Heinz Ketchup can't keep its new, distinctive personality and attitude bottled up any longer. For the first time in its history, Heinz Ketchup will express itself with unusual and humorous "talking labels'' on bottles sold in retail grocery stores for a limited time only. The wry messages on bottles are key ingredients in a groundbreaking global advertising campaign that aims to drive Heinz Ketchup usage and consumption among teens and their parents by giving one of the world's leading brands an edgy and contemporary attitude.

The global campaign created by Leo Burnett Company goes well beyond television advertising in its
aim to surround consumers with the theme: "Ketchup With Attitude.'' The ad campaign marks Heinz
Ketchup's return to television in a series of commercials that will unveil the brand's new personality.
The campaign will also feature radio and print advertising and special promotions that reach teens
with "talking label'' book covers, funky Heinz Ketchup post cards at malls, clubs and restaurants, as well as irreverent Heinz Ketchup ads on a proven teen destination - targeted Web sites on the
Internet. The global campaign will underscore the classic "thick and rich'' attributes of Heinz Ketchup while playing up how the popular condiment can be used any way consumers want.

"Heinz Ketchup will be communicating directly with consumers, especially teens, in a highly creative and offbeat way that conveys the brand's fun, new personality,'' said Joseph Jimenez, president and chief executive officer of Heinz North America. "Our message to teens is that Heinz Ketchup is a vehicle for self expression. It customizes food to reflect their personalities.''

Starting in late October, the new labels will replace traditional Heinz Ketchup labels on about half of
the bottles stocked by U.S. retailers, transforming the brand's famous keystone label - for a limited
time only - into a personalized billboard that "speaks'' to ketchup lovers. Each new label will feature
a "condiment quip'' printed in bold capital letters below the Heinz name, in the spot traditionally
reserved for the words, Tomato Ketchup. The quips include:

• ARE YOUR FRENCH FRIES LONELY?
• YOUR HOT DOGS WILL THANK YOU
• PUT HAMBURGERS ON IT
• PLAYS NICE WITH FRENCH FRIES
• PSST. OVER HERE
• MORE FUN TO SQUEEZE THAN TOOTHPASTE

"Teens are our key audience because although households with kids are the heaviest users of
ketchup, there is still plenty of growth potential,'' Jimenez said. "This global campaign will encourage teens to use even more ketchup at each meal and to use Heinz Ketchup in a creative way to personalize a wide variety of foods, not just hamburgers, french fries and hot dogs.''

Jimenez added: "For teens and their moms, the enduring message of this campaign is that Heinz
Ketchup, America's favorite condiment, makes eating fun. But the campaign also delivers a message to retailers and shareholders - that Heinz aims to revitalize the ketchup category and boost sales growth by investing significantly in creative advertising and marketing of our icon brand. Heinz expects these new labels to generate a buzz in the industry and smiles in the condiment aisle.''

The new labels will appear on 24 ounce and 36 ounce plastic squeeze bottles of Heinz Ketchup.
Heinz U.S.A. will ship the "talking label'' bottles to retailers in late September to arrive on shelf in late October. Retail shelf displays will include both the traditional Heinz Ketchup bottles as well as bottles featuring the fun, irreverent messages.

The company is also offering retailers a variety of in-store signage support that can be used in the
condiment aisle as well as throughout the store. "More Value Per Squirt'' will greet consumers at
shelf, and ``Food's Best Friend'' will serve as a friendly reminder on shelf signs and static clings,
reinforcing the brand positioning that Heinz Ketchup lets you eat foods the way you want to.
"Consumers will have only three months to collect the entire series of 'talking label' bottles so they'll
want to be sure and get all six before they're gone,'' Jimenez said.

Heinz Ketchup Resurgence

The new labels arrive amid a resurgence in Heinz Ketchup sales. The latest 52-week data for the
brand show a 12 percent rise in U.S. retail ketchup sales volume, reflecting the success of aggressive marketing and pricing initiatives. Overall, the Heinz share of the U.S. retail ketchup category is nearly 50 percent.

"We see the strong resurgence in Heinz Ketchup continuing this year as our advertising initiatives
create brand charisma and excitement,'' Jimenez said. "Heinz's goal is to grow its current 50 percent share of the U.S. ketchup market in the current fiscal year and to spur future growth of the category, primarily fueled by increases in teen consumption of Heinz Ketchup.''

Heinz Ketchup is the world's number one ketchup, with annual sales of more than $1 billion and twice the market share of its nearest competitor. Each year, Heinz U.S.A. produces more than one billion ounces of Heinz Ketchup. Outside the U.S., the popularity and usage of Heinz Ketchup is growing as fast-food outlets are helping to introduce ketchup to heavily populated, emerging markets. Heinz estimates that it has about one-third of the world's ketchup market.

Jimenez said that Heinz aims to boost ketchup consumption not only by encouraging consumers to
use more ketchup - and more often - on traditional "host'' foods, such as hamburgers and french fries in the U.S., but by encouraging new uses, as well. In Thailand, for example, teens dip potato chips in ketchup. Ketchup livens up pasta in Sweden. Asians enjoy ketchup on seafood. "Heinz Ketchup's uses are unlimited,'' Jimenez noted.

Statistics show households with teens are the heaviest users of ketchup. On average, a household
with teens between the ages of 13 to 17 consumes about 190 ounces of ketchup a year. That's
almost double the amount of ketchup consumed by the average household without kids. Jimenez
noted that Heinz's share of the teen market "has room to grow.''

With global sales of $2.4 billion, Heinz condiments/sauces are marketed in more than 75 countries
worldwide and represent the biggest category within Heinz USA. Heinz U.S.A., headquartered in
Pittsburgh, PA, is the largest U.S. affiliate of the H.J. Heinz Company. Heinz U.S.A. markets a family of pure food products nationwide, including Heinz Ketchup and other condiments, sauces, gravies, baby food, pickles and vinegar. Heinz Ketchup was introduced in 1876.

The H.J. Heinz Company, in its Fiscal 1999 annual report, highlights the global growth and appeal of Heinz Ketchup. The report cover features a traditional bottle of Heinz Ketchup and the slogan: Ketchup Goes Global. To download recipe and talking label photos, submit your own talking label message and to see and hear Heinz Ketchup advertisements, visit the Heinz web site at
www.Heinz.com. 

Company news release
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