Heinz Declares Quarterly Dividend

DIVIDEND DECLARATION

The Heinz Board declared the following dividends:

Common Stock

30.0 cents per share on the company's 25 cent par value CommonStock payable January 10, 2006 to shareholders of record at the closeof business on December 23, 2005.

Preferred Stock

42.5 cents per share on the company's Third Cumulative PreferredStock, $1.70 First Series, payable January 1, 2006 to shareholders ofrecord at the close of business on December 23, 2005.

SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within themeaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private SecuritiesLitigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statementsreflect management's view of future events and financial performance.These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions andother important factors, many of which may be beyond Heinz's controland could cause actual results to differ materially from thoseexpressed or implied in these forward-looking statements.Uncertainties contained in such statements include, but are notlimited to, sales, earnings, and volume growth, general economic,political, and industry conditions, competitive conditions, whichaffect, among other things, customer preferences and the pricing ofproducts, production, energy and raw material costs, the ability toidentify and anticipate and respond through innovation to consumertrends, the need for product recalls, the ability to maintainfavorable supplier relationships, achieving cost savings and grossmargins objectives, currency valuations and interest ratefluctuations, the ability to identify and complete and the timing,pricing and success of acquisitions, joint ventures, divestitures andother strategic initiatives, the success of Heinz's growth andinnovation strategy and the ability to limit disruptions to thebusiness resulting from the emphasis on three core categories andpotential divestitures, the ability to effectively integrate acquiredbusinesses, new product and packaging innovations, product mix, theeffectiveness of advertising, marketing, and promotional programs,supply chain efficiency and cash flow initiatives, risks inherent inlitigation and international operations, particularly the performanceof business in hyperinflationary environments, changes in estimates incritical accounting judgments and other laws and regulations,including tax laws, the success of tax-planning strategies, thepossibility of increased pension expense and contributions and otherpeople-related costs, the possibility of an impairment in Heinz'sinvestments, and other factors described in "Cautionary StatementRelevant to Forward-Looking Information" in the Company's Form 10-Kfor the fiscal year ended April 27, 2005. The Company undertakes noobligation to publicly update or revise any forward-lookingstatements, whether as a result of new information, future events orotherwise, except as required by the securities laws.

ABOUT HEINZ: H.J. Heinz Company, offering "Good Food, EveryDay(TM)," is one of the world's leading marketers and producers ofbranded foods in ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, seafood,snacks, and infant foods. Heinz satisfies hungry consumers in everyoutlet, from supermarkets to restaurants to convenience stores andkiosks. Heinz is a global family of leading brands, including Heinz(R)Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representingnearly one-third of total sales or close to $3 billion), HP(R) and Lea& Perrins(R), Ore-Ida(R) french fries and roasted potatoes, BostonMarket(R) and Smart Ones(R) meals, and Plasmon(R) baby food. Heinz's50 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.