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Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
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With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
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TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing for this equity. They`ve had a very consistent earnings growth rate: 8%-10% EPS growth each year no matter what the commodity environment or the cost pressure is like, and that is a multi-year goal. At the same time, they have created some significant growth opportunities with these brands for future years. Whether it`s Hershey`s Chocolate Milk or Silk soymilk, these products seem to be resonating very well with consumers. Therefore the company is creating a vehicle of growth for the future. Dairy is going to be a slow growth vehicle in the future, but these brands help leverage and overcome that slow growth aspect of the biggest chunk of its business.

Management has been very diligent with its cash flow, really chasing the highest return vehicle, if you will. With that we`ve seen share repurchase, debt pay-down, and a real clean up of the balance sheet, and that is leading to accretion in earnings. So it has been a very strong story, and each year they keep telling investors 10% earnings growth and it`s always some premium to that. That`s the upside for investors at this point, and it comes at a valuation level that`s well below its large cap food peers. It`s a $10 billion company in sales.

This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript .

The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewees nor does it make stock recommendations.
H.J. Heinz Company manufactures and markets an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world. The Company`s principal products include ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, pet products, soups, beans and pasta meals, tuna and other seafood products, infant food and other processed food products. In North America, the Company owns 29 and leases six food processing factories. In December 2002, the Company sold its United States Seafood, North American Pet Food and Pet Snacks, United States Private Label Soup and United States Infant Feeding businesses to Del Monte Foods Company.
More from Multex: Expanded Business Description


Financial Summary
HNZ and its subsidiaries manufacture and market an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world, including ketchup and sauces/condiments, pet food, baby food, frozen potato products and low calorie products. For the 39 weeks ended 1/29/03, revenues rose 9% to $6.04 billion. Net income from continuing operations before accnt. change applicable to Com. fell 9% to $452.7 million. Results reflect acquisitions, offset by increased administrative expenses.

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


The Honorable Bob Dole to Open International Health Conference
Monday March 31, 8:31 am ET
Medical Experts to Discuss Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes


WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003--The Honorable Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator, and a distinguished panel of global medical and research professionals will speak tomorrow at the International Ceres® Forum "Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes." Held at the Hotel Washington, the event will run from 8:00 a.m.-5:15 p.m. and will feature presentations regarding the effects of lycopene on men`s health, among other issues.
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Convened by the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech, and sponsored by H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News), this International Ceres® Forum is the first to focus exclusively on research that explores the health benefits of lycopene from tomatoes. Scientists from around the world will present their latest findings on lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red hue and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, male infertility and osteoporosis.

Former Senator Dole will kick off the symposium with an address to attendees during breakfast tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Following Mr. Dole`s remarks, a series of distinguished health and medical professionals from around the world will speak about the health benefits of lycopene.

Leading lycopene researcher Dr. Narmada Gupta, head of the Urology Department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, will present on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. Gupta`s groundbreaking research has suggested that oral lycopene therapy may significantly improve male fertility. Although early research is not conclusive yet, the positive effects of lycopene on male infertility are promising.

Also scheduled to present throughout the day on April 1 are: Johanna Dwyer, Ph.D., Tufts University; Marisa Porrini, Ph.D., University of Milan, Italy; Rich Forshee, Ph.D.; Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech; Steve Schwartz, Ph.D., Ohio State University; Phyllis Bowen, Ph.D., University of Illinois; and Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University. The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S. Congressman of Texas and doctor of obstetrics and gynecology, will give the luncheon address.

"We are honored to have former Senator Dole open the conference and to have so many researchers from around the globe present their latest research examining the health benefits of lycopene from fruits and vegetables like tomatoes," said Maureen Storey, Ph.D., acting director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech. "We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Understanding the role of lycopene gives us a better understanding of why they are good for us."

Completing the day`s events, Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Chairman of the President`s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will speak during the Congressional Reception in the Rayburn House Office Building from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

About the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

The Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP) is an independent, non-profit research and education center chartered at Virginia Tech. The mission of CFNP is to advance rational, science-based food and nutrition policy. It is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The center is supported by gifts and grants from private foundations, government agencies, and the food and agriculture industries.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech

convenes

An International Ceres® Forum

Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes

April 1-2, 2003

April 1 Agenda

8:00-9:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
Breakfast speaker: The Honorable Bob Dole,
former U.S. Senator, Kansas

9:30-10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:30-9:40 a.m. Dr. Maureen Storey
9:40-10:00 a.m. Ted Smyth, Heinz

10:00-10:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Fruit and Vegetables
Consumption and Human Health
Dr. Johanna Dwyer, Tufts University

10:30-10:45 a.m. Q&A/Discussion

10:45-11:15 a.m. Break

Session 1: The Food Science of Lycopene
Moderator: Dr. Maureen Storey, Center for Food
and Nutrition Policy

11:15-11:45 a.m. Effects of Processing on Bioavailability of the
Functional Components in Tomatoes
Dr. Marisa Porrini, University of Milan, Italy

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Consumption Patterns of Tomato-Based Foods
Dr. Rich Forshee, Center for Food and
Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech

12:15-12:45 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

12:45-1:45 p.m. Lunch

1:45-2:15 p.m. Luncheon Address
Speaker: The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S.
Congressman, Texas, Doctor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology

Session 2: Lycopene and Men`s Health
Moderators Dr. David Yeung, H. J. Heinz Company
Dr. Venket Rao, University of Toronto

2:15-2:45 p.m. Emerging Role of Lycopene in Male Infertility
Dr. Narmada Gupta, All India Institute of
Medicine, New Delhi, India

2:45-3:15 p.m. Benefits of Tomatoes, From Crop to the Clinic
Dr. Steve Schwartz, Ohio State University

3:15-3:45 p.m. Break

3:45-4:15 p.m. Possible Mechanisms of Action of Lycopene in
Prostate Cells
Dr. Phyllis Bowen, University of Illinois, IL

4:15-4:45 p.m. Evidence for Reducing the Risk of Prostate
Cancer -- A Clinical Trial
Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University

4:45-5:15 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

Adjourn

6:00-7:30 p.m. Evening Activity -- Congressional Reception

Rayburn House Office Building

Special guest: Mr. Lynn Swann, former
Pittsburgh Steeler, member of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, and current Chairman of the
President`s Council on Physical Fitness and
Sports

Hosting the reception are H. J. Heinz Company
and Dr. Maureen Storey, Acting Director,
Center for Food and Nutrition Policy.

