (representations set
forth in the Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed to be representations and warranties made under
this Agreement for all purposes hereunder):
2.01 Formation and Corporate Power. Seller is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. Seller has the requisite
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and any other agreement, contract or instrument to
be delivered and/or entered into in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
(collectively, along with this
Agreement, the “Transaction Documents”) to which it is a party and perform its obligations
hereunder and thereunder.
2.02 Execution, Delivery; Valid and Binding Agreement. The execution, delivery and
performance by Seller of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which it is a party
has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action. This Agreement has been
duly executed and delivered by Seller and this Agreement is, and each other Transaction Document to
which Seller is a party, when executed and delivered by or on behalf of Seller and the other
parties thereto, shall constitute the valid and binding obligation of Seller, enforceable against
Seller in accordance with its terms, subject to any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, moratorium, arrangement, fraudulent transfer or other similar law affecting
creditors’ rights generally, and subject to principles of equity as would customarily be applied by
a judicial body acting in equity, including, without limitation, concepts of materiality,
reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, laches, election of remedies, estoppel and other
similar doctrines affecting the enforceability of agreements generally, regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (the foregoing list of exceptions is hereinafter
referred to as the “Equitable Remedies Exception”).
2.03 No Breach. The execution, delivery and performance by Seller of this Agreement
and any other Transaction Document to which it is a party and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby do not conflict with or result in any breach of any of the
provisions of, constitute a default under, result in a violation of, result in the creation of a
right of termination or acceleration or any Encumbrance upon the Purchased Assets under the
provisions of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of Seller or any of its Affiliates, or any
indenture, mortgage, lease, loan agreement, supply agreement or other agreement or instrument by
which Seller is bound or affected, or any law, statute, rule or regulation or order, judgment or
decree to which Seller, the Business (as operated by Seller), or a Purchased Asset is subject,
except (i) as set forth on Section 2.03 of the Disclosure Schedules and (ii) as would not
reasonably be expected to prohibit or materially delay the closing of the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement.
6
2.04 Governmental Authority; Consents. Seller is not required to submit any report or
other filing with any governmental authority in connection with the execution or delivery by it of
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party or the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or performance of its obligations hereunder or
thereunder, and no consent, approval or authorization of any governmental or regulatory authority
is required to be obtained by Seller in connection with its execution, delivery and performance of
this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party or the transactions
contemplated hereby or thereby, except (i) in connection with the applicable requirements of the
Xxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”), or (ii) as would
not reasonably be expected to prohibit or materially delay the closing of the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.
2.05 Financial Statements; Absence of Certain Changes.
(a) Attached as Section 2.05(a) of the Disclosure Schedules are copies of the audited
statements of net assets and the related profit and loss statements relating to the Business as of
May 28, 2006 and May 27, 2007 (the “Audited Statements”), and the unaudited profit and loss
statements relating to the Business as of May 25, 2008 (the “Latest P&L Statement” and, together
with the Audited Statements, the “P&L Statements”). The Audited Statements (i) are derived from
the books and records of Seller, (ii) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied by Seller and (iii) fairly present, in all
material respects, the revenues and expenses of the Business (excluding income tax expenses and
interest expense on corporate borrowings) for the periods indicated in such statements. The Latest
P&L Statement (i) is derived from the books and records of Seller and (ii) fairly presents, in all
material respects, the revenues and direct expenses of the Business (excluding income tax expenses
and interest expense on corporate borrowings) for the periods indicated in such statement. The
Latest P&L Statement does not include certain expenses related to the operation of the Business
such as indirect or allocated corporate expenses.
(b) Since May 26, 2008, Seller has conducted the Business only in the ordinary course
consistent with past practice and (i) there has not occurred a Material Adverse Effect on the
Business, (ii) the Business has not made or entered into any contract or letter of intent with
respect to any acquisition, sale or transfer of any Purchased Asset other than in the ordinary
course of the Business, (iii) except as required by GAAP, there has not occurred any change in
accounting methods or practices (including any change in depreciation or amortization policies or
rates or revenue recognition policies) by Seller in connection with the Business, (iv) Seller, in
connection with the Business, has not entered into, amended or terminated any of the Purchased
Contracts other than customer purchase orders, vendor purchase orders and Trade Programs and
Consumer Programs, each of which may be entered into, amended or terminated in the ordinary course
of the Business, and the supply agreement set forth on Section 2.05(b) of the Disclosure
Schedules, which may be entered into on substantially the terms set forth on Section
2.05(b) of the Disclosure Schedules and there has not occurred any default under any of the
Purchased Contracts, (v) Seller, in connection with the Business, has not made any material change
in the manner in which it extends discounts, credits or warranties to customers or otherwise deals
with its customers and (vi) there has been no material damage, destruction or loss with regard to
the Purchased Equipment, whether or not covered by insurance.
7
2.06 Title to Inventory and Purchased Equipment.
(a) Except as described in Section 2.06 of the Disclosure Schedules, as of the date
hereof, Seller or its wholly owned subsidiaries own good and marketable title to the Inventory,
Xxxxxx Pre-Paid Corn and Purchased Equipment, free of all Encumbrances, other than Permitted
Encumbrances. As of the Closing Date, Seller or its wholly owned subsidiaries will own good and
marketable title to the Inventory, Purchased Equipment and Building, free of all Encumbrances,
other than Permitted Encumbrances.
(b) Environmental Matters.
(i) As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated
below:
(A) “Building” shall mean the facility located at 000 Xxxx Xxxxxxx Xx.,
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000.
(B) “Environmental Laws” shall mean any federal, state or local laws,
ordinances, codes, regulations, rules, policies and orders that are intended
to assure the protection of the environment, or that classify, regulate,
call for the remediation of, require reporting with respect to, or list or
define air, water, groundwater, solid waste, hazardous or toxic substances,
materials, wastes, pollutants or contaminants.
(C) “Hazardous Materials” shall mean any toxic or hazardous substance,
material or waste or any pollutant or contaminant, or infectious or
radioactive substance, material or waste defined in or regulated under any
Environmental Laws, but excludes office and janitorial supplies properly
maintained.
(ii) With respect to the Building, (i) as of the Effective Time, Seller will have good
and marketable fee simple, title, free and clear of all Encumbrances other than Permitted
Encumbrances, (ii) Seller has not leased or otherwise granted to any Person, other than
Xxxxxx Popcorn Company, Inc. (“Xxxxxx”), the right to use or occupy the Building or any
portion thereof, (iii) there are no outstanding options, rights of first offer or rights of
first refusal to purchase the Building or any portion thereof or interest therein, and (iv)
there is no condemnation or other proceeding in eminent domain pending or, to Seller’s
Knowledge, threatened, affecting the Building or any portion thereof or interest therein.
(iii) (A) To Seller’s Knowledge, all Hazardous Materials and wastes produced or used
by the Business in the past three (3) years have been disposed of in accordance in all
material respects with all Environmental Laws; (B) within the past three (3) years, Seller
has not received any written notice of any noncompliance of the Building or its present
operations with Environmental Laws; (C) to Seller’s Knowledge, no notices, administrative
actions or suits are pending or threatened relating to an actual or alleged violation of any
applicable Environmental Laws by Seller in connection with the Business; (D) to Seller’s
Knowledge, Seller is not a potentially responsible party under
8
the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980, as amended, or any analogous state, local or foreign laws in connection with the
Business; (E) to Seller’s Knowledge, there have not been in the past three (3) years, and
are not now, any Hazardous Materials on, under or migrating to or from the Building; (F) to
Seller’s Knowledge, there have not been in the past three (3) years, and are not now, any
underground tanks or underground improvements at, on or under the Building, including
treatment or storage tanks, sumps, or water, gas or oil xxxxx; and (G) within the past three
(3) years, to Seller’s Knowledge, the Building and Seller’s uses and activities therein have
materially complied with all Environmental Laws
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, “Permitted Encumbrances” means (i) Encumbrances for Taxes
(and assessments and other governmental charges or levies) not yet due and payable or being
contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; (ii) warehousemen’s, mechanic’s, materialmen’s,
landlord’s, carriers’ liens or other like Encumbrances (including such Encumbrances created by
operation of law); (iii) any Encumbrances expressly created under the provisions of this Agreement
or any other Transaction Document; and (iv) such other imperfections in title, charges,
restrictions or other encumbrances which do not materially detract from, materially diminish the
value of or materially interfere with the present use of the affected property.
2.07 Contracts and Commitments.
(a) Seller has delivered to Buyer a correct and complete copy of each Purchased Contract set
forth on Schedule 1.01(a)(1) and a written summary of each oral Purchased Contract referred
to in Schedule 1.01(a)(1). With respect to each Purchased Contract:
(i) the Purchased Contract is valid and enforceable against Seller, and, to the
Knowledge of Seller, against each other individual, corporation, partnership, association,
limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, other entity or group (as
defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) (each, a “
Person”) party thereto, subject to the Equitable Remedies Exception;
(ii) neither Seller nor, to the Knowledge of Seller, any other party is in material
breach of any Purchased Contract; and
(iii) Seller has not and, to its Knowledge, no other party has repudiated any provision
of any Purchased Contract.
(b) Except for customer purchase orders accepted in the ordinary course of the Business,
Seller is not party to or bound by any material distributor, dealer, sales representative or other
similar contract relating to the Business in the United States, other than those that can be
terminated on thirty (30) days notice without penalty.
