text: **Research and Development**
  
  Research and development continues to be a vital part of the Company's strategy to extend existing brands and expand into new branded items. The 
  expenditures for research and development for fiscal 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively, were $13,165,000, $12,097,000 and $11,478,000. There are 42 
  professional employees engaged in full time research, 19 in the area of improving existing products and 23 in developing new products. 
  
  **Employees**
  
  As of October 25, 2003, the Company had over 16,000 active employees. 