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Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
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With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing for this equity. They`ve had a very consistent earnings growth rate: 8%-10% EPS growth each year no matter what the commodity environment or the cost pressure is like, and that is a multi-year goal. At the same time, they have created some significant growth opportunities with these brands for future years. Whether it`s Hershey`s Chocolate Milk or Silk soymilk, these products seem to be resonating very well with consumers. Therefore the company is creating a vehicle of growth for the future. Dairy is going to be a slow growth vehicle in the future, but these brands help leverage and overcome that slow growth aspect of the biggest chunk of its business.

Management has been very diligent with its cash flow, really chasing the highest return vehicle, if you will. With that we`ve seen share repurchase, debt pay-down, and a real clean up of the balance sheet, and that is leading to accretion in earnings. So it has been a very strong story, and each year they keep telling investors 10% earnings growth and it`s always some premium to that. That`s the upside for investors at this point, and it comes at a valuation level that`s well below its large cap food peers. It`s a $10 billion company in sales.

This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript .

The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewees nor does it make stock recommendations.
H.J. Heinz Company manufactures and markets an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world. The Company`s principal products include ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, pet products, soups, beans and pasta meals, tuna and other seafood products, infant food and other processed food products. In North America, the Company owns 29 and leases six food processing factories. In December 2002, the Company sold its United States Seafood, North American Pet Food and Pet Snacks, United States Private Label Soup and United States Infant Feeding businesses to Del Monte Foods Company.
More from Multex: Expanded Business Description


Financial Summary
HNZ and its subsidiaries manufacture and market an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world, including ketchup and sauces/condiments, pet food, baby food, frozen potato products and low calorie products. For the 39 weeks ended 1/29/03, revenues rose 9% to $6.04 billion. Net income from continuing operations before accnt. change applicable to Com. fell 9% to $452.7 million. Results reflect acquisitions, offset by increased administrative expenses.

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


The Honorable Bob Dole to Open International Health Conference
Monday March 31, 8:31 am ET
Medical Experts to Discuss Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes


WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003--The Honorable Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator, and a distinguished panel of global medical and research professionals will speak tomorrow at the International Ceres® Forum "Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes." Held at the Hotel Washington, the event will run from 8:00 a.m.-5:15 p.m. and will feature presentations regarding the effects of lycopene on men`s health, among other issues.
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Convened by the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech, and sponsored by H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News), this International Ceres® Forum is the first to focus exclusively on research that explores the health benefits of lycopene from tomatoes. Scientists from around the world will present their latest findings on lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red hue and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, male infertility and osteoporosis.

Former Senator Dole will kick off the symposium with an address to attendees during breakfast tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Following Mr. Dole`s remarks, a series of distinguished health and medical professionals from around the world will speak about the health benefits of lycopene.

Leading lycopene researcher Dr. Narmada Gupta, head of the Urology Department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, will present on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. Gupta`s groundbreaking research has suggested that oral lycopene therapy may significantly improve male fertility. Although early research is not conclusive yet, the positive effects of lycopene on male infertility are promising.

Also scheduled to present throughout the day on April 1 are: Johanna Dwyer, Ph.D., Tufts University; Marisa Porrini, Ph.D., University of Milan, Italy; Rich Forshee, Ph.D.; Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech; Steve Schwartz, Ph.D., Ohio State University; Phyllis Bowen, Ph.D., University of Illinois; and Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University. The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S. Congressman of Texas and doctor of obstetrics and gynecology, will give the luncheon address.

"We are honored to have former Senator Dole open the conference and to have so many researchers from around the globe present their latest research examining the health benefits of lycopene from fruits and vegetables like tomatoes," said Maureen Storey, Ph.D., acting director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech. "We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Understanding the role of lycopene gives us a better understanding of why they are good for us."

Completing the day`s events, Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Chairman of the President`s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will speak during the Congressional Reception in the Rayburn House Office Building from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

About the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

The Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP) is an independent, non-profit research and education center chartered at Virginia Tech. The mission of CFNP is to advance rational, science-based food and nutrition policy. It is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The center is supported by gifts and grants from private foundations, government agencies, and the food and agriculture industries.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech

convenes

An International Ceres® Forum

Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes

April 1-2, 2003

April 1 Agenda

8:00-9:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
Breakfast speaker: The Honorable Bob Dole,
former U.S. Senator, Kansas

9:30-10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:30-9:40 a.m. Dr. Maureen Storey
9:40-10:00 a.m. Ted Smyth, Heinz

10:00-10:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Fruit and Vegetables
Consumption and Human Health
Dr. Johanna Dwyer, Tufts University

10:30-10:45 a.m. Q&A/Discussion

10:45-11:15 a.m. Break

Session 1: The Food Science of Lycopene
Moderator: Dr. Maureen Storey, Center for Food
and Nutrition Policy

11:15-11:45 a.m. Effects of Processing on Bioavailability of the
Functional Components in Tomatoes
Dr. Marisa Porrini, University of Milan, Italy

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Consumption Patterns of Tomato-Based Foods
Dr. Rich Forshee, Center for Food and
Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech

12:15-12:45 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

12:45-1:45 p.m. Lunch

1:45-2:15 p.m. Luncheon Address
Speaker: The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S.
Congressman, Texas, Doctor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology

Session 2: Lycopene and Men`s Health
Moderators Dr. David Yeung, H. J. Heinz Company
Dr. Venket Rao, University of Toronto

2:15-2:45 p.m. Emerging Role of Lycopene in Male Infertility
Dr. Narmada Gupta, All India Institute of
Medicine, New Delhi, India

2:45-3:15 p.m. Benefits of Tomatoes, From Crop to the Clinic
Dr. Steve Schwartz, Ohio State University

3:15-3:45 p.m. Break

3:45-4:15 p.m. Possible Mechanisms of Action of Lycopene in
Prostate Cells
Dr. Phyllis Bowen, University of Illinois, IL