(c) Except as set forth on Section 2.07(c) of the Disclosure Schedules, neither Seller
nor any of its Affiliates is bound to or bound by any of the following contracts:
(i) any contract material to the Business or Purchased Assets under which (A) any
Intellectual Property licenses are granted to Seller or its Affiliates (other than licenses
9
to Seller of off-the-shelf software available at retail), (B) any covenants not to xxx are
granted to Seller or its Affiliates, or (C) any rights or options to acquire Intellectual
Property (by license or otherwise) are granted to Seller or its Affiliates;
(ii) any contract material to the Business or Purchased Assets under which (A) any
Intellectual Property licenses are granted by Seller or its Affiliates (or are obligated to
be granted by Seller or its Affiliates), (B) any covenants not to xxx are granted by Seller
or its Affiliates, or (C) any rights or options to acquire Intellectual Property (by license
or otherwise) are granted by Seller or its Affiliates; and
(iii) any contract (A) concerning nonsolicitation of customers of the Business; (B)
that would limit the freedom, immediately after the Closing, of a purchaser of the Purchased
Assets to engage, participate or compete with any other Person in any line of business, or
to make use of any Purchased Intellectual Property in the United States and/or Canada; or
(C) granting most favored nation pricing, exclusive sales, distribution, marketing or other
exclusive rights, rights of refusal, rights of first negotiation or similar rights and/or
terms to any Person in the United States and/or Canada, which terms would be applicable to a
purchaser of the Purchased Assets immediately after the Closing.
2.08 Intellectual Property Rights.
(a) Schedule 1.01(a)(6)(a), (b), and (c) lists all United States,
international and foreign patents, patent applications, registered trademarks and service marks,
trademark and service xxxx applications, intent to use applications, or other applications or
registrations related to trademarks and service marks, corporate names, registered copyrights,
copyright applications and domain names owned by, filed in the name of, assigned to or applied for
by, Seller that are used exclusively in connection with the Business, whether alone or jointly with
any other Person, in each case listing, as applicable, (i) the jurisdiction where the registration
is located, (ii) the patent or registration number, (iii) in the case of any jointly-owned
Registered Intellectual Property, the name(s) of any other joint owner(s), and (iv) except as set
forth on Section 2.08(a)(iv) of the Disclosure Schedules, there are no actions that must be
taken by Buyer within ninety (90) days after the Effective Time for (A) the payment of any
registration, maintenance or renewal fees or (B) the filing of any documents, applications or
certificates for purposes of prosecuting, continuing (through the filing of a request for continued
examination, continuation or continuation-in-part patent application), maintaining, perfecting or
preserving or renewing any rights in the foregoing Intellectual Property (collectively, the
“Registered Intellectual Property”). The Registered Intellectual Property and the Unregistered
Intellectual Property together constitute the “Purchased Intellectual Property.” The Purchased
Intellectual Property is, to the Knowledge of Seller, valid and enforceable, subject to the
Equitable Remedies Exception, by Seller (or in the case of applications, applied for). All
necessary registration, maintenance and renewal fees due on or prior to the Effective Time in
connection with the Registered Intellectual Property have been made and all necessary documents,
recordations and certificates in connection with the
Registered Intellectual Property have been filed with the relevant patent, copyright,
trademark or other authorities in the United States or foreign jurisdictions, as the case may be,
for the purposes of filing or maintaining such Registered Intellectual Property. No interference,
opposition, reissue, reexamination, or other proceeding of any nature (other than prosecution by
Seller of applications and registrations for Registered Intellectual Property before
10
the relevant
patent, copyright, trademark or other authorities in the United States or foreign jurisdictions) is
pending or, to Seller’s Knowledge, threatened, in which the scope, validity, or enforceability of
any Registered Intellectual Property is being contested or challenged.
(b) Seller exclusively owns all right, title and interest in and to the Purchased Intellectual
Property, free and clear of all Encumbrances, except Permitted Encumbrances. Seller has not
transferred ownership of any Purchased Intellectual Property to any other Person.
(c) To the Knowledge of Seller, no Person is infringing or misappropriating any Purchased
Intellectual Property. Neither Seller nor, to Seller’s Knowledge, any of its Affiliates has
received written notice of any claim by any third party contesting the validity of any Purchased
Intellectual Property which is currently outstanding. Neither Seller, nor, to Seller’s Knowledge,
any of its Affiliates has received written notice of any claim of an infringement, misappropriation
or violation by Seller or its Affiliates of any Intellectual Property rights of any third parties
relating to the Business or the Purchased Assets. Neither Seller nor, to Seller’s Knowledge, any
of its Affiliates has received written notice that Seller has infringed, misappropriated or
otherwise violated any such Intellectual Property rights and, to Seller’s Knowledge, the operation
of the Business as (i) currently conducted and (ii) planned to be conducted with respect to the
items set forth on Section 2.08(c)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedules does not infringe or
misappropriate any third party Intellectual Property right.
(d) Seller has taken reasonable steps, consistent with the protections utilized by Seller to
protect the same type of information in the ordinary course of Seller’s business, to protect their
rights in the material confidential information and trade secrets constituting the Purchased
Intellectual Property (“Confidential Information”). To the Knowledge of Seller, Seller has not
experienced any material breach of security or otherwise unauthorized access by third parties to
the Confidential Information, including any personally identifiable information, in the possession,
custody or control of Seller.
(e) There are no royalties, honoraria, fees or other payments payable by Seller or any of its
Affiliates to any Person (other than salaries or other payments payable to employees, consultants
or independent contractors not contingent on or related to use of their work product) as a result
of the ownership, use, license-out, sale, marketing, advertising or disposition of any Purchased
Intellectual Property.
(f) Seller has complied, in all material respects, with all applicable Laws and Orders and
their respective internal privacy policies relating to the use, collection, storage, disclosure and
transfer of any personally identifiable information collected in connection with the Business by
Seller or by third parties having authorized access to the records of Seller. The execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Transaction Documents, will comply, in all
material respects, with all applicable Laws and Orders relating to privacy and with Seller’s
privacy policies.
(g) For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Intellectual Property” means any or all of the
following and all rights in, arising out of or associated therewith anywhere in the world: all
patents (including all reissues, divisions, renewals, extensions, provisionals, continuations and
continuations-in-part thereof) and patent rights, trademarks and trademark
11
rights, trade names and
trade name rights, service marks and service xxxx rights, utility models and utility model rights,
copyrights, mask work rights, brand names, trade dress, product designs, product packaging,
business and product names, logos, slogans, rights of publicity, trade secrets, inventions (whether
patentable or not), invention disclosures, improvements, processes, formulae, industrial models,
processes, designs, specifications, technology, methodologies, computer software (including all
source code and object code), firmware, development tools, flow charts, annotations, all Web
addresses, sites and domain names, all data bases and data collections and all rights therein, any
other confidential and proprietary right or information, whether or not subject to statutory
registration, and all related technical information, manufacturing, engineering and technical
drawings, know how and all pending applications for and registrations of (and all rights to apply
for and register) patents, utility models, trademarks, service marks and copyrights, and the right
to xxx for past infringement, if any, in connection with any of the foregoing.
2.09 Litigation. Except as set forth on Section 2.09 of the Disclosure
Schedules, Seller is not (a) a party to any litigation, proceeding or administrative investigation
related to the Business or the Purchased Assets, and no such action is pending or, to the Knowledge
of Seller, threatened against Seller that involves the Business or the Purchased Assets; and (b)
subject to any outstanding order, writ, injunction, judgment or decree of any court, government,
governmental or other regulatory body or arbitration against or affecting the Business, the
Purchased Assets or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Transaction Documents.
2.10 Permits. The conduct of the Business as currently conducted does not require
Seller to hold any material licenses, permits or certificates from any federal, state, local and
foreign authorities (including, without limitation, federal and state agencies regulating
occupational health and safety, and, to Seller’s Knowledge, permits for the ownership of the
Building), except as disclosed in Section 2.10 of the Disclosure Schedules.
2.11 Inventory. Except as set forth in Section 2.11 of the Disclosure
Schedules, the Inventory and Xxxxxx Pre-Paid Corn being purchased by Buyer from Seller pursuant to
this Agreement consists of items of a quality and quantity usable and, with respect to finished
goods only, saleable in each case, in the ordinary course of business. Except as set forth in
Section 2.11 of the Disclosure Schedules, none of the Inventory or Xxxxxx Pre-Paid Corn is
obsolete, damaged or defective. Section 2.11 of the Disclosure Schedules identifies the
amount of finished goods inventory having less than 50% of such inventory’s Standard Shelf Life as
of the date of this Agreement. All of the Inventory and Xxxxxx Pre-Paid Corn complies in all
material respects
with any and all applicable federal and state labeling requirements and may be shipped in
interstate commerce in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended.
2.12 Brokerage. Except for Xxxxxx Brothers Holdings, Inc., no third party shall be
entitled to receive from Seller any brokerage commission, finder’s fee, fee for financial advisory
services or similar compensation in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
based on any arrangement, contract or agreement made by or on behalf of Seller.
2.13 Product Recall. Except as set forth on Section 2.13 of the Disclosure
Schedules, during the last five (5) years, Seller has not effected a recall or withdrawal of any of
12
its products related to the Business for health, safety or similar reasons, and to the Knowledge of
Seller, no facts have existed that, if known by the applicable governmental authority, would have
resulted in such a recall or withdrawal. All of the products sold by Seller in connection with the
Business during the last five (5) years have been in material compliance with any and all
applicable federal and state labeling requirements. Except as set forth on Section 2.13 of
the Disclosure Schedules, none of the products sold by Seller in connection with the Business
during the last five (5) years have been the subject of any material claim from a third party for
personal injury allegedly due and owing as a result of the use, application, malfunction or defect
of such a product (“Product Claims”).
