Central Garden & Pet Appoints Timothy Cofer as CEO - Seite 2

Mr. Brown said, “On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank George and Sonny for their instrumental roles in positioning Central for success in the future. The Board and I look forward to working with Tim and could not be more excited about the direction we are headed in the future.”

Mr. Cofer brings to Central a proven track record of success in driving commercial operating excellence in both revenue growth and margin expansion, inspiring high performing teams to embrace a winning growth culture and leading significant M&A initiatives. He joins Central with over 30 years of business leadership experience across general management, corporate strategy, marketing, sales, R&D and innovation in the consumer products industry. Mr. Cofer most recently worked for over 25 years at Mondelēz International, where he held a variety of executive positions, including most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer. Previously, he successfully led two of Mondelēz’s largest and highest growth regions – its Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa region and its European region. He also held leadership roles in key Kraft Foods U.S. businesses as President, Oscar Mayer Foods and President, Kraft Pizza Company. Mr. Cofer received his MBA from the University of Minnesota and earned a BA in economics and political science from St. Olaf College.

Mr. Brown founded Central Garden & Pet in 1980 and served as its Chairman of the Board from 1980 to 2018. From 1980 to June 2003, Mr. Brown served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and also held the position from October 2007 to February 2013, when the Board re-appointed Mr. Brown to the post.

About Central Garden & Pet

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, producer and distributor of branded and private label products for the lawn & garden and pet supplies markets. Committed to new product innovation, our products are sold to specialty independent and mass retailers. Participating categories in Lawn & Garden include: Grass seed and the brands PENNINGTON, and THE REBELS; wild bird feed and the brand PENNINGTON; weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO, SEVIN, and OVER-N-OUT; fertilizer and the brands PENNINGTON and IRONITE; live plants from BELL NURSERY; and decorative outdoor patio products under the PENNINGTON brand. We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden brands and supplies. Participating categories in Pet include: Animal health and the brands ADAMS, COMFORT ZONE, FARNAM, HORSE HEALTH and VITA FLEX; aquatics and reptile and the brands AQUEON, CORALIFE, SEGREST and ZILLA; bird & small animal and the brands KAYTEE, Forti-Diet and CRITTER TRAIL; and dog & cat and the brands TFH, NYLABONE, FOUR PAWS, IMS, CADET, DMC, K&H Pet Products, PINNACLE and AVODERM. We also provide a host of other application-specific pet brands and supplies. Central Garden & Pet Company is based in Walnut Creek, California, and has approximately 5,400 employees, primarily in North America. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company’s website at www.central.com.