4:15-4:45 p.m. Evidence for Reducing the Risk of Prostate
Cancer -- A Clinical Trial
Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University

4:45-5:15 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

Adjourn

6:00-7:30 p.m. Evening Activity -- Congressional Reception

Rayburn House Office Building

Special guest: Mr. Lynn Swann, former
Pittsburgh Steeler, member of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, and current Chairman of the
President`s Council on Physical Fitness and
Sports

Hosting the reception are H. J. Heinz Company
and Dr. Maureen Storey, Acting Director,
Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, A

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, A

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
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TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing for this equity. They`ve had a very consistent earnings growth rate: 8%-10% EPS growth each year no matter what the commodity environment or the cost pressure is like, and that is a multi-year goal. At the same time, they have created some significant growth opportunities with these brands for future years. Whether it`s Hershey`s Chocolate Milk or Silk soymilk, these products seem to be resonating very well with consumers. Therefore the company is creating a vehicle of growth for the future. Dairy is going to be a slow growth vehicle in the future, but these brands help leverage and overcome that slow growth aspect of the biggest chunk of its business.

Management has been very diligent with its cash flow, really chasing the highest return vehicle, if you will. With that we`ve seen share repurchase, debt pay-down, and a real clean up of the balance sheet, and that is leading to accretion in earnings. So it has been a very strong story, and each year they keep telling investors 10% earnings growth and it`s always some premium to that. That`s the upside for investors at this point, and it comes at a valuation level that`s well below its large cap food peers. It`s a $10 billion company in sales.

This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript .

The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewees nor does it make stock recommendations.
H.J. Heinz Company manufactures and markets an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world. The Company`s principal products include ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, pet products, soups, beans and pasta meals, tuna and other seafood products, infant food and other processed food products. In North America, the Company owns 29 and leases six food processing factories. In December 2002, the Company sold its United States Seafood, North American Pet Food and Pet Snacks, United States Private Label Soup and United States Infant Feeding businesses to Del Monte Foods Company.
More from Multex: Expanded Business Description


Financial Summary
HNZ and its subsidiaries manufacture and market an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world, including ketchup and sauces/condiments, pet food, baby food, frozen potato products and low calorie products. For the 39 weeks ended 1/29/03, revenues rose 9% to $6.04 billion. Net income from continuing operations before accnt. change applicable to Com. fell 9% to $452.7 million. Results reflect acquisitions, offset by increased administrative expenses.

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


The Honorable Bob Dole to Open International Health Conference
Monday March 31, 8:31 am ET
Medical Experts to Discuss Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes


WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003--The Honorable Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator, and a distinguished panel of global medical and research professionals will speak tomorrow at the International Ceres® Forum "Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes." Held at the Hotel Washington, the event will run from 8:00 a.m.-5:15 p.m. and will feature presentations regarding the effects of lycopene on men`s health, among other issues.
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Convened by the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech, and sponsored by H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News), this International Ceres® Forum is the first to focus exclusively on research that explores the health benefits of lycopene from tomatoes. Scientists from around the world will present their latest findings on lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red hue and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, male infertility and osteoporosis.

Former Senator Dole will kick off the symposium with an address to attendees during breakfast tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Following Mr. Dole`s remarks, a series of distinguished health and medical professionals from around the world will speak about the health benefits of lycopene.

Leading lycopene researcher Dr. Narmada Gupta, head of the Urology Department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, will present on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. Gupta`s groundbreaking research has suggested that oral lycopene therapy may significantly improve male fertility. Although early research is not conclusive yet, the positive effects of lycopene on male infertility are promising.

Also scheduled to present throughout the day on April 1 are: Johanna Dwyer, Ph.D., Tufts University; Marisa Porrini, Ph.D., University of Milan, Italy; Rich Forshee, Ph.D.; Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech; Steve Schwartz, Ph.D., Ohio State University; Phyllis Bowen, Ph.D., University of Illinois; and Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University. The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S. Congressman of Texas and doctor of obstetrics and gynecology, will give the luncheon address.

"We are honored to have former Senator Dole open the conference and to have so many researchers from around the globe present their latest research examining the health benefits of lycopene from fruits and vegetables like tomatoes," said Maureen Storey, Ph.D., acting director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech. "We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Understanding the role of lycopene gives us a better understanding of why they are good for us."

Completing the day`s events, Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Chairman of the President`s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will speak during the Congressional Reception in the Rayburn House Office Building from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

About the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

The Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP) is an independent, non-profit research and education center chartered at Virginia Tech. The mission of CFNP is to advance rational, science-based food and nutrition policy. It is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The center is supported by gifts and grants from private foundations, government agencies, and the food and agriculture industries.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech

convenes

An International Ceres® Forum

Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes

April 1-2, 2003

April 1 Agenda

8:00-9:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
Breakfast speaker: The Honorable Bob Dole,
former U.S. Senator, Kansas

9:30-10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:30-9:40 a.m. Dr. Maureen Storey
9:40-10:00 a.m. Ted Smyth, Heinz

10:00-10:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Fruit and Vegetables
Consumption and Human Health
Dr. Johanna Dwyer, Tufts University

10:30-10:45 a.m. Q&A/Discussion

10:45-11:15 a.m. Break

Session 1: The Food Science of Lycopene
Moderator: Dr. Maureen Storey, Center for Food
and Nutrition Policy

11:15-11:45 a.m. Effects of Processing on Bioavailability of the
Functional Components in Tomatoes
Dr. Marisa Porrini, University of Milan, Italy

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Consumption Patterns of Tomato-Based Foods
Dr. Rich Forshee, Center for Food and
Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech

12:15-12:45 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

12:45-1:45 p.m. Lunch

1:45-2:15 p.m. Luncheon Address
Speaker: The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S.
Congressman, Texas, Doctor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology

Session 2: Lycopene and Men`s Health
Moderators Dr. David Yeung, H. J. Heinz Company
Dr. Venket Rao, University of Toronto

2:15-2:45 p.m. Emerging Role of Lycopene in Male Infertility
Dr. Narmada Gupta, All India Institute of
Medicine, New Delhi, India

