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Loyal Employees Get 'Veryfine' Bonus

$15M Split Among 400 Employees

POSTED: 5:52 pm EDT April 6, 2004
UPDATED: 7:54 pm EDT April 6, 2004

It seems like when a local company sells out to a corporate giant, executives collect the big money. But that is not the case with Littleton juice maker Veryfine.

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NewsCenter 5's Jim Morelli reported that the company now belongs to Kraft Foods and loyal employees are getting a special bonus.

"I didn't want to talk away without doing something for my friends," said Sam Rowse, president of the Veryfine Juice Co.

In an age of corporate scandal and greed, Rowse has done something rather amazing for his friends -- all 400 of them -- the entire employee roster of his company will be splitting $15 million as the company prepares for a takeover by food conglomerate Kraft.

The spilt will leave some Veryfine employees with a very fine bonus.

"I've been here six years, so I'll get 26 weeks (pay). That's great," said employee Joseph Sousa.

It is not the kind of gesture normally associated with competitive absorption, but for Rowse, whose family has owned the business for more than a hundred years, there couldn't be a more fitting corporate coda.

"The only thing we can do is do the right thing. What other people do is out of my control," said Rowse.

Naree Noonan has worked at Veryfine for 18 years. She will receive 39 weeks of bonus pay.

"Right now I'm building a house and we're probably going to finish the house off," said Noonan.

Sousa said he plans to use the extra money to pay bills.

"It was good of him to do this. Very nice," said Sousa.

Rowse suggested he's just returning a favor to his dedicated employees.

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