2.14 Customers and Suppliers. Section 2.14 of the Disclosure Schedules lists
(a) twenty (20) largest customers of the Business in terms of sales during the fiscal 12-month
periods ended May 25, 2008, May 27, 2007 and May 28, 2006, and (b) the ten (10) largest suppliers
of the Business during the fiscal 12-month periods ended May 25, 2008 and May 27, 2007, together
with the aggregate amount of the sales made to each such customer and purchases made from each such
supplier during such periods. Except as set forth on Schedule 2.14, none of the customers
or suppliers of the Business as of May 25, 2008, as listed on Schedule 2.14, has given
Seller written notice of termination or intent to terminate its relationship with Seller or, since
the date of the Latest P&L Statement, materially reduced or materially adversely (with respect to
the Business) changed the pricing or other terms of its business with Seller, and to the Knowledge
of Seller, no such customer or supplier has threatened any such action.
2.15 Trade and Consumer Programs. Section 2.15 of the Disclosure Schedules
contains an accurate list of all consumer-oriented marketing programs of the Business under which
Seller has current or future obligations (collectively, the “Consumer Programs”) and includes a
description of each such Consumer Program, the duration of such Consumer Program and an estimate of
Seller’s obligations thereunder. Section 2.15 of the Disclosure Schedules contains a
summary of the trade program with customers of the Business (the “Trade Program”), including a
description of the Trade Program, the duration of the Trade Program and the estimated cost of the
Trade Program.
2.16 Sufficiency of Purchased Assets. Except as set forth on Section 2.16 of
the Disclosure Schedules, the Purchased Assets include all of the assets, properties, rights and
Intellectual Property used by Seller or any of its Affiliates in the conduct of the Business and,
with respect to the item set forth on Section 2.08(c)(ii)(1) of the Disclosure Schedules,
intended to be conducted by Seller prior to the Closing Date. Except as set forth on Section
2.16 of the Disclosure Schedules, on the Closing Date, the Purchased Assets, together with (a)
the services to be provided by Seller to Buyer under the Transition Services Agreement, (b) the
services to be provided by Xxxxxx to Buyer under the Xxxxxx Co-Pack Agreement, the Xxxxxx Consent
and the related Xxxxxx agreements set forth on Schedule 1.01(a), and (c) the services that have
been provided to Seller by Olmarc Packaging Company under the Olmarc Co-Pack Arrangement, shall be
sufficient in all material respects to permit Buyer to conduct the Business consistent with the
manner in which the Business was conducted by Seller and, with respect to the item set forth on
Section 2.08(c)(ii)(1) of the Disclosure Schedules, intended to be conducted by Seller
prior to the Closing Date.
13
2.17 No Other Representations. Seller has not made nor shall it be deemed to have
made to Buyer any representation or warranty other than as expressly made in Article II of
this Agreement and the Disclosure Schedules. In particular, without limiting the generality of
this Section 2.17, Seller does not make any representation or warranty with respect to (a)
any estimates, predictions, projections or forecasts, or any budgets, previously delivered or made
available to Buyer concerning future revenues, expenses, expenditures or results of operations of
the Business or (b) any other information or documents made available to Buyer or its
representatives prior to or after the date hereof with respect to Seller, the Business or the
Purchased Assets, except as expressly covered in Article II of this Agreement and the
Disclosure Schedules.
ARTICLE III. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
Buyer hereby represents and warrants to Seller, as of the date hereof, that:
3.01 Formation and Corporate Power. Buyer is a corporation duly organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware. Buyer has the requisite
power and authority to enter into this Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which it is
a party and perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
3.02 Execution, Delivery; Valid and Binding Agreement. The execution, delivery and
performance by Buyer of this Agreement and any other Transaction Document to which it is a party
has been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action. This Agreement has been
duly executed and delivered by Buyer and this Agreement is, and each other Transaction Document to
which it is a party, when executed and delivered by or on behalf of the other parties thereto,
shall constitute the valid and binding obligation of Buyer, enforceable against Buyer in accordance
with its terms, subject to the Equitable Remedies Exception.
3.03 No Breach. The execution, delivery and performance by Buyer of this Agreement
and any other Transaction Document to which it is a party and the consummation of the transactions
contemplated thereby do not conflict with or result in any breach of any of the provisions of,
constitute a default under, result in a violation of, result in the creation of a right of
termination or acceleration or any Encumbrance upon any assets of Buyer under the provisions of the
articles of incorporation, bylaws or similar charter documents of Buyer or any indenture, mortgage,
lease, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument by which Buyer is bound or affected, or any
law, statute, rule or regulation or order, judgment or decree to which Buyer is subject.
3.04 Governmental Authorities; Consents. Buyer is not required to submit any notice,
report, or other filing with any governmental authority in connection with the execution or
delivery by it of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to which it is a party or the
consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, or performance of its obligations
hereunder or thereunder, and no consent, approval or authorization of any governmental or
regulatory authority or any other party or Person is required to be obtained by Buyer in connection
with its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document to
which it is a party or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, except in connection with
the applicable requirements of the HSR Act and any required consent,
14
approval, authorization, permit, filing or notification pursuant to applicable foreign merger
control or competition laws.
3.05 No Litigation. There is no lawsuit, claim, action, proceeding or investigation
pending or, to the knowledge of Buyer, threatened against Buyer, its properties or businesses,
which could reasonably be expected to materially delay or otherwise materially and adversely affect
the ability of Buyer to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any other
Transaction Document to which it is a party or otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder or
thereunder.
3.06 Financial Ability. Buyer has delivered to Seller, on or prior to the date
hereof, evidence satisfactory to Seller of Buyer’s ability to pay the Purchase Price and any
Pre-Paid Amounts in full at the Closing, along with any Adjustment that may become due thereafter.
Buyer will have, as of the Closing, immediately available funds sufficient to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
3.07 Brokerage. No third party shall be entitled to receive from Buyer any brokerage
commission, finder’s fee, fee for financial advisory services (except for a fairness opinion) or
similar compensation in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement based on
any arrangement, contract or agreement made by or on behalf of Buyer.
3.08 Acknowledgements by Buyer. In determining to proceed with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement, Buyer acknowledges that Buyer has not relied on Seller with respect
to any matter in connection with Buyer’s evaluation of the Business and Purchased Assets other than
the representations and warranties of Seller specifically set forth in Article II of this
Agreement and the Disclosure Schedules; provided, however, that nothing contained in this
Section 3.08 shall limit or serve as a waiver of Seller’s representations and warranties
set forth in Article II of this Agreement or the Disclosure Schedules.
ARTICLE IV. COVENANTS OF SELLER
4.01 Conduct of the Business. From the date hereof to the Closing Date (or earlier
date if this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.01 hereof), Seller and its
Affiliates shall, except as required in connection with the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement and except as otherwise set forth in, or expressly permitted or contemplated by, this
Agreement, disclosed in the Disclosure Schedules hereto or consented to in writing by Buyer:
(a) Carry on the Business in the ordinary course, including with respect to the purchase of
Inventory and the conduct of Trade Programs and Consumer Programs, consistent with Seller’s past
practice and in substantially the same manner as previously conducted;
(b) Not sell, or grant options, warrants or rights to purchase, the Business or any of the
Purchased Assets other than in the ordinary course of the Business;
(c) Not enter into, amend, modify, terminate (partially or completely), grant any waiver under
or give any consent with respect to, or enter into any agreement to amend, modify, terminate
(partially or completely), grant any waiver under or give any consent with respect to, any of the
Purchased Contracts other than in the ordinary course of the Business;
15
(d) Use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) preserve intact the present business
organization, contractual and other arrangements of the Business (ii) maintain existing business
relationships with customers, suppliers and distributors of or to the Business in the ordinary
course of the Business and (iii) continue all current sales, service, marketing, promotional and
product development activities relating to the Business in the ordinary course of the Business;
(e) Except to the extent required by applicable law, other than in the ordinary course of
Business and consistent with past practice, (i) cause the Business Books and Records to be
maintained in the usual, regular and ordinary manner, and (ii) not permit any change in any
accounting, financial reporting, credit policies, or allowance policies that would adversely affect
the Business or the Purchased Assets, or materially increase the Assumed Liabilities;
(f) Continue in full force and effect all material insurance policies (or comparable insurance
policies) insuring the Business and the Purchased Assets;
(g) Comply in all material respects with any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation,
ordinance, extension order, or other pronouncement having the effect of law of the United States,
any foreign country or any U.S. or foreign state, county, city or other political subdivision of
any Governmental Body applicable and material to the Business (“Laws and Orders”), and promptly
following receipt thereof deliver to Buyer copies of any written notice received from any
Governmental Body or other Person alleging any violation of any such Law or Order;
(h) Not acquire, lease, license or dispose of or agree to acquire, lease, license or dispose
of any assets that would constitute Purchased Assets hereunder, other than in the ordinary course
of business consistent with past practice, or create or incur any Encumbrance, other than a
Permitted Encumbrance, on any assets that would constitute Purchased Assets hereunder;
(i) Not violate, breach or default in any material respect under, or take or fail to take any
action that (with or without notice or lapse of time or both) would constitute a material violation
or breach of, or material default under, any term or provision of any Purchased Contract;
(j) Not engage in any transaction with respect to the Business with any Affiliate of Seller
that will remain in effect after the Effective Time;
(k) Not make capital expenditures or commitments for capital expenditures related solely to
the Business, including but not limited to additions to property, plant or equipment constituting
capital assets other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and in
an aggregate amount not to exceed $100,000;
(l) Take the actions set forth on Schedule 4.01(l); and
(m) Not enter into any contract or understanding to do or engage in any of the foregoing items
set forth in this Section 4.01.