2:45-3:15 p.m. Benefits of Tomatoes, From Crop to the Clinic
Dr. Steve Schwartz, Ohio State University

3:15-3:45 p.m. Break

3:45-4:15 p.m. Possible Mechanisms of Action of Lycopene in
Prostate Cells
Dr. Phyllis Bowen, University of Illinois, IL

4:15-4:45 p.m. Evidence for Reducing the Risk of Prostate
Cancer -- A Clinical Trial
Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University

4:45-5:15 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

Adjourn

6:00-7:30 p.m. Evening Activity -- Congressional Reception

Rayburn House Office Building

Special guest: Mr. Lynn Swann, former
Pittsburgh Steeler, member of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, and current Chairman of the
President`s Council on Physical Fitness and
Sports

Hosting the reception are H. J. Heinz Company
and Dr. Maureen Storey, Acting Director,
Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

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Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
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With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, A

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, A

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
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TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

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Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
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With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing for this equity. They`ve had a very consistent earnings growth rate: 8%-10% EPS growth each year no matter what the commodity environment or the cost pressure is like, and that is a multi-year goal. At the same time, they have created some significant growth opportunities with these brands for future years. Whether it`s Hershey`s Chocolate Milk or Silk soymilk, these products seem to be resonating very well with consumers. Therefore the company is creating a vehicle of growth for the future. Dairy is going to be a slow growth vehicle in the future, but these brands help leverage and overcome that slow growth aspect of the biggest chunk of its business.

Management has been very diligent with its cash flow, really chasing the highest return vehicle, if you will. With that we`ve seen share repurchase, debt pay-down, and a real clean up of the balance sheet, and that is leading to accretion in earnings. So it has been a very strong story, and each year they keep telling investors 10% earnings growth and it`s always some premium to that. That`s the upside for investors at this point, and it comes at a valuation level that`s well below its large cap food peers. It`s a $10 billion company in sales.

This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript .

The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewees nor does it make stock recommendations.
H.J. Heinz Company manufactures and markets an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world. The Company`s principal products include ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, pet products, soups, beans and pasta meals, tuna and other seafood products, infant food and other processed food products. In North America, the Company owns 29 and leases six food processing factories. In December 2002, the Company sold its United States Seafood, North American Pet Food and Pet Snacks, United States Private Label Soup and United States Infant Feeding businesses to Del Monte Foods Company.
More from Multex: Expanded Business Description


Financial Summary
HNZ and its subsidiaries manufacture and market an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world, including ketchup and sauces/condiments, pet food, baby food, frozen potato products and low calorie products. For the 39 weeks ended 1/29/03, revenues rose 9% to $6.04 billion. Net income from continuing operations before accnt. change applicable to Com. fell 9% to $452.7 million. Results reflect acquisitions, offset by increased administrative expenses.

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


The Honorable Bob Dole to Open International Health Conference
Monday March 31, 8:31 am ET
Medical Experts to Discuss Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes


WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003--The Honorable Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator, and a distinguished panel of global medical and research professionals will speak tomorrow at the International Ceres® Forum "Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes." Held at the Hotel Washington, the event will run from 8:00 a.m.-5:15 p.m. and will feature presentations regarding the effects of lycopene on men`s health, among other issues.
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Convened by the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech, and sponsored by H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News), this International Ceres® Forum is the first to focus exclusively on research that explores the health benefits of lycopene from tomatoes. Scientists from around the world will present their latest findings on lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red hue and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, male infertility and osteoporosis.

Former Senator Dole will kick off the symposium with an address to attendees during breakfast tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Following Mr. Dole`s remarks, a series of distinguished health and medical professionals from around the world will speak about the health benefits of lycopene.

Leading lycopene researcher Dr. Narmada Gupta, head of the Urology Department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, will present on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. Gupta`s groundbreaking research has suggested that oral lycopene therapy may significantly improve male fertility. Although early research is not conclusive yet, the positive effects of lycopene on male infertility are promising.

Also scheduled to present throughout the day on April 1 are: Johanna Dwyer, Ph.D., Tufts University; Marisa Porrini, Ph.D., University of Milan, Italy; Rich Forshee, Ph.D.; Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech; Steve Schwartz, Ph.D., Ohio State University; Phyllis Bowen, Ph.D., University of Illinois; and Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University. The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S. Congressman of Texas and doctor of obstetrics and gynecology, will give the luncheon address.

"We are honored to have former Senator Dole open the conference and to have so many researchers from around the globe present their latest research examining the health benefits of lycopene from fruits and vegetables like tomatoes," said Maureen Storey, Ph.D., acting director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech. "We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Understanding the role of lycopene gives us a better understanding of why they are good for us."

Completing the day`s events, Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Chairman of the President`s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will speak during the Congressional Reception in the Rayburn House Office Building from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

About the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

The Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP) is an independent, non-profit research and education center chartered at Virginia Tech. The mission of CFNP is to advance rational, science-based food and nutrition policy. It is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The center is supported by gifts and grants from private foundations, government agencies, and the food and agriculture industries.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech

convenes

An International Ceres® Forum

Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes

April 1-2, 2003

April 1 Agenda

8:00-9:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
Breakfast speaker: The Honorable Bob Dole,
former U.S. Senator, Kansas

9:30-10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:30-9:40 a.m. Dr. Maureen Storey
9:40-10:00 a.m. Ted Smyth, Heinz

10:00-10:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Fruit and Vegetables
Consumption and Human Health
Dr. Johanna Dwyer, Tufts University

10:30-10:45 a.m. Q&A/Discussion

10:45-11:15 a.m. Break

Session 1: The Food Science of Lycopene
Moderator: Dr. Maureen Storey, Center for Food
and Nutrition Policy

11:15-11:45 a.m. Effects of Processing on Bioavailability of the
Functional Components in Tomatoes
Dr. Marisa Porrini, University of Milan, Italy

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Consumption Patterns of Tomato-Based Foods
Dr. Rich Forshee, Center for Food and
Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech

12:15-12:45 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

12:45-1:45 p.m. Lunch

1:45-2:15 p.m. Luncheon Address
Speaker: The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S.
Congressman, Texas, Doctor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology

