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J & J Snack Foods Corp. announced record sales but lower earnings for the first quarter ended Dec. 29, 2007.

Sales increased 15 percent to $130.9 million from $114.1 million in last year’s first quarter. Net earnings decreased 50 percent to $1.9 million in the current quarter from $3.8 million last year. Earnings per diluted share were $.10 for the first quarter compared to $.20 last year. Operating income decreased 55 percent to $2.3 million in the current quarter from $5.1 million in the year ago quarter.

Gerald B. Shreiber, J & J’s president and chief executive officer, commented in a prepared statement, “The unprecedented escalation in commodity costs including both wheat and dairy impacted this quarter. Given the current environment and expected lack of substantial relief, this will continue to pressure earnings in the future. We are committed to managing our business for the long term and maintaining our market share and presence. We are gratified to have grown our sales by 15 percent during this difficult environment.”

J & J Snack Foods Corp.’s principal products include: SUPERPRETZEL, PRETZEL FILLERS and other soft pretzels, ICEE, SLUSH PUPPIE and ARCTIC BLAST frozen beverages, LUIGI’S, MAMA TISH’S, SHAPE UPS, MINUTE MAID* and BARQ’S** and CHILL*** frozen juice bars and ices, WHOLE FRUIT sorbet, FRUIT-A-FREEZE frozen fruit bars, MARY B’S biscuits and dumplings, DADDY RAY’S fig and fruit bars, TIO PEPE’S churros, THE FUNNEL CAKE FACTORY funnel cakes, and MRS. GOODCOOKIE, CAMDEN CREEK, COUNTRY HOME and READI-BAKE cookies. J & J has manufacturing facilities in Pennsauken, Bridgeport and Bellmawr, New Jersey; Scranton, Hatfield and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Carrollton, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Moscow Mills, Missouri; Pensacola, Florida and Vernon and Newport, California.