16
4.02 Noncompetition Agreement of Seller.
(a) As an inducement for Buyer to enter into this Agreement and to assist Buyer to realize the
benefits of the transactions contemplated hereby, for a period of five (5) years from the Closing
Date, (i) neither Seller nor any Person directly or indirectly controlled by or under direct or
indirect common control with Seller at any such time (each, an “Affiliate” and collectively with
Seller, the “Restricted Parties”) will directly or indirectly engage in the business of
manufacturing, producing, marketing, selling or distributing microwave popcorn, or other products
whose principal ingredient is popped popcorn, in each case, that is packaged for sale to end-use
consumers in the United States and Canada. (the “Seller Restricted Business”) and (ii) no
Restricted Party will acquire a controlling interest in or take an active part in the management of
an entity whose principal business is a Seller Restricted Business. The term “principal business”
as used herein shall mean any business in which the North American revenues for microwave popcorn,
or other products whose principal ingredient is popped popcorn, are more than 25% of the total
annual revenue of the subject entity. “Controlling interest” of an entity shall mean the direct or
indirect ownership of fifty percent (50%) or more of the ownership interests of such entity
(b) The Parties intend that each of the covenants contained in this Section 4.02 shall
be construed as a series of separate covenants, one for each state of the United States and each
county of each state of the United States (and the equivalent subdivisions of any country outside
of the United States). Except for geographic coverage, each such separate covenant shall be deemed
identical in terms to the covenant contained in the preceding subsections of this Section
4.02. If, in any judicial proceeding, a court shall refuse to enforce any of the separate
covenants (or any part thereof) deemed included in those subsections, then such unenforceable
covenant (or such part) shall be deemed eliminated from this Agreement for the purpose of those
proceedings to the extent necessary to permit the remaining separate covenants (or portions
thereof) to be enforced. In the event that the provisions of this Section 4.02 should ever
be deemed to exceed the time or geographic limitations, or the scope of this covenant, permitted by
applicable law, then such provisions shall be reformed to the maximum time or geographic
limitations, as the case may be, permitted by applicable laws. The unenforceability of any
covenant in this Section 4.02 shall not preclude the enforcement of any other of said
covenants or provisions or of any other obligation of Seller or Buyer hereunder, and the existence
of any claim or cause of action of Seller or Buyer against the other whether predicated on this
Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by Seller or Buyer of any
of said covenants.
(c) Seller acknowledges that Buyer has required that Seller make the agreements in this
Section 4.02 as a condition to Buyer’s willingness to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. It is understood and agreed that damages will be an inadequate
remedy in the event of a breach by any Restricted Party of any of the covenants of such Restricted
Party, in this Section 4.02, and that any such breach may cause Buyer irreparable injury
and damage. Accordingly, in addition to any relief at law that may be available to Buyer for such
violation or breach, Seller agrees that Buyer shall be entitled, without waiving any additional
rights or remedies otherwise available to Buyer, and without the posting of any bond or other
security, to injunctive and other such equitable relief in the event of a breach of any of said
covenants by any Restricted Party.
17
(d) The Parties each acknowledge and agree that for tax purposes, including the allocation of
the Purchase Price in accordance with Section 1060 of the Code, none of the Purchase Price is being
paid as consideration for the covenants contained in this Section 4.02, and the Parties
agree not to report any separate consideration for the covenants for federal income tax purposes.
4.03 Confidentiality.
(a) Seller will, for a period of five (5) years after the Closing Date, keep confidential and
protect, and will not divulge, allow access to or use in any way (i) rights to the Purchased
Intellectual Property and (ii) any and all other information concerning the business and affairs of
the Business that is not generally known to the public or within the industry in which Seller
operates (collectively, “Confidential Information”). Seller acknowledges that such Confidential
Information constitutes a unique and valuable asset of the Business. The foregoing obligations of
confidentiality will not apply to any Confidential Information that subsequently becomes generally
publicly known, other than as a direct or indirect result of the breach of this Agreement by
Seller.
(b) In the event that Seller is requested or required (by oral question or request for
information or documents in any legal proceeding, interrogatory, subpoena, civil investigative
demand or similar process) to disclose any Confidential Information, such Seller will notify Buyer
promptly of the request or requirement so that Buyer may seek an appropriate protective order or
waive compliance with the provisions of this Section 4.03. If, in the absence of a
protective order or the receipt of a waiver from Buyer, Seller is, on the advice of counsel,
compelled to disclose any Confidential Information to any tribunal or else stand liable for
contempt, Seller may disclose the Confidential Information to the tribunal; provided, that Seller
will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, at the request of Buyer, an order or other
assurance that confidential treatment will be accorded to such portion of the Confidential
Information required to be disclosed as Buyer designates.
(c) Seller acknowledges that Buyer has required that Seller make the agreements in this
Section 4.03 as a condition to Buyer’s willingness to consummate the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement. Seller agrees that the agreements contained in this Section
4.03 are reasonable and necessary to protect the legitimate interests of Buyer and that any
violation or breach of this Section 4.03 will result in irreparable injury to Buyer for
which no adequate remedy would exist at law. Accordingly, in addition to any relief at law that
may be available to Buyer for such violation or breach and regardless of any other provision
contained in this Agreement, and without the posting of any bond or other security, Buyer will be
entitled to injunctive and other equitable relief restraining such violation or breach.
4.04 Sublicenses. Seller and Buyer will use commercially reasonable efforts to enter
into the Pre-Paid Sublicense on substantially the terms set forth on Schedule 4.04(a) and
the Microwave Science Sublicense prior to the Effective Time and Seller will use commercially
reasonable efforts to assist Buyer in entering into a direct license with Curves, Inc. with regard
to the Business (the “Curves License”) on substantially the terms set forth on Schedule
7.01(d)(ix) prior to the Effective Time. In the event that the Pre-Paid Sublicense has not
been entered into
18
as of the Effective Time, Seller and Buyer will continue to use commercially reasonable
efforts to enter into such Sublicense after the Effective Time.
4.05 Capital Projects. At or prior to the Effective Time, Seller will have paid
Xxxxxx the amounts due from Seller to Xxxxxx for the “Oil Room Project” and the “Curves Project” as
such items are defined in the Xxxxxx Consent. For each of the “Variety Pack Project” and the
“Xxxxxxxx Project”, as such items are defined in the Xxxxxx Consent, the cost for each such project
shall be paid (a) by Seller if such payment is due, in the ordinary course, before the Closing Date
and (b) by Buyer if such payment is due, in the ordinary course, on or after the Closing Date.
4.06 Covenant Not to Xxx. As an inducement for Buyer to enter into this Agreement,
from and after the Closing Date, Seller covenants that it will not assert, and it will ensure that
none of its Affiliates will assert, any claim of infringement against Buyer or any of Buyer’s
Affiliates or direct or indirect customers, suppliers or distributors based upon the manufacture,
use, sale, offer for sale, or importation of products (including products in development, as of the
Effective Time, as evidenced by the Business Books and Records, including but not limited to the
items set forth on Section 2.08(c)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedules) related to the Business
as it is conducted as of the Effective Time.
4.07 2008 Audited Statements; Stub Income Statement. Seller shall use commercially
reasonable efforts to provide to Buyer no later than thirty (30) days after the Closing Date: (i)
the audited statements of net assets related to the Business as of May 25, 2008, and the related
profit and loss statement for the fiscal year then ended, and (ii) the profit and loss statement
relating to the Business for the stub period commencing on May 26, 2008 and ending on the Closing
Date.
ARTICLE V. COVENANTS OF BUYER
5.01 Record Retention. After the Closing Date, Buyer will provide Seller and its
representatives reasonable access to the Business Books and Records, during normal business hours
and on reasonable prior written notice, to enable Seller to prepare tax returns and financial
statements or defend any claims for indemnification made under Article IX of this
Agreement. For a period of six (6) years after the Closing Date, without the prior written consent
of Seller, neither Buyer nor any of its Affiliates shall dispose of or destroy any of the Business
Books and Records purchased hereunder which may be relevant to any legal, regulatory or tax audit,
investigation, inquiry or requirement of Seller without first offering such records to Seller.
5.02 International Distributors. Buyer acknowledges that (i) Seller currently has
international distribution arrangements with brokers, distributors and wholesalers for the sale of
Products outside the United States (the “International Distributors”), including those listed on
Schedule 5.02(a), in connection with the Business and (ii) Seller may be subject to
liability in connection with the termination of any such International Distributor’s arrangements.
As an inducement for Seller to enter into this Agreement, Buyer agrees to the following:
(a) Buyer will indemnify Seller and its Affiliates for any Losses incurred by any such Person
resulting from or arising out of Buyer’s (i) termination, during the two (2) year
19
period commencing on the Closing Date, of (A) any agreement with any International Distributor
listed on Schedule 5.02(b) (each a “Key Distributor” and, collectively, the “Key
Distributors”) or (B) any arrangement or relationship that, under the applicable law of such
jurisdiction, would give rise to rights in a Key Distributor or (ii) violation, during the two (2)
year period commencing on the Closing Date, of any exclusivity obligation regarding the marketing
or distribution of products (including products in development, as of the Effective Time, as
evidenced by the Business Books and Records, including but not limited to the items set forth on
Section 2.08(c)(ii) of the Disclosure Schedules) to or by a Key Distributor that existed
between Seller and such Key Distributor immediately prior to the Effective Time; provided that the
indemnification obligations of Buyer set forth in this Section 5.02(a) shall not apply with
respect to a Key Distributor in the event that (x) Buyer has good cause to terminate such
relationship for performance-related matters in accordance with applicable law, if any, in such
territory or (y) exits the Business in the territory of such Key Distributor (A) pursuant to
applicable law in such territory and (B) for a period of time greater than or equal to the
applicable statutory period in such territory. In addition to the procedures set forth in
Section 9.04, to the extent that there is a dispute as to Losses resulting from or incurred
in connection with the foregoing, Seller, at its sole cost and expense, may participate with Buyer
in the defense and resolution of any claim made by any Key Distributor if Seller is continuing to
distribute products, other than products marketed and distributed by the Business, to or through
such Key Distributor following the Effective Time.