Session 2: Lycopene and Men`s Health
Moderators Dr. David Yeung, H. J. Heinz Company
Dr. Venket Rao, University of Toronto

2:15-2:45 p.m. Emerging Role of Lycopene in Male Infertility
Dr. Narmada Gupta, All India Institute of
Medicine, New Delhi, India

2:45-3:15 p.m. Benefits of Tomatoes, From Crop to the Clinic
Dr. Steve Schwartz, Ohio State University

3:15-3:45 p.m. Break

3:45-4:15 p.m. Possible Mechanisms of Action of Lycopene in
Prostate Cells
Dr. Phyllis Bowen, University of Illinois, IL

4:15-4:45 p.m. Evidence for Reducing the Risk of Prostate
Cancer -- A Clinical Trial
Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University

4:45-5:15 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

Adjourn

6:00-7:30 p.m. Evening Activity -- Congressional Reception

Rayburn House Office Building

Special guest: Mr. Lynn Swann, former
Pittsburgh Steeler, member of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, and current Chairman of the
President`s Council on Physical Fitness and
Sports

Hosting the reception are H. J. Heinz Company
and Dr. Maureen Storey, Acting Director,
Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

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Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, A

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, A

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
ADVERTISEMENT


With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
ADVERTISEMENT


TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing

[Einzelverkauf]

#2 von Einzelverkauf 20.05.03 22:00:35 Beitrag Nr.: 9.510.416 9510416
Dieses Posting: versenden | melden | drucken | Antwort schreiben HEINZ -H.J.- CO. DL-,25

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


Heinz Makes Mothers` Day with Healthy, Tasty Tomato Treats
Monday May 5, 4:35 pm ET
Recent Research Looks at Lycopene to Overcome Osteoporosis


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 5, 2003--Flowers, candy and tomatoes? When it comes to Mother`s Day, every mom deserves something great. This year, Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News) is making it easy to treat mom to something that is great for her -- lycopene-rich tomato dishes.
Thanks to a recent collection of recipes from Heinz, cooks everywhere have a host of healthy dinner alternatives at their fingertips to relieve Mom on her special day. With Great Tomato! 57 fabulous recipes for great taste and great health, everyone can prepare lycopene-rich dishes using products such as Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Classico Pasta Sauces, and these recipes make it easy for mom to have some healthy choices this Mother`s Day.

In addition to delicious recipes, the book provides consumers with information about lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found abundantly in tomatoes and tomato products, and how to incorporate the carotenoid into their diets. Interestingly, it has been determined that the heat processing of tomatoes releases up to 2.5 times the lycopene from the fruit, making it more bioavailable and absorbable in the body than lycopene from fresh tomatoes.

Research has been shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer and heart disease. Recently, studies indicate that lycopene may help in the fight against osteoporosis -- an ailment that afflicts nearly eight million women annually.

Osteoporosis, a chronic disease that weakens bones, is a fairly common condition among women in which bone becomes fragile and fractures easily. It is a silent disease that has no warning symptoms. Many of those inflicted with osteoporosis do not know until the condition is advanced.

Dr. Leticia Rao, Ph.D. at the University of Toronto and St. Michael`s Hospital, has found in recent studies that lycopene stimulates cells that are important for bone formation and prevents other cells from completing the process by which bones break down.

"Early research suggests that a healthy diet that includes tomatoes and tomato products may help in the prevention of osteoporosis," Dr. Rao said. "Our clinical study is now underway and we are looking forward to what the results have to show."

Great Tomato! features six chapters including recipes for chicken, vegetarian, beef, pork and seafood dishes. The cookbook also includes a chapter that highlights recipes with portions perfect for entertaining. Recipes range from traditional family favorites like Chicken Parmesan to more exotic choices such as Tuna Creole.

Great Tomato! is a spiral-bound paperback published by arpr, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. The 79-page book is priced at $9.50 in the U.S. and $14.95 in Canada, and is available for purchase online at knowledgeinanutshell.com, barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Leticia Rao, University of Toronto

-0-

Sample Recipe from Great Tomato!

Classic Two Sauce Lasagna
-------------------------
12 lasagna noodles
1 container ricotta cheese (15 ounces/480 g)
1 package frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces/320 g), thawed and well
drained
2 cups (500 ml) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (63 ml) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
2 eggs
1 pound (500 g) bulk Italian sausage or ground beef, cooked and
drained
1 jar Classico(R) Sweet Basil Marinara Pasta Sauce (26 ounces/832 g)
1 jar Classico(R) Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta Sauce
(17 ounces/544 g)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and eggs; mix well. In a 13 x 9 baking dish, spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Layer 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Top with half cheese mixture, 1 cup marinara sauce and half cooked sausage. Repeat layers. Top with 4 remaining lasagna noodles. Spread Alfredo sauce evenly on top; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Cover; bake at 350 F (176 C) for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10-12 Servings

Calories: 505 Lycopene: 15.6 mg



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
For H.J. Heinz Company
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
or
H.J. Heinz Company
Debbie Foster, 412/456-5778



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: H.J. Heinz Company
Press Release Source: Heinz North America


Heinz Frozen Foods Awards Starcom Buying Assignment
Wednesday April 23, 9:46 am ET
Assignment Completes Consolidation of Heinz U.S. Consumer Products Media Buying
Select Del Monte Foods Brands Included


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 2003--The H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News) announced today that it has awarded Starcom the media buying Agency of Record assignment for the company`s Frozen Food brands. Starcom will provide complete buying services for all frozen products, including Ore-Ida®, Bagel Bites®, Smart Ones®, Boston Market(TM) Frozen Foods, TGI Friday`s(TM) Frozen Products and Delimex® Snacks. OMD San Francisco will retain the planning assignment for Heinz Frozen Foods.
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With this assignment, Heinz North America has completed the consolidation of its media buying with Starcom for all of its U.S. Consumer Products brands.

"We have benefited from Starcom`s strong stewardship during the past five years with our Ketchup, Condiments and Sauces brands and we`re looking forward to bringing the agency`s expertise to bear with our Frozen Food brands," said Brian Hansberry, vice president of frozen food marketing for Heinz North America.

