Levi Strauss & Co. Inc. announced that the new casual clothing brand called Levi Strauss Signature(R) will be introduced to Canada this fall for consumers who shop the mass channel. A line for men and women will be launched in Wal-Mart stores across Canada in October of 2003. A Levi Strauss Signature(R) line for kids is expected to be launched in 2004. Additional opportunities for the brand in Canada will be assessed, and further distribution is anticipated for 2004.

With the addition of Levi Strauss Signature(R), the company now has a portfolio of four brands in Canada, including the Levi's(R), Dockers(R) and GWG(R) brands.

"Simply put, our goal is to sell where people shop," said Sales Director Richard Deck. "Mass is the largest and fastest growing retail channel, and Wal-Mart plays a very important role there. Consumers who shop in these stores want high-quality jeans at affordable prices from a company they trust, and that's what we will deliver."

The Levi Strauss Signature(R) brand will initially focus on jeanswear with a range of denim and non-denim pants and shirts as well as denim jackets. The brand's logo and product packaging leverage the company's 150-year history. For example, the waistband back patch on the jeans features the name of Levi Strauss, who founded the company in 1853. The product hangtags describe the authenticity and quality of jeans from the company that first made sturdy "waist overalls" for miners seeking durable work pants in California in the 1870s.

"This brand is a great fit for Wal-Mart," said Rick Weinstein, Vice- President and General Merchandise Manager for Apparel at Wal-Mart Canada. "It delivers the quality, style and affordability our customers have come to expect from us in every region of the country."

The Levi Strauss Signature(R) brand has its own identity that is separate and distinct from the Levi's(R) brand, including a new brand logo and product packaging. It will not bear any Levi's(R) brand trademarks such as the tab or arched back-pocket "arcuate" stitching.

The company's jeanswear brands span a wide range of retail prices and shopping experiences in Canada - from up to $350 for a pair of Levi's(R) RED(TM) jeans for aficionados who shop at specialty boutiques, to about $35 for a pair of quality jeans in the mass channel. Levi Strauss & Co.'s decision to launch a new brand to expand its offering in the mass channel is an integral part of its long-term business strategy.

"Our goal is to build a portfolio of brands that reflects the diversity of the Canadian consumer while also reflecting the company's foundations - originality, quality and style," Deck said. "We want to offer the best products at the right price and in the right channel to meet the needs and tastes of a broad range of Canadians."

The company has made great progress over the past year in revitalizing the Levi's(R) and Dockers(R) brands, stabilizing sales and preparing for growth this year.

"As we launch this new brand, we are also committed to growing our Levi's(R), Dockers(R) and GWG(R) brands with our current Canadian retail customers," said Deck. "With the best fits, finishes and styles in the marketplace, we are able to build even stronger equity for our brands and continue our efforts to drive improved margins for our retail partners."