Full Description

H. J. Heinz Company, incorporated on July 27, 1900, and its subsidiaries manufacture and market a line of processed food products throughout the world. The Company’s principal products include ketchup, condiments and sauces, frozen food, soups, beans and pasta meals, infant food and other processed food products. The Company operates in five segments: North American Consumer Products, Europe, Asia/Pacific, U.S. Foodservice and Rest of World. The Company’s