Heinz North America first awarded Starcom the Heinz Tomato Ketchup business in 1998 as part of a full-service assignment with Leo Burnett. Since then, the agency has expanded its relationship with the company to include both strategic planning and buying services for brands such as Jack Daniels(TM) Grilling Sauces®, Mr. Yoshida`s(TM) Marinades and Cooking Sauces, Heinz Ketchup Kick`rs®, and Heinz EZ Squirt Kids Condiment and Classico® Pasta Sauce. In addition, Starcom continues in its role as media buyer for the recently spun off Pet Foods and Pet Snacks Divisions now owned by the Del Monte Foods Company. Through the addition of the Frozen Foods assignment, as well as increased spending across the existing Heinz and Del Monte brands under the agency`s roster, Starcom will place more than $40 million on behalf of Heinz and Del Monte this year.

"Heinz and Del Monte are companies that truly understand the power of maximizing media investments through consolidated buying," said Gail Fujisawa, Starcom`s senior vice president/media director for the Heinz and Del Monte businesses." We`re thrilled to build on our longstanding partnership with the company and look forward to driving growth for its many strong Frozen Food brands."

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ - News) is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

About Del Monte

Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM - News), with over $3 billion in expected sales, is one of the country`s largest and most prominent providers of high-quality, branded consumer products to the U.S. retail grocery market. With a leading portfolio of top-name brands such as Del Monte, Contadina, StarKist, S&W, Nature`s Goodness, College Inn, 9Lives, Kibbles `n Bits, Pup-Peroni, Snausages, and Naw Somes!, Del Monte products are sold nationwide and can be found in 8 out of 10 American households. The Company is also the nation`s largest supplier of private label soup products. Along with being an important partner to a full range of retail outlets - from neighborhood markets to urban superstores - Del Monte is also a key supplier to the U.S. military, certain export markets, the foodservice industry and food processors. Headquartered in San Francisco, the Company operates 17 production facilities and 18 distribution centers in North America and has operating facilities in American Samoa, Ecuador and Venezuela. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company, visit the Company`s website at www.delmonte.com.

About Starcom Worldwide

Starcom is a division of Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. SMG ranks among the world`s largest brand communications groups with billings of $21.7 billion in 2002. With a global staff of more than 3,500 contact architects, SMG`s network of 110 offices in 67 countries fuels brand-building results for many of the world`s leading companies.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin W. Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Cristal Mendlen, 312/220-4470
or
Starcom MediaVest Group
Lena Petersen, 312/220-4169



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Heinz North America
Press Release Source: Heinz


Heinz EZ Squirt Shoots for the Stars with Its Latest Creation
Monday April 7, 8:30 am ET
Stellar Blue Has Landed on Store Shelves


PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003--After much anticipation, kids across America got their wish as Heinz (NYSE:HNZ - News), the company that changed the color of mealtime, launches another exciting new hue - Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue.
Stellar Blue is the latest addition to Heinz`s lineup of colored condiments, which has included traditional Red, Blastin` Green, Funky Purple and Mystery Color. Just like Blastin` Green and Funky Purple, Stellar Blue hits the condiment market by popular demand. As with all of the Heinz EZ Squirt products, kids played an important role in choosing this color. Stellar Blue was chosen because it was the most requested condiment color that Heinz has yet to produce.

"Blue has been the number one request from kids for some time now," said Michelle Fuscaldo, brand manager of the EZ Squirt product line at Heinz North America. "We`re thrilled to add this popular color to our growing family of colored condiments. Based on the history of Heinz EZ Squirt, Stellar Blue will be a hot item with kids this spring and summer."

Of course, color isn`t the only reason kids everywhere have taken to Heinz EZ Squirt. The specially designed bottle gives hands of all sizes more control at mealtime. And whether it`s designing blue dinosaurs on their dinner plates or blue flowers to dip their fries in, Stellar Blue continues the EZ Squirt tradition of allowing kids to be creative in personalizing their food.

Only half a million bottles of Stellar Blue were produced, so kids and their parents will need to get their colored-condiment-crazed hands on them while supplies last. The 19-ounce Heinz EZ Squirt Stellar Blue bottle has a suggested retail price of $1.79.

Given Heinz EZ Squirt`s recent track record, the company has good reason to expect continued success with its latest colored condiment. Since Blastin` Green was launched in October 2000, Heinz has sold more than 25 million bottles of Heinz EZ Squirt condiments.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

B-Roll Satellite Coordinates for Monday, April 7, 2003

1:00-1:15PM/ET C-Band Telstar 5/Transponder 06/Audio 6.2 & 6.8



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Heinz North America
Robin Teets, 412/237-3562
[e-mail]
or
For Heinz North America
Shannon Severino, 412/473-3415
[e-mail]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






Wall Street Transcript
Food Stocks Analysis
Thursday April 17, 9:55 am ET


67 WALL STREET, New York--April 17, 2003-- In an in-depth (8,700 words) Roundtable Forum, Jonathan Feeney, a Vice President at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Capital Markets and Christopher R. Growe, a Vice President at A.G. Edwards and Sons, examine the outlook for the sector and share specific stock recommendations. This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript
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TWST: Jonathan, as we look out at 2003 and 2004, is there any brighter light?

Mr. Feeney: I think it depends on the management team and the company. I really think some management teams get it and others not so much. I don`t see much change to the fundamental landscape. I would add to the two things we just talked about fundamentally. In general I see a consumer-driven shift toward food away from home versus food at home that I think is causing slower growth among packaged food companies primarily levered to consumers buying groceries to take home. There are powerful demographic and economic reasons why there are these negative fundamentals. So I don`t see a whole lot of change to that.

What I do see, though, is some management teams that are doing a good job maximizing shareholder value in that environment, and there are a couple of ways I think you can really do that. Kellogg has, in my opinion, done a fantastic job coming out and telling people, "Look, we`re not a high growth company. We never will be. But what we do have is some brand equity, we believe. We`re going to put that brand equity to task by raising prices, and we`re going to generate a lot of free cash flow and expanding free cash flow margin as a result." I think it`s a story that investors have been extraordinarily receptive to not from a growth perspective, but from a free cash flow perspective, if you look at the tag on that stock versus some others in the group.