(b) Buyer will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain, in any agreement it may execute
with any Key Distributor after the Closing, a full and unconditional release of Seller for any
liability or obligation arising as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Agreement, including the termination of Seller’s relationship with any Key Distributor;
provided that Buyer shall not be required to pay any amount to any Key Distributor or agree to any
commercial or legal terms adverse to Buyer solely in order to obtain such release.
ARTICLE VI. ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
6.01 Further Assurances. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions contained
herein, the Parties agree (a) to use all commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be
taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable to
consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other
Transaction Documents, (b) to execute any documents, instruments or conveyances of any kind which
may be reasonably necessary or advisable to carry out any of the transactions contemplated
hereunder or thereunder, and (c) to cooperate with each other in connection with the foregoing.
From and after the Effective Time, Seller agrees to transfer to Buyer, at Buyer’s request and
without compensation therefor, any asset, property, right or Intellectual Property that was used
exclusively in the Business and, with respect to the to the item set forth on Section
2.08(c)(ii)(1) of the Disclosure Schedules, intended to be used exclusively in the Business as
intended by Seller prior to the Closing Date, that was not otherwise transferred at the Closing;
provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, such obligation shall not apply to any items identified
in Section 2.16(a), (b) or (c) of this Agreement or in Section 2.16
of the Disclosure Schedules. In addition, Seller agrees to provide to Buyer a royalty-free,
non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to make, use, or have made or used, sell and import
any ingredient or formula for use in the microwave popcorn business, in each case, which ingredient
or formula (a) is used
20
by Seller in the conduct of the Business as of the Closing Date, (b) is material to the
Business as conducted by Seller as of the Closing Date, (c) is not used exclusively in the Business
by Seller as of the Closing Date, and (d) the license or sublicense for which has been requested by
Buyer, based on its review of the operations of the Business as conducted immediately prior to the
Closing Date by Seller, during the period commencing at the Effective Time and ending on the
one-year anniversary of the Closing Date. Each Party hereto shall promptly inform the other of any
material communication and requests for information from any governmental or regulatory authority
regarding any of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and shall make, or cause to be
made, as soon as reasonably practicable and after consultation with the other Parties, appropriate
responses to any such communication.
6.02 Transitional Use of Packaging UPC Codes. Subject to the restrictions set forth
below, Buyer shall have a limited right to use the packaging UPC codes that, as of the Closing
Date, appear on the existing Product packaging of the Business (“UPC Codes”); provided, however,
that (a) the scope of the right is limited to utilizing the UPC Codes on Product packaging,
provided, however, that no Product packaging bearing any of the UPC Codes shall be shipped by or on
behalf of Buyer on or after the one (1) year anniversary of the Closing Date, (b) Buyer shall have
the right to manufacture Product packaging that utilizes any of the UPC Codes for a period of six
(6) months after the Closing Date (subject to the limitation set forth in clause (a) above) and (c)
Buyer shall not use the UPC Codes in any other manner without the prior written consent of Seller.
The limited license contained in this paragraph shall expire on the one (1) year anniversary of the
Closing Date.
6.03 Settlement of Accounts Receivable, Liabilities and Pre-Paid Amounts.
(a) Seller and Buyer shall cooperate in good faith in order to ensure that Seller, on the one
hand, and Buyer, on the other, receive payment of their respective accounts receivable of their
respective businesses arising after the Closing Date. To the extent that either Buyer, on the one
hand, or Seller, on the other, receives payment of receivables owed to another Party, Buyer and
Seller agree promptly (within ten (10) calendar days) to remit the proceeds to the designated bank
account of Seller or Buyer, as appropriate.
(b) Seller, on the one hand, and Buyer, on the other, shall cooperate in good faith in order
to ensure that (i) Seller pays, assumes and is responsible for the Excluded Liabilities and (ii)
Buyer pays, assumes and is responsible for the Assumed Liabilities.
(c) The assets set forth on Schedule 6.03(c) attached hereto are referred to herein as
the “Pre-Paid Assets.” The amounts referred to in this Section 6.03(c) (the “Pre-Paid
Amounts”) shall be paid in accordance with the following:
(i) At the Closing, Buyer shall pay to Seller, in cash, the pre-payment amounts listed
on the attached Schedule 6.03(c) for (a) the Seed Pre-Payment, (b) the Co-Pack Pre-Payment
and (c) the Pre-Paid Sublicense, provided, however, that if the Pre-Paid Sublicense is not
executed as of the Effective Time, such payment shall be made only upon execution of the
Pre-Paid Sublicense by Buyer.
21
(ii) At the Closing, Buyer shall pay to Seller, in cash, the Estimated Pre-Paid Corn
Amount set forth on Schedule 6.03(c). The Final Pre-Paid Corn Amount shall be
determined in accordance with the same procedures as are set forth in Section 1.04,
with the following changes:
(A) Instead of preparing an Inventory Statement, Seller shall prepare a
statement of raw material corn inventory (the “Corn Statement”), based on
the physical count to be done in accordance with the procedures set forth in
Schedule 1.04, which statement shall calculate the value of the
actual Pre-Paid Corn Amount (i.e., after subtracting the value of the
Guaranteed Corn Amount);
(B) Instead of comparing the Inventory Amount to the Target Inventory
Amount on the Inventory Statement, Seller shall compare the actual Pre-Paid
Corn Amount to the Estimated Pre-Paid Corn Amount (such difference, whether
positive or negative, being hereinafter referred to as the “Pre-Paid Corn
Adjustment”);
(C) Instead of determining the Final Purchase Price, the procedures set
forth in Section 1.04 shall be used to determine the recalculated
Pre-Paid Corn Amount, based on the Pre-Paid Corn Adjustment (whether
positive or negative, the “Final Pre-Paid Corn Amount”); and
(D) Instead of adjusting based on a $200,000 collar, whether positive
or negative, the Pre-Paid Corn Adjustment shall be on a dollar for dollar
basis.
6.04 Transfer Taxes. Any documentary, stamp, transfer, sales, use, registration and
other such Taxes (as defined in Schedule 1.01(d)) and any conveyance fees, recording
charges and other fees and charges (collectively, “Transfer Taxes”) incurred in connection with
this Agreement, and any penalties or interest with respect to the Transfer Taxes shall be paid
one-half each by Buyer and Seller. Seller, at its own expense, shall prepare and file all
necessary Tax returns and other documentation with respect to such Transfer Taxes, and shall
provide a copy of such Tax returns to Buyer, and, if required by applicable laws, Buyer shall join
in the execution, and otherwise use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate in the preparation
of, any such Tax returns and documentation.
6.05 HSR Act and Foreign Laws.
(a) Each of the Parties will file any Notification and Report Forms and related material that
it may be required to file with the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the U.S.
Department of Justice under the HSR Act, will meet (with their legal and other advisors, as
appropriate) with regulators on an as-needed basis, will use commercially reasonable efforts to
obtain, and to cooperate with the other party to obtain, a waiver from the applicable waiting
period and will make any further filings, supply additional documentation and
22
provide additional information pursuant thereto that may be necessary, proper, or advisable in
connection therewith.
(b) Each of the Parties will file any forms or related material that it may be required to
file in connection with any applicable foreign merger control or competition laws.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any administrative or
judicial action or proceeding is instituted (or threatened to be instituted) challenging any
transaction contemplated by this Agreement as violative of any federal, state or foreign statutes,
rules, regulations, orders or decrees that are designed to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions
having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade (collectively, “Antitrust
Laws”), it is expressly understood and agreed that: (i) Buyer shall not have any obligation to
litigate or contest (other than as described in Section 6.05(a)) any administrative or
judicial action or proceeding or any decree, judgment, injunction or other order, whether
temporary, preliminary or permanent; and (ii) Buyer shall be under no obligation to make proposals,
execute or carry out agreements or submit to orders providing for (1) the sale, license or other
disposition or holding separate (through the establishment of a trust or otherwise) of any assets
or categories of assets of Buyer or any of its Affiliates or the Purchased Assets or (2) the
imposition of any limitation or regulation on the ability of Buyer or any of its Affiliates to
freely conduct their business or own such assets.
