Heinz 'Spreads It on Thick' with Heart-Healthy Message and New Lifestyle-Oriented Products at ADA Show

H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ), maker of America’s Favorite Ketchup™, presented new and existing lifestyle-oriented products during the 2006 American Dietetic Association Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (ADA FNCE) in Honolulu that will have consumers eating to their hearts’ content. "Consumers are more health and lifestyle conscious than ever, especially about matters of the heart. As food industry experts, it is our responsibility to help consumers meet their individual lifestyle and wellness goals with foods that are full of heart-smart attributes, like the antioxidant lycopene, and low in certain added ingredients, like sugar and salt, without sacrificing taste,” said Heinz Director of Global Nutrition, Ida Laquatra, Ph.D., R.D. At the Heinz booth, more than 4,000 members of the diet and nutrition community gathered to learn about heart-smart solutions and to sample the company’s latest lifestyle-oriented products, including the new Heinz® Reduced Sugar Ketchup with 75 percent less sugar, two-thirds fewer calories and only one gram of carbohydrates; new Classico® Organic in a Tomato Herbs and Spices flavor; new Smart One’s® Strawberry Shortcake with only 170 calories and four Weight Watcher’s® points; and the existing Heinz No-Salt Added and Organic Ketchups. While at the booth, visitors were also able to gather recipes, nutritional and other heart-health-related information. During a culinary demonstration with Heinz Executive Chef Alan McDonald, attendees saw first hand how to incorporate Heinz’s lifestyle-oriented products into meals that are both heart-smart and rich in the antioxidant lycopene. Media and other members of the diet and nutrition community were invited to have lunch with Dr. Ida Laquatra, who discussed the importance of a heart-healthy diet and the antioxidant benefits of lycopene, especially as it relates to cardiovascular health. Laquatra was joined by Dr. Penny Kris-Etherton, R.D., a leading architect of the recently released AHA Diet & Lifestyle Recommendations 2006, and Chef Bill Hunt, dean of culinary arts at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Kris-Etherton discussed how the Mediterranean diet can offer practical ways to incorporate heart-healthy foods into an everyday menu, and Hunt offered simple solutions and cooking techniques to enhance the flavor of heart-healthy dishes. About Heinz The H. J. Heinz Company, offering "Good Food, Every Day™,” is one of the world’s leading marketers and producers of branded foods in ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, seafood, snacks, and infant foods. Heinz satisfies hungry consumers in every outlet, from supermarkets to restaurants to convenience stores and kiosks. Heinz is a global family of leading brands, including Heinz® Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing nearly one-third of total sales or close to $3 billion), HP® and Lea & Perrins®, Ore-Ida® french fries and roasted potatoes, Boston Market® and SmartOnes® meals, and Plasmon® baby food. Heinz’s 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by Heinz® Ketchup, The World’s Favorite Ketchup™. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news. Available for interviews: Ida Laquatra, Ph.D., R.D., Director, Global Nutrition, H. J. Heinz Company Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., R.D., Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Penn State University and Scientific Advisory Board Member, Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association Chef Bill Hunt, Dean, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute