ACNielsen Signs Welch's to Category Business Planner Contract; Welch's Lauds Common Language Offered by Category Management Tool.

Business Editors

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2002

ACNielsen U.S., an operating unit of ACNielsen, a VNU company, today announced that Welch's Foods, Inc. has become a client of its new category management intelligence system, Category Business Planner (CBP). Welch's, a leading producer of juices, jams and jellies, is using CBP in its work with SUPERVALU.

George Jackman, director, Customer Marketing, Welch's, said, "SUPERVALU is looking to Welch's for category management insight, and in particular, for answers to assortment and pricing questions. Category Business Planner is a cost effective means of obtaining SUPERVALU data, which has enabled us to have those discussions with SUPERVALU. This should strengthen our relationship with the retailer and yield improved business results for both Welch's and SUPERVALU."

Category Business Planner provides manufacturers with category and product sales information on a retailer-by-retailer basis, with the information organized according to each retailer's custom definitions of product categories. The only such information tool available in the consumer packaged goods industry, CBP automatically turns information into an analysis that appears onscreen and provides key category performance indicators in the form of "news headlines." Users simply click on a headline for more details.

Steve Carroll, ACNielsen senior vice president of Manufacturer Client Service, welcomed Welch's to the fast-growing list of leading-edge consumer packaged goods companies who are using CBP. "Category Business Planner was designed to make the inherently complex practice of category management much more efficient and profitable for all involved. We know that CBP will help drive Welch's business forward by adding new levels of speed, clarity, and retail partnership to its category planning process. This clearly positions Welch's for competitive advantage at SUPERVALU."

Welch's joins a growing list of manufacturers who have signed on for Category Business Planner, including Nestle USA and Reckitt Benckiser, and 17 retailers, including Meijer, SUPERVALU, Walgreens, Hannaford Bros., CVS, Eckerd, Longs Drug Stores, Winn-Dixie, Ahold USA, H-E-B, Giant Eagle, and Target.

ACNielsen, a VNU company, is the world's leading marketing information company. Offering services in more than 100 countries, the company provides measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics and consumer attitudes and behavior. Clients rely on ACNielsen's market research, proprietary products, analytical tools and professional service to understand competitive performance, to uncover new opportunities and to raise the profitability of their marketing and sales campaigns.

Note to Editors: Look for this press release and other ACNielsen news on the Internet at http://acnielsen.com/news. More information about Category Business Planner can be found at www.acnielsen.com/cbp.