TWST: Wal-Mart was mentioned as a factor. How much of this business are they doing now and how big can they become?

Mr. Growe: They`re obviously dominating. I don`t know the exact share numbers, but there is a lot of conflicting data. But in terms of food sales, they would get at least 10% of the food sales of the United States, as best I can tell, and in terms of overall groceries I`m sure it`s a much bigger number as well, and we are all aware of the size of Wal-Mart these days. So how much more can they get? It`s clear that the consumer is buying into their strategy of brand names at the lowest price. I`ve made the observation that if you go to your average food retailer, such as Albertson`s (ABS) or Kroger (KR) or Safeway (SWY), buy a basket of private label products under their brand name, and then compare the cost of that basket to a basket of branded goods at Wal-Mart, they`re pretty close in price. So the consumer has figured this out and I think for staple items is going to Wal-Mart and will continue to go to Wal-Mart. Even though Wal-Mart is obviously very pervasive in terms of its presence throughout the United States, it can still continue to gain share. While it is still in the early stages here, this Neighborhood Market is a pure grocery store and is going to compete directly with Kroger, Albertson`s, Safeway and the others, and will be a formidable challenge for the other retailers.

TWST: Jonathan, how about from your perspective? Are there any more big acquisitions?

Mr. Feeney: I`m a firm believer that the economics of distribution scale will dictate major continued consolidation activity. I would probably predict a bit more than Chris that some of the Europeans like Nestle (NSRGY) and Unilever (UN) have decent sized American companies such as Heinz and even, longer term, Kellogg on their shopping list, as far as companies they could really enhance over the long term and use to have a more profitable presence here in the US.

So if you look at the top 10 retailers in America having about 44% of the grocery sales and the top 10 packaged food companies only doing a bit under 10% combined, from a simple distribution standpoint, even if you`re not talking about distribution bringing the foods to the store, there are things such as marketing, advertising and bargaining power for input costs that are going to dictate more consolidation. With regard to some of the bigger companies, I think Heinz has pretty clearly tried to make itself more attractive as a potential acquisition target. So I think that is activity that will probably happen in the medium term.

But it is true that we`re more than halfway into the process, and I don`t see there only being three or four food companies in America. I just think that the economies of scale across several different areas of the business would dictate continued acquisition activity. And you`ll probably get it, particularly in cases where there`s a target company that has taken steps that make it appear more willing to sell.

TWST: What`s the story there?

Mr. Feeney: It`s very simple. Again, if you`re skeptical about the category and you think the industry has some risks on the margin, then a story that`s based on competitive share gain is attractive. That`s what you have here. There isn`t anyone saying that dry pasta is going to be an exciting category in 2003 or at any time. But what I am saying is that their leading competitor, New World Pasta, has been forced to reorganize and has a higher cost structure than AIPC, while AIPC has a better mousetrap and lower conversion costs. They make the same amount of pasta and have about half as many employees as New World Pasta. Over time, that`s going to spell continued share gain through strong exposure to the private label.

American Italian Pasta makes 50% of the private label pasta in America. They`re Sysco`s exclusive provider of pasta to the food service category, which is growing faster than grocery. They can win a lot of this lucrative outsourcing business from companies like General Mills and Kraft, where they already have some pasta production contracts but also places like Campbell Soup potentially and some guys who have done less outsourcing up until now.

Again, this is a story of competitive share gain that`s attractive in a market where I think the industry-wide trends are a bit more negative.

TWST: Chris, you mentioned Dean Foods. What`s the appeal there?

Mr. Growe: They`re supporting a very fast growing set of brands, and they`re supporting them with a significant amount of marketing expenditures. They`ve quantified that for investors and that will be up significantly in 2003. At the same time, they have this near-national footprint in the dairy business. While Dean`s core dairy operations are fairly slow growing, much like pasta or some of the other categories we`ve talked about, they hold a real opportunity for taking advantage of its newfound scale and gaining more market share in a very fragmented industry.

I`ve found a couple things to be very intriguing for this equity. They`ve had a very consistent earnings growth rate: 8%-10% EPS growth each year no matter what the commodity environment or the cost pressure is like, and that is a multi-year goal. At the same time, they have created some significant growth opportunities with these brands for future years. Whether it`s Hershey`s Chocolate Milk or Silk soymilk, these products seem to be resonating very well with consumers. Therefore the company is creating a vehicle of growth for the future. Dairy is going to be a slow growth vehicle in the future, but these brands help leverage and overcome that slow growth aspect of the biggest chunk of its business.

Management has been very diligent with its cash flow, really chasing the highest return vehicle, if you will. With that we`ve seen share repurchase, debt pay-down, and a real clean up of the balance sheet, and that is leading to accretion in earnings. So it has been a very strong story, and each year they keep telling investors 10% earnings growth and it`s always some premium to that. That`s the upside for investors at this point, and it comes at a valuation level that`s well below its large cap food peers. It`s a $10 billion company in sales.

This interview excerpt is part of a Roundtable Forum from our 73-page Food Issue featuring in-depth interviews from three analysts and top management from fourteen sector firms discussing impact of the Ahold investigation, stock performance year-to-date, impact of private label, trade deloading, marketing expenditures, investory levels, management performance, market share and Wal-Mart, pricing power and commoditites, packaging costs, fuel increases and DSD systems, pressure on gross margins, cost cutting measures, mergers and acquisitions, food stocks and an economic recovery, stocks to avoid, stock recommendations and more. This issue is available to subscribers by telephoning 212-952-7400 x1799 or through The Wall Street Transcript .

