H. J. Heinz Company Alerts Consumers to Fraudulent Lottery Scheme

Business Wire, Nov 20, 2006

PITTSBURGH -- H. J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ) was made aware today of a lottery scam being run by a group called the Metropolitan Lottery Commission. The scam involves consumers receiving a fake Heinz check. Consumers should not send the requested $2,860 to an (agency) of the Metropolitan Lottery Commission at a Nova Scotia address to cover so called clearance fees for their fictitious lottery winnings. The fake Heinz check is not legally valid and should not be deposited. Additionally, the fake check illegally uses the Heinz name and trademarks.

Heinz is shocked and disappointed by this scheme. Heinz reported the fraud today to the U.S. Attorney General's Office in Pittsburgh and is encouraging anyone who receives such a letter to contact their local authority.

ABOUT HEINZ: H. J. Heinz Company, offering "Good Food Every Day"(TM) is one of the world's leading marketers and producers of nutritious foods in ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant foods. Heinz provides superior quality, taste and nutrition to people eating at home, at restaurants, at the office and "on-the-go." 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), Ore-Ida[R] potato products, Weight Watchers[R](a) Smart Ones[R] entrees, Boston Market[R](a) meals, T.G.I. Friday's[R](a) snacks, and Plasmon infant nutrition. Heinz has number-one or number-two brands on five continents, showcased by Heinz[R] Ketchup, the world's favorite ketchup. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com.

(a) Weight Watchers on foods and beverages is the registered trademark of WW Foods, LLC and is used under license; Boston Market is a registered trademark of McDonald's Corporation and is used under license; T.G.I. Friday's is a trademark of T.G.I. Friday's of Minnesota, Inc. and is used under license.