Kraft Foods Names Hefner to Lead Global Strategy & Business Development

Business Wire, May 19, 2004

Business Editors

NORTHFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2004

Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE:KFT), a global leader in branded foods and beverages, announced today that Linda Hefner, 44, has joined the company as Executive Vice President, Global Strategy & Business Development, effective June 1. Hefner will be responsible for corporate strategy and merger & acquisition activities for Kraft around the world. She will report to Roger Deromedi, Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods, and join the Kraft Executive Team. Hefner replaces David Owens, who is resigning at the end of May to reestablish his management consulting business in Florida, where his family and home are located.

Hefner brings to Kraft extensive experience in the consumer products industry, primarily at Sara Lee Corporation, where she has held a number of increasingly responsible strategy and marketing positions since 1989. Most recently, Hefner served as CEO of Sara Lee's Underwear, Socks and Latin America Group, with responsibility for the $2.5 billion Hanes brand, growing revenue through product innovation and consumer marketing, while simultaneously reducing costs.

"Linda brings to Kraft an outstanding track record of innovative leadership and strategic thinking," said Roger K. Deromedi, Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Foods. "Her global experience building strong consumer brands will serve us well going forward. I'd also like to thank Dave for his many significant contributions to Kraft, and I wish him well in his new endeavor."

Hefner also worked in management consulting at Ernst & Young. She has a BS and MS in Accounting from the University of North Texas and an MBA from Harvard University.

Kraft Foods markets many of the world's leading food brands, including Kraft cheese, Maxwell House and Jacobs coffees, Nabisco cookies and crackers, Philadelphia cream cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, Post cereals and Milka chocolates, in more than 150 countries.

For more information on Kraft Foods, please visit our website at www.kraft.com