6.06 Transitional Trademark License.
(a) Subject to the restrictions set forth below, Buyer shall have a limited right to continue
using any Seller trademarks, trade names or trade dress (including, e.g., Box Tops for Education)
(the “GMI Marks”) that, as of the Closing Date, appear on any Inventory (including Product
packaging and any already-printed marketing and advertising materials); provided, however, that (a)
the right to use the GMI Marks is non-exclusive, (b) Buyer shall not make packaging changes or
packaging keyline changes that include any such GMI Marks after the Closing Date on any particular
package, advertisement, or other item, (c) Buyer shall not produce any new packaging using the GMI
Marks after the date that is ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, and any such packaging
produced by Buyer during such 90-day period shall be identical in all respects to the existing
Product packaging, (d) the scope of the right is limited to selling or distributing such Inventory
without modifying such GMI Marks, (e) Buyer shall maintain the current quality standards of the
Business for all Products and materials on which the GMI Marks appear, and (f) Buyer shall not use
such GMI Marks in any other manner without the prior written consent of Seller. The limited
license rights contained in this Section 6.06(a) shall expire six (6) months from the
Closing Date. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Purchased Intellectual Property nor the
rights to use certain Seller UPC codes granted to Buyer pursuant to, and in accordance with the
terms of, Section 6.02 shall be subject to this Section 6.06.
(b) Subject to the restrictions set forth below, Seller and its Affiliates shall have a
limited right to continue using the trademarks, trade names or trade dress that are part of the
Purchased Assets (the “Transferred Marks”) that, as of the Closing Date, appear on any Products,
web sites, advertising or other materials of Seller or its Affiliates (the “Marked Materials”);
provided, however, that (a) the right to use Transferred Marks is non-exclusive, (b) Seller and its
Affiliates shall remove all such Transferred Marks from all materials (including
23
packaging) and, thereby, cease use of the Transferred Marks as soon as possible, but in no
event later than the earlier of (i) six (6) months from the Closing Date, or (ii) for any
particular package, advertisement, or other item, the first re-printing in which changes can
reasonably be made, (c) the scope of the right is limited to selling or distributing such Marked
Materials without modifying such Transferred Marks, (d) Seller and its Affiliates shall maintain
their current quality standards for all Products and materials on which the Transferred Marks
appear, and (e) Seller and its Affiliates shall not use such Transferred Marks in any other manner
without the prior written consent of Buyer.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller, its Affiliates and their respective licensees shall
have the limited right to continue to use any Transferred Marks that, as of the Closing Date, are
included in the “Merchandise Licenses” as set forth on Section 2.08 of the Disclosure
Schedules, but only for the specific licensed products (and related advertising and promotional
material) permitted under such Merchandise Licenses, and only for the remaining terms of such
Merchandise Licenses. Seller and its Affiliates shall retain all royalties collected under the
Merchandise Licenses.
6.07 Further Actions. At Buyer’s request and at Buyer’s expense, Seller agrees to
take, or cause to be taken, all actions and to do or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper
or advisable to enforce its rights under the Settlement Agreement on behalf of Buyer; provided that
Buyer remains in compliance with its obligations thereunder, other than with respect to Buyer’s
receipt of the assignment of the Settlement Agreement contemplated hereby.
ARTICLE VII. CLOSING CONDITIONS
7.01 Conditions to Buyer’s Obligations. The obligation of Buyer to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the following
conditions at or before the Closing. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Buyer, in its sole
discretion, may elect to waive, in whole or in part, any of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of Seller set forth in Article II that are qualified as
to materiality, or in Sections 2.01, 2.02 and 2.03, shall be true and correct, and those
that are not so qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects, in each case, as of
the date of this Agreement, and as of the Closing with the same force and effect as if made on and
as of the Closing (except to the extent expressly made as of a particular date, in which case,
solely as of such date);
(b) Seller shall have performed, in all material respects, each of the covenants and
agreements required to be performed and complied with by Seller under this Agreement prior to the
Closing;
(c) The waiting period applicable to the consummation of the transaction contemplated by this
Agreement under the HSR Act shall have expired or been terminated;
(d) Seller shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Buyer all of the following:
24
(i) a certificate, duly executed by an officer of Seller and dated as of the Closing
Date, certifying that, to such officer’s knowledge, the conditions set forth in Sections
7.01(a) and (b) have been satisfied or waived;
(ii) the Xxxx of Sale, set forth on Exhibit B, duly executed by Seller and/or
one of its wholly owned subsidiaries;
(iii) the Assignment and Assumption Agreement between Buyer and Seller (the “Assignment
and Assumption”), set forth on Exhibit C, duly executed by Seller and/or one of its
wholly owned subsidiaries;
(iv) the Domain Name Transfer Agreement, Patent Assignment Agreement and Trademark
Assignment Agreement, set forth on Exhibits G-1, G-2 and G-3
(together evidencing the transfer of the Purchased Intellectual Property to Buyer), duly
executed by Seller;
(v) a transition services agreement between Seller and Buyer in the form attached
hereto as Exhibit A (the “Transition Services Agreement”) duly executed by Seller;
(vi) the Business Books and Records to be delivered at Closing pursuant to the terms of
the Transition Services Agreement;
(vii) consents and releases from all Persons to discharge any Encumbrance (other than
Permitted Encumbrances) on the Purchased Assets or the Business that are listed on
Schedule 7.01(d)(vii);
(viii) the Limited Warranty Deed (with respect to the transfer of the Building) by and
between Seller and Buyer, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D, duly executed by
Seller;
(ix) the Curves License, on substantially the terms set forth on the attached Schedule
7.01(d)(ix);
(x) the Microwave Science Sublicense between Buyer and Seller, set forth on Exhibit
E, duly executed by Seller;
(xi) the Sucralose License between Seller and Buyer, set forth on Exhibit F,
duly executed by Seller; and
(xii) such other documents and instruments as are reasonably necessary to effectuate or
evidence the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(e) No action, suit, or proceeding shall be threatened or pending before any court or
quasi-judicial or administrative agency of any non-U.S. or any U.S. federal, state or local
jurisdiction wherein an unfavorable injunction, judgment, order, decree, ruling, or charge would,
if successful, (A) prevent consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or (B) materially
adversely affect the Business or the Purchased Assets; and
25
(f) There shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Effect.
7.02 Conditions to Seller’s Obligations. The obligation of Seller to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the following
conditions at or before the Closing. To the extent permitted by applicable law, Seller, in its
sole discretion, may elect to waive, in whole or in part, any of the following conditions:
(a) The representations and warranties of Buyer set forth in Article III that are qualified as
to materiality, or in Sections 3.01, 3.02 or 3.03, shall be true and correct, and those
that are not so qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects, in each case, as of
the date of this Agreement, and as of the Closing with the same force and effect as if made on and
as of the date of this Agreement, and as of the Closing with the same force and effect as if made
on and as of the Closing (except to the extent expressly made as of a particular date, in which
case, solely as of such date);
(b) Buyer shall have performed, in all material respects, each of the covenants and agreements
required to be performed and complied with by Buyer under this Agreement prior to the Closing;
(c) The waiting period applicable to the consummation of the transaction contemplated by this
Agreement under the HSR Act shall have expired or been terminated; and
(d) Buyer shall have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to Seller all of the following:
(i) the Purchase Price;
(ii) the Pre-Paid Amounts;
(iii) a certificate, duly executed by an officer of Buyer and dated as of the Closing
Date, certifying that, to such officer’s knowledge, the conditions set forth in Sections
7.02(a) and (b) have been satisfied or waived;
(iv) countersignatures to any deliverables referenced in Section 7.01(d) to the
extent required by such deliverables; and
(v) such other documents and instruments as are reasonably necessary to effectuate or
evidence the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII. TERMINATION
8.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing
Date:
(a) by the mutual written consent of Buyer and Seller;
(b) by Buyer if there has been a material breach on the part of Seller of the representations
and warranties or covenants set forth in this Agreement (provided that such
26
breach is not the result of any breach of any covenant, representation or warranty of Buyer),
which breach has not been cured within thirty (30) days following Seller’s receipt of written
notice of such breach, and such breach renders the conditions set forth in Section 7.01
incapable of being satisfied;
(c) by Seller if there has been a material breach on the part of Buyer of the representations
and warranties or covenants set forth in this Agreement (provided that such breach is not the
result of any breach of any covenant, representation or warranty of Seller), which breach has not
been cured within thirty (30) days following Buyer’s receipt of written notice of such breach, and
such breach renders the conditions set forth in Section 7.02 incapable of being satisfied;
(d) by either Party if there shall be any law or regulation that makes consummation of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement illegal or if any judgment, injunction, order or decree
enjoining either Party from consummating the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is entered
and such judgment, injunction, order or decree shall become final and nonappealable; or
(e) by either Party if the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have not been
consummated by October 31, 2008 or such other date, if any, as the Parties shall mutually agree
upon in writing; provided, however, that no Party shall be entitled to terminate this Agreement
pursuant to this Section 8.01(e) if such Party’s willful breach of this Agreement has
prevented the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
8.02 Effect of Termination. In the event of any termination of this Agreement as
provided in Section 8.01, all provisions of this Agreement shall terminate and there shall
be no liability on the part of Buyer or Seller; provided, however, that Article X hereof
shall survive indefinitely; and provided further, that the Parties shall remain liable for
intentional and material breaches of any representations, warranties and covenants prior to the
time of such termination.
