Consumers Rank H.J. Heinz Company Number One In Annual American Consumer Satisfaction Index.

PITTSBURGH -- H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ) scored the highest of any company on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), issued Nov. 15 by the University of Michigan. Heinz has been the index's top-rated food company for six consecutive years. And, in this latest survey, it scored the index's highest-ever rating of 91 (out of 100), which was up three points from the company's score of 88 in 2004.

The index is produced by the University's Ross School of Business in partnership with the American Society for Quality and CFI Group, a consulting firm. The contents of the annual survey are based on data obtained from consumer telephone interviews regarding various products and services. The survey model is designed so customer satisfaction levels about various companies can be compared from year to year and across different categories and industries.

"We are extremely pleased to see the results of the ACSI," said William R. Johnson, Heinz Chairman, President and CEO. "We take enormous pride in providing the highest quality food products and outstanding service to our consumers. Their positive feedback is most gratifying. Our investments in innovation and quality clearly are making a difference."

According to the ACSI release earlier this week, customer satisfaction with food manufacturing on the whole scored an 82 and remains one of the most stable and high-scoring industries in ACSI.

The report noted that consumers found higher satisfaction in areas such as food, beer, cigarettes and apparel but lower rates of satisfaction with athletic shoes and pet food. The annual survey focuses on a different group of U.S. industries each quarter. The overall ACSI score for a given quarter factors in scores from about 200 companies in 40 industries and from government agencies over the previous four quarters.

ABOUT HEINZ: H.J. Heinz Company, offering "Good Food, Every Day(TM)," 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(R) Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing nearly one-third of total sales or close to $3 billion), HP(R) and Lea & Perrins(R), Ore-Ida(R) french fries and roasted potatoes, Boston Market(R) and Smart Ones(R) meals, and Plasmon(R) baby food. Heinz's 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by Heinz(R) Ketchup, The World's Favorite Ketchup(TM). Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.