SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of February 2003
LEADING BRANDS, INC.
(Registrant)
160 - 7400 River Road, Richmond, British Columbia V6X 1X6
Canada
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)
Form 20-F [ X ] Form 40-F [ ]
(Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant by furnishing the information contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.)
Yes [ ] No [ X ]
(If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the Registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b).)
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BC FORM 45-902F (Formerly Form 20)
Securities Act
Report of Exempt Distribution
| 1. |
Name, address and telephone number of the issuer of the security distributed: Leading Brands, Inc. |
| 2. | The issuer is a reporting issuer in British Columbia and in Ontario. |
| 3. | The issuer is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and on Nasdaq. |
| 4. |
Description of the type of security and the aggregate number distributed: 80,000 stock options granted to 5 employees of the Company or its subsidiaries. |
| 5. |
| Full name of purchaser and municipality and jurisdiction of residence |
Number of securities purchased |
Date of distribution ¹ |
Price per security ²/ total purchase price (Canadian $)³ |
Exemption relied on |
Length of any restricted or seasoning period |
| Joanne Petak Whistler, BC |
50,000 | February 4, 2003 |
3.33 | 74(2)(9) | n/a |
| Mark Yamamoto W.Vancouver, BC |
10,000 | February 4, 2003 |
3.33 | 74(2)(9) | n/a |
| Joseph Colletti, Valley Cottage, NY USA |
5,000 | February 4, 2003 |
3.33 | 74(2)(9) | n/a |
| Daniel Alfaro Los Angeles, CA USA |
5,000 | February 4, 2003 |
3.33 | 74(2)(9) | n/a |
| Thomas Morton Stratford, CT USA |
10,000 | February 4, 2003 |
3.33 | 74 | n/a |
| 1. | The grant of options was approved by the Board of Directors on February 4, 2003, but is still subject to shareholder approval and Toronto Stock Exchange approval. | |
| 2. | The exercise price of the stock options is the closing market price on Nasdaq on the date of Board approval – US$2.20. | |
| 3. | February 4, 2003 exchange rate of 1.5143 |
Leading Brands, Inc.
BC Form 45-902F
Page 2
| 6. | See attached schedule. This information is not available to the public. |
| 7. | Total dollar value (Canadian $) of the securities distributed by the issuer to purchasers resident in British Columbia. $199,800 |
| 8. | Compensation paid in connection with the distribution: N/A |
The undersigned hereby certifies that the statements made in this report and in any schedule to this report are true and correct.
DATED at Richmond BC this 11th day of February, 2003.
Leading Brands, Inc.___________________
Name of issuer
____________________________________
Signature of authorized signatory
Derek Henrey, Chief Financial Officer_____
Name and office of authorized signatory
IT IS AN OFFENCE FOR A PERSON TO MAKE A STATEMENT IN A RECORD REQUIRED TO BE FILED OR PROVIDED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR SECURITIES RULES THAT, AT THE TIME AND IN LIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH IT IS MADE, IS A MISREPRESENTATION.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
| Ralph D. McRae | Joanne Petak |
| Chairman and CEO | VP Marketing |
| Leading Brands, Inc. | Leading Brands, Inc. |
| Tel: (604) 214-9722 ext. 238 | Tel: (604) 214-9722 ext. 244 |
| Email: rmcrae@LBIX.com | Email: jpeta@LBIX.com |
LEADING BRANDS, INC. ANNOUNCES
Sponsorship Deal with Trek Bicycle Company
VANCOUVER, CANADA, February 18, 2003, LEADING BRANDS, INC. (NASDAQ: LBIX, TSX: LBI), Canada’s largest independent, fully integrated premium beverage company, announces that its subsidiary, Kert Technologies, Inc. – owner of the TREKU Optimized Performance BeverageU line - has agreed to become the exclusive drink sponsor of the TrekU Mountain Bike and Road teams. These teams include the TrekU Pro Mountain Bike Team, Trek Volkswagen Regional Mountain Bike Teams, Trek Volkswagen Regional Road Teams, and Trek Volkswagen National All Stars.
“Trek Bikes has many of the best cyclists in the world on their teams and we are proud to see all of them drinking TREKU Optimized Performance BeverageU and displaying our logo on their jerseys”, says Ralph McRae, Chairman and CEO of Leading Brands, Inc.
The scope of the TREKU OPBU sponsorship program is enormous, with over two hundred athletes competing in over three hundred events all over the United States and Canada during the spring and summer of 2003 alone. TREKU OPBU will be showcased and sampled at small local races as well as large, world-class events.
“This is a perfect fit for TREKU OPBU given that the beverages are for recreational athletes all the way up to the world pro’s”, says Joanne Petak, VP of marketing for Leading Brands. She adds, “TREKU OPBU is a sports performance drink that works. This program enables people all over North America to test it out for themselves”.
In addition to the team sponsorships, TREKU OPBU will be part of the TrekU Demo team that travels to many parts of the country to festivals and charity events. “This is a great way to support these events and deliver great tasting beverages to thousands of participants and spectators,” says Ralph McRae.
Dick Moran, Director of Marketing for Trek Bicycle Corporation added, “The sponsorship ties between TrekU Bicycle and TREKU OPBU make a lot of sense because both companies are working towards a common goal: to supply athletes with top quality products to help them reach their ultimate performance goals.”
About Leading Brands, Inc.
Leading Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:LBIX, TSX:LBI) is the largest independent, fully integrated premium beverage company in Canada. The Company’s unique Integrated Distribution System (IDS) ™ offers turnkey, one-stop shopping to food and beverage brand owners, including manufacturing, distribution, sales/marketing and licensing. In addition, Leading Brands produces their own line of beverages such as TREKU, PezU 100% JuicesU, Johnny’s RoadsideU Iced Tea and Lemonade, Country HarvestU Juices, Caesar’sU Bloody Caesar Cocktail, and Cool CanadianU Water. Leading Brands recently undertook a major expansion into the United States, with its US headquarters located in Stamford, CT.
Statements in this news release that are not historical are to be regarded as forward-looking statements which are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Such risks and uncertainties with respect to the Company’s business include general economic conditions, weather conditions, changing beverage consumption trends, pricing, and the availability of raw materials and economic uncertainties, including currency.
We Build Brands™
©2003 Leading Brands, Inc.
This news release is available at www.LBIX.com
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| LEADING BRANDS, INC. | ||
| (Registrant) | ||
| Date March 5, 2003 | By | Marilyn Kerzner |
| (Signature) | ||
| Marilyn Kerzner | ||
| Director of Corporate Affairs | ||