ARTICLE IX. SURVIVAL; INDEMNIFICATION
9.01 Survival of Indemnification Obligations. The representations and warranties
contained in Articles II and III hereof shall survive the Closing Date for a period
of 18 months thereafter, provided that the representations and warranties contained in Section
2.01 (Formation and Corporate Power), Section 2.02 (Execution, Delivery; Valid and
Binding Agreement), Section 2.12 (Brokerage), Section 3.01 (Formation and Corporate
Power), Section 3.02 (Execution, Delivery; Valid and Binding Agreement); Section
3.07 (Brokerage) and Section 3.08 (Acknowledgements by Buyer) shall continue in full
force and effect forever. Seller’s indemnification obligations with respect to Excluded
Liabilities (set forth in Section 9.02(a)(iii)), on the one hand, and Buyer’s
indemnification obligations with respect to (a) Assumed Liabilities (set forth in Section
9.03(a)(iii)) and (b) International Distributors (set forth in Section 5.02(a)), on the
other, shall continue in full force and effect forever. The covenants and agreements of the
Parties contained in this Agreement shall survive the Closing indefinitely or for such other
shorter period as is explicitly set forth therein, except that for such covenants and agreements
that survive for such shorter period, indemnification for breaches thereof shall survive for a
period of eighteen (18) months after the date of such breach. Any matter as to which a Notifying
27
Party has asserted a claim for indemnity pursuant to this Article IX during the
applicable survival period specified in this Section 9.01, which is pending or unresolved
at the end of the applicable survival period, shall continue to be covered by this Article
IX until such matter is finally terminated or otherwise resolved by the Parties or by
arbitration, pursuant to Section 9.06 hereto, and any amounts payable hereunder are finally
determined and paid.
9.02 Indemnification by Seller
(a) Subject to the limitations contained in this Article IX, Seller hereby agrees to
indemnify Buyer and its officers, directors, employees, agents and shareholders in his, her or its
capacity as such (collectively, the “Buyer Indemnified Parties”) and defend and hold them harmless
against any loss, liability, deficiency, damage, fine, penalty, expense or cost, including
settlement costs, court costs and the reasonable expenses of legal counsel (which shall be limited
to one primary law firm and, where applicable, one law firm as local counsel per indemnifiable
matter) (but excluding incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, punitive, lost profits and
any other similar types of damages, except to the extent such damages are paid to a third party
following a final adjudication or dispute resolution) (collectively, “Losses”), which the Buyer
Indemnified Parties may suffer, sustain or become subject to from and after the Closing Date, as a
result of (i) any breach of any of the representations and warranties of Seller contained in
Article II of this Agreement as of the date of this Agreement or as of the Closing Date;
provided that, for indemnification with respect to a breach as of the Closing Date, the breached
representation or warranty must be materially breached as of the Closing Date, (ii) any breach of,
or failure to perform, any agreement or covenant of Seller contained in this Agreement or (iii) any
Excluded Liability (collectively, “Buyer Losses”).
(b) No claim for indemnification under Section 9.02(a)(i) shall be made by a Buyer
Indemnified Party with respect to any breach resulting in an individual item of Loss, or related
items of Losses arising out of the same facts and circumstances, unless and until the amount of
such Losses suffered by the Buyer Indemnified Parties exceeds $25,000 (the “Threshold”), at which
point a claim can be made for the entire amount of such Losses. Further, no individual item which
is less than the Threshold, or series of related items which in the aggregate are less than the
Threshold, shall be considered when determining whether the Deductible has been exceeded.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Threshold shall not apply to any claim for Indemnification
resulting from any claim under Sections 2.01, 2.02 and 2.06(a), any Excluded
Liability or any Purchase Price Adjustment (collectively, the “Unlimited Indemnification Claims”),
and all Losses claimed for Unlimited Indemnification Claims shall be indemnified by Seller pursuant
to this Section 9.02.
(c) No claim for indemnification under Section 9.02(a)(i) shall be made by a Buyer
Indemnified Party unless and until the aggregate amount of all Losses incurred or suffered by the
Buyer Indemnified Parties exceeds $500,000 (the “Deductible”). In the event that the aggregate
amount of all Losses of all Buyer Indemnified Parties exceeds the Deductible, such Buyer
Indemnified Parties shall be entitled to indemnification for any Losses under Article IX
only for the amount by which the aggregate amount of all such Losses exceeds the Deductible.
Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Section 9.02(c) to the contrary, the Deductible
shall not apply to Losses for Unlimited Indemnification Claims.
28
(d) The maximum aggregate obligation of Seller to indemnify the Buyer Indemnified Parties for
Buyer Losses under Section 9.02(a)(i) shall not exceed $20,000,000 (the “Cap”).
Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Section 9.02(d) to the contrary, the Cap shall
not apply to Losses for Unlimited Indemnification Claims.
9.03 Indemnification by Buyer.
(a) Subject to the limitations contained in this Article IX, Buyer agrees to indemnify
Seller and each of its officers, managers, directors, employees, agents, shareholders and
Affiliates (collectively, the “Seller Indemnified Parties”) and hold them harmless against any
Losses which the Seller Indemnified Parties may suffer, sustain or become subject to as a result of
(i) any breach of any of the representations and warranties of Buyer contained in Article
III of this Agreement as of the date of this Agreement or as of the Closing Date; provided
that, for indemnification with respect to a breach as of the Closing Date, the breached
representation or warranty must be materially breached as of the Closing Date, (ii) any breach of,
or failure to perform, any agreement of Buyer contained in this Agreement or (iii) any Assumed
Liability (collectively, “Seller Losses”).
(b) No claim for indemnification under Section 9.03(a)(i) shall be made by a Seller
Indemnified Party with respect to any breach resulting in an individual item of Loss, or related
items of Losses arising out of the same facts and circumstances, unless and until the amount of
such Losses suffered by the Seller Indemnified Parties exceeds the Threshold, at which point a
claim can be made for the entire amount of such Loss or Losses. Further, no individual item which
is less than the Threshold, or series of related items which in the aggregate are less than the
Threshold, shall be considered when determining whether the Deductible has been exceeded.
(c) No claim for indemnification under Section 9.03(a)(i) shall be made by a Seller
Indemnified Party unless and until the aggregate amount of all Losses incurred or suffered by the
Seller Indemnified Parties exceeds the Deductible. In the event that the aggregate amount of all
Losses of all Seller Indemnified Parties exceeds the Deductible, such Seller Indemnified Parties
shall be entitled to indemnification for any Losses under Article IX only for the amount by
which the aggregate amount of all such Losses exceeds the Deductible.
(d) The maximum aggregate obligation of Buyer to indemnify the Seller Indemnified Parties for
Seller Losses under Section 9.03(a)(i) shall not exceed the Cap.
9.04 Method of Asserting Claims. As used herein, an “Indemnified Party” shall refer
to a “Buyer Indemnified Party” or “Seller Indemnified Party” as applicable, the “Notifying Party”
shall refer to the party hereto whose Indemnified Parties are entitled to indemnification
hereunder, and the “Indemnifying Party” shall refer to the party hereto obligated to indemnify such
Notifying Party’s Indemnified Parties.
(a) Third Party Claims. In the event that any of the Indemnified Parties is entitled
to indemnification with respect to a Loss arising from any action or proceeding, judicial or
administrative, instituted by any third party for which the liability or the costs or expenses are
Losses (any such third party action or proceeding being referred to as a “Claim”), the Notifying
29
Party shall give the Indemnifying Party prompt notice thereof. The failure to give such notice
shall not affect any Indemnified Party’s ability to seek indemnification unless the Indemnifying
Party demonstrates that such failure has materially and adversely affected the Indemnifying Party’s
ability to defend successfully a Claim. The Indemnifying Party shall be entitled to contest and
defend such Claim by delivering notice of its intention to the Notifying Party within twenty one
(21) days after the Notifying Party’s notice of such Claim. The Notifying Party shall be entitled
at any time, at its own cost and expense (which cost and expense shall not constitute a Loss unless
specifically authorized by the Indemnifying Party or unless the Notifying Party reasonably
determines that the Indemnifying Party is not adequately representing or, because of a conflict of
interest, may not adequately represent, any interests of the Indemnified Parties, and only to the
extent that such expenses are reasonable), to participate in such contest and defense and to be
represented by attorneys of its or their own choosing. If the Notifying Party elects to
participate in such defense, the Notifying Party shall cooperate with the Indemnifying Party in the
conduct of such defense. Neither the Notifying Party nor the Indemnifying Party may concede,
settle or compromise any Claim without the consent of the other party, which consents shall not be
unreasonably delayed or withheld.
(b) Direct Claims. In the event any Indemnified Party should have a claim against any
Indemnifying Party that does not involve a Claim, the Notifying Party shall deliver a notice of
such claim with reasonable promptness to the Indemnifying Party. If the Indemnifying Party
notifies the Notifying Party that it does not dispute the claim described in such notice or fails
to notify the Notifying Party within thirty (30) days after delivery of such notice by the
Notifying Party whether the Indemnifying Party disputes the claim described in such notice, the
Loss in the amount specified in the Notifying Party’s notice shall be conclusively deemed a
liability of the Indemnifying Party and, subject to the limitations set forth in Section
9.02 or 9.03, as applicable, the Indemnifying Party shall pay the amount of such Loss
to the Indemnified Party on demand. If the Indemnifying Party has timely disputed its liability
with respect to such claim, the Indemnifying Party and the Notifying Party shall proceed in good
faith to negotiate a resolution of such dispute. If the dispute is not resolved through such
negotiations within sixty (60) days after the delivery of the Notifying Party’s notice of such
claim (the “Resolution Period”), the Notifying Party shall be entitled to seek resolution of such
claim by seeking arbitration pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.06 hereto.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Indemnifying Party shall pay the
amount of any such Loss no later than ten (10) business days following the determination of the
Indemnifying Party’s liability (whether such determination is made pursuant to the procedures set
forth in this Section 9.04(b), by agreement between the Indemnifying Party and the
Notifying Party or by final resolution of the Notifying Party’s arbitration claim).
(c) Sole Remedy. After the Closing, the rights set forth in this Article IX, in Section
1.04, Section 5.02 and in Section 6.03 shall be each Party’s sole and exclusive
remedies against the other Parties hereto for breach of any representation, warranty or covenant
contained in this Agreement, other than an action for specific performance. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent any of the Indemnified Parties from bringing an action
based upon allegations of (i) fraud or (ii) willful breach with the intent to cause harm to the
other Party, in each case, in connection with this Agreement.
