Central Garden & Pet to Present at Banc of America Securities and Sidoti & Company, LLC Conferences on January 9, 2004.

Business Editors

LAFAYETTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2004

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) announced today that Glenn Novotny, Central's President and Chief Executive Officer, will present to investors at the Sidoti & Company, LLC, First Annual Palm Beach Emerging Growth Institutional Investor Forum, and Stuart Booth, Chief Financial Officer, will present to investors at the Banc of America Securities Equity and High Yield Research Household Products Conference on January 9, 2004. A webcast of the Banc of America Securities presentation can be accessed live at 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, January 9, and by archive through January 23, 2004, via the following URL: http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/bas/household-products-2004/ id52107128.cfm (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field.)

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the pet and lawn and garden supplies markets. Our pet products include pet bird and small animal food, aquarium products, flea, tick, mosquito and other pest control products, edible bones, cages, carriers, pet books, and other dog, cat, reptile and small animal products. These products are sold under a number of brand names, including Kaytee, All-Glass Aquarium, Zodiac, Pre-Strike, Altosid, Nylabone, TFH and Four Paws. Our lawn and garden products include grass seed, wild bird food, weed and insect control products, decorative outdoor patio products and ant control products. These products are sold under a number of brand names, including Pennington, Norcal Pottery, Lilly Miller, Matthews Four Seasons, AMDRO and Grant's. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet, including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company's website at http://www.centralgardenandpet.com/.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical facts, including future earnings guidance, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks are described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, without limitation, the resolution of the litigation between the Company and The Scotts Company; any liabilities to which the Company may become subject as a result of the August 2, 2000 fire at its Phoenix distribution center; and the impact of any other outstanding or potential litigation.