The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewees nor does it make stock recommendations.
H.J. Heinz Company manufactures and markets an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world. The Company`s principal products include ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, pet products, soups, beans and pasta meals, tuna and other seafood products, infant food and other processed food products. In North America, the Company owns 29 and leases six food processing factories. In December 2002, the Company sold its United States Seafood, North American Pet Food and Pet Snacks, United States Private Label Soup and United States Infant Feeding businesses to Del Monte Foods Company.
More from Multex: Expanded Business Description


Financial Summary
HNZ and its subsidiaries manufacture and market an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world, including ketchup and sauces/condiments, pet food, baby food, frozen potato products and low calorie products. For the 39 weeks ended 1/29/03, revenues rose 9% to $6.04 billion. Net income from continuing operations before accnt. change applicable to Com. fell 9% to $452.7 million. Results reflect acquisitions, offset by increased administrative expenses.

Press Release Source: H.J. Heinz Company


The Honorable Bob Dole to Open International Health Conference
Monday March 31, 8:31 am ET
Medical Experts to Discuss Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes


WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 31, 2003--The Honorable Bob Dole, former U.S. Senator, and a distinguished panel of global medical and research professionals will speak tomorrow at the International Ceres® Forum "Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes." Held at the Hotel Washington, the event will run from 8:00 a.m.-5:15 p.m. and will feature presentations regarding the effects of lycopene on men`s health, among other issues.
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Convened by the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech, and sponsored by H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ - News), this International Ceres® Forum is the first to focus exclusively on research that explores the health benefits of lycopene from tomatoes. Scientists from around the world will present their latest findings on lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red hue and has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, male infertility and osteoporosis.

Former Senator Dole will kick off the symposium with an address to attendees during breakfast tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. Following Mr. Dole`s remarks, a series of distinguished health and medical professionals from around the world will speak about the health benefits of lycopene.

Leading lycopene researcher Dr. Narmada Gupta, head of the Urology Department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India, will present on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. Gupta`s groundbreaking research has suggested that oral lycopene therapy may significantly improve male fertility. Although early research is not conclusive yet, the positive effects of lycopene on male infertility are promising.

Also scheduled to present throughout the day on April 1 are: Johanna Dwyer, Ph.D., Tufts University; Marisa Porrini, Ph.D., University of Milan, Italy; Rich Forshee, Ph.D.; Center for Food and Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech; Steve Schwartz, Ph.D., Ohio State University; Phyllis Bowen, Ph.D., University of Illinois; and Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University. The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S. Congressman of Texas and doctor of obstetrics and gynecology, will give the luncheon address.

"We are honored to have former Senator Dole open the conference and to have so many researchers from around the globe present their latest research examining the health benefits of lycopene from fruits and vegetables like tomatoes," said Maureen Storey, Ph.D., acting director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech. "We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us. Understanding the role of lycopene gives us a better understanding of why they are good for us."

Completing the day`s events, Lynn Swann, former Pittsburgh Steeler and current Chairman of the President`s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, will speak during the Congressional Reception in the Rayburn House Office Building from 6:00-7:30 p.m.

About the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

The Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP) is an independent, non-profit research and education center chartered at Virginia Tech. The mission of CFNP is to advance rational, science-based food and nutrition policy. It is recognized as a Center of Excellence by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The center is supported by gifts and grants from private foundations, government agencies, and the food and agriculture industries.

About Heinz

H. J. Heinz Company is one of the world`s leading processors and marketers of high-quality ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods through all retail and foodservice channels. A host of favorite brands, such as Heinz® ketchup, Ore-Ida® french fries, Boston Market® and Smart Ones® meals and Plasmon® baby food are the growth drivers in Heinz`s two strategic global segments: Meal Enhancers and Meals & Snacks. Heinz`s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by the Heinz® brand, a global consumer icon with $2.5 billion in annual sales. Fourteen additional brands, each with more than $100 million in annual sales, generate a further $2.6 billion. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.

Center for Food and Nutrition Policy at Virginia Tech

convenes

An International Ceres® Forum

Examining the Health Benefits of Lycopene from Tomatoes

April 1-2, 2003

April 1 Agenda

8:00-9:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
Breakfast speaker: The Honorable Bob Dole,
former U.S. Senator, Kansas

9:30-10:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:30-9:40 a.m. Dr. Maureen Storey
9:40-10:00 a.m. Ted Smyth, Heinz

10:00-10:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Fruit and Vegetables
Consumption and Human Health
Dr. Johanna Dwyer, Tufts University

10:30-10:45 a.m. Q&A/Discussion

10:45-11:15 a.m. Break

Session 1: The Food Science of Lycopene
Moderator: Dr. Maureen Storey, Center for Food
and Nutrition Policy

11:15-11:45 a.m. Effects of Processing on Bioavailability of the
Functional Components in Tomatoes
Dr. Marisa Porrini, University of Milan, Italy

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Consumption Patterns of Tomato-Based Foods
Dr. Rich Forshee, Center for Food and
Nutrition Policy, Virginia Tech

12:15-12:45 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

12:45-1:45 p.m. Lunch

1:45-2:15 p.m. Luncheon Address
Speaker: The Honorable Michael Burgess, U.S.
Congressman, Texas, Doctor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology

Session 2: Lycopene and Men`s Health
Moderators Dr. David Yeung, H. J. Heinz Company
Dr. Venket Rao, University of Toronto

2:15-2:45 p.m. Emerging Role of Lycopene in Male Infertility
Dr. Narmada Gupta, All India Institute of
Medicine, New Delhi, India

2:45-3:15 p.m. Benefits of Tomatoes, From Crop to the Clinic
Dr. Steve Schwartz, Ohio State University

3:15-3:45 p.m. Break

3:45-4:15 p.m. Possible Mechanisms of Action of Lycopene in
Prostate Cells
Dr. Phyllis Bowen, University of Illinois, IL

4:15-4:45 p.m. Evidence for Reducing the Risk of Prostate
Cancer -- A Clinical Trial
Dr. Omer Kucuk, Wayne State University

4:45-5:15 p.m. Q&A and Panel Discussion

Adjourn

6:00-7:30 p.m. Evening Activity -- Congressional Reception

Rayburn House Office Building

Special guest: Mr. Lynn Swann, former
Pittsburgh Steeler, member of the Pro Football
Hall of Fame, and current Chairman of the
President`s Council on Physical Fitness and
Sports

Hosting the reception are H. J. Heinz Company
and Dr. Maureen Storey, Acting Director,
Center for Food and Nutrition Policy

[Einzelverkauf]