30
(d) Any indemnification payable under this Article IX shall be, to the extent
permitted by law, an adjustment to the Purchase Price.
9.05 Certain Additional Limitations on Indemnification Obligations.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, neither Seller nor
its successors and assigns shall have any liability for, and a Buyer Indemnified Party shall not be
entitled to bring any indemnification claim against Seller or its successors or assigns for, a
Loss, to the extent that the amount thereof was the basis of an adjustment made to the Purchase
Price pursuant to Section 1.04 hereof.
(b) All Losses recoverable by an Indemnified Party shall be net of insurance proceeds actually
received and any amounts such Indemnified Party actually recovers from third parties.
(c) If an Indemnifying Party hereunder indemnifies an Indemnified Party pursuant to
Section 9.02(a) or 9.03(a) with actual payments in respect of incidental, special,
consequential, exemplary, punitive, lost profits or any other similar types of damages paid by the
indemnified party to a third party following a final adjudication or dispute resolution and such
adjudication or dispute resolution is subsequently appealed or reversed such that such damages are
not paid to the third party or are reimbursed to the Indemnified Party by the third party, such
Indemnified Party shall remit the indemnification payment back to the Indemnifying Party up to the
amount so indemnified and either not paid or reimbursed.
9.06 Arbitration. Any dispute arising out of, relating to, or in connection with this
Agreement shall be submitted to mandatory, final and binding arbitration before J.A.M.S. or its
successor (“J.A.M.S.”) pursuant to the United States Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C., Section 1 et seq.,
and any such arbitration shall be conducted in Chicago, Illinois. If J.A.M.S. ceases to provide
arbitration service, then the term “J.A.M.S.” shall thereafter mean and refer to the American
Arbitration Association (“AAA”). Either Buyer or Seller may commence the arbitration process
called for by this Agreement by filing a written demand for arbitration with J.A.M.S. and
delivering a copy of such demand to the other party to this Agreement in accordance with
Section 10.04. The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of
J.A.M.S’ Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures in effect at the time of filing of the demand
for arbitration (or, if J.A.M.S. then means the AAA, the commercial arbitration rules of the AAA
then in effect), subject to the provisions of this Section 9.06. Other than as expressly
set forth in this Article IX,
the applicable statutes of limitation and/or other time-based defenses shall be available to
the parties, and applicable to disputes between the parties, as if this were an action filed in a
court of competent jurisdiction. The parties shall cooperate with J.A.M.S. and with each other in
promptly selecting an arbitrator from J.A.M.S.’ panel of neutrals and in scheduling the arbitration
proceedings in order to fulfill the provisions, purposes and intent of this Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, either party may seek injunctive relief in a court
of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm from occurring prior to the selection of the
arbitrator. The parties covenant that they shall participate in the arbitration in good faith.
The provisions of this Section 9.06 may be enforced by any court of competent jurisdiction,
and the arbitrator may, in his or her discretion, award the prevailing party its costs, fees and
expenses, including attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with the arbitration; provided
31
that, (a)
if such costs, fees and expenses are determined by the arbitrator to constitute an indemnifiable
Loss hereunder, then the party responsible for indemnifying for such Losses shall be responsible to
do so and (b), if such costs, fees and expenses are not determined by the arbitrator to constitute
an indemnifiable Loss hereunder, and the arbitrator has not awarded the prevailing party its costs,
fees and expenses, then each party shall bear its own fees, costs and expenses (including 50% of
the fees, costs and expenses of the arbitrator). Judgment upon the award rendered by the
arbitrator may be entered in any court having competent jurisdiction.
ARTICLE X. MISCELLANEOUS
10.01 Press Releases and Announcements. No Party hereto shall issue any press release
(or make any other public announcement) related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated
hereby without prior written approval of the other Party hereto, except as may be necessary to
comply with the requirements of this Agreement or applicable law. If any such press release or
public announcement is so required, the Party making such disclosure shall consult with the other
Party prior to making such disclosure, and the Parties shall use their best efforts, acting in good
faith, to agree upon a text for such disclosure which is satisfactory to each Party.
10.02 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided for herein, Seller, on the one
hand, and Buyer, on the other, shall pay all of their own expenses (including attorneys’ and
accountants’ fees) in connection with the negotiation of this Agreement, the performance of their
respective obligations under this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
hereby (whether consummated or not).
10.03 Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may not be amended or waived except in a
writing executed by the Party against which such amendment or waiver is sought to be enforced. No
course of dealing between or among any persons having any interest in this Agreement shall be
deemed effective
to modify or amend any part of this Agreement or any rights or obligations of any person under
or by reason of this Agreement.
10.04 Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed given (a) if delivered personally, effective when delivered, or (b) if delivered by
overnight courier service, effective when delivered, to the Parties at the following addresses (or
at such other address for a Party as shall be specified by like notice):
Notices to Buyer:
Diamond Foods, Inc.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Vice President and General Counsel
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Vice President and General Counsel
With a copy to:
32
Fenwick & West LLP
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx – 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx – 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Notices to Seller:
General Xxxxx, Inc.
Number Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Number Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Executive Vice President and General Counsel
With a copy to:
Xxxxxx & Whitney LLP
00 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
00 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
10.05 Assignment. This Agreement and all of the provisions hereof shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted
assigns, except that neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations
hereunder may be assigned by any Party hereto without the prior written consent of the other
Parties hereto.
10.06 Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as
to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to
be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective only to the
extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or
the remaining provisions of this Agreement.
10.07 Disclosure Schedules. Matters set forth in the Disclosure Schedules are not
necessarily limited to matters required by this Agreement to be reflected in the Disclosure
Schedules. Such additional matters are set forth for informational purposes, and the Disclosure
Schedules do not necessarily include other matters of a similar nature. Nothing in this Agreement
or in the Disclosure Schedules constitutes an admission that any information disclosed, set forth
or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Schedules or in this Agreement is material,
constitutes a material adverse effect or is otherwise required by the terms of this Agreement to be
so disclosed, set forth or incorporated by reference. All information and disclosures contained in
the Disclosure Schedules are made as of the date of this Agreement and their accuracy is confirmed
only as of such date and not at any time thereafter.
10.08 No Third Party Beneficiaries. Nothing expressed or referred to in this
Agreement confers any rights or remedies upon any Party that is not a party or permitted assign of
a Party to this Agreement.
33
10.09 Governing Law. The internal law, without regard for conflicts of laws
principles, of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning the construction,
validity and interpretation of this Agreement and the performance of the obligations imposed by
this Agreement.
10.10 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY
THAT MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND
THEREFORE IT IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN
RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR
THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT. EACH PARTY CERTIFIES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT (I) NO
REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT
SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER, (II)
IT UNDERSTANDS AND HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH WAIVER, (III) IT MAKES SUCH WAIVER
VOLUNTARILY AND (IV) IT HAS BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE
MUTUAL WAIVER AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.10.
10.11 Specific Performance. Each of the Parties acknowledges and agrees that the subject matter of this Agreement,
including the Business and the Purchased Assets, is unique, that the other Party would be damaged
irreparably in the event any of the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance
with their specific terms or otherwise are breached, and that the remedies at law would not be
adequate to compensate such other Party not in default or in breach. Accordingly, each of the
Parties agrees that the other Party will be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent
breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically this Agreement and the
terms and provisions of this Agreement in addition to any other remedy to which they may be
entitled, at law or in equity. The Parties waive any defense that a remedy at law is adequate and
any requirement to post bond or provide similar security in connection with actions instituted for
injunctive relief or specific performance of this Agreement.
10.12 Complete Agreement. This Agreement (including the attached Schedules,
Disclosure Schedules and Transaction Documents) contains the complete agreement between the Parties
and supersedes any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or between the Parties,
written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in any way.
10.13 Construction. The Parties and their respective counsel have participated
jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement. In addition, each of the Parties
acknowledges that it is sophisticated and has been advised by experienced counsel and, to the
extent it deemed necessary, other advisors in connection with the negotiation and drafting of this
Agreement. In the event an ambiguity or question of intent or interpretation arises, this
Agreement will be construed as if drafted jointly by the Parties and no presumption or burden of
proof will arise favoring or disfavoring any party by virtue of the authorship of any of the
provisions of this Agreement. Any reference to any law will be deemed to refer to all rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, unless the context requires otherwise. The headings preceding
the text
34
of articles and sections included in this Agreement and the headings to the schedules and
exhibits are for convenience only and are not to be deemed part of this Agreement or given effect
in interpreting this Agreement. References to sections, articles, schedules or exhibits are to the
sections, articles, schedules and exhibits contained in, referred to or attached to this Agreement,
unless otherwise specified. The word “including” means “including without limitation.” The use of
the masculine, feminine or neuter gender or the singular or plural form of words will not limit any
provisions of this Agreement.
10.14 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, any
one of which need not contain the signatures of more than one Party, but all such counterparts
taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
10.15 Time is of the Essence. The Parties hereby expressly acknowledge and agree that
time is of the essence for each and every provision of this Agreement.
(Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows)
35
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement
as of the day and year first above written.
DIAMOND FOODS, INC. | ||||||
By: Name: |
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx
|
|||||
Title: | Chief Financial and Administrative Officer | |||||
GENERAL XXXXX, INC. | ||||||
By: Name: |
/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
|
|||||
Title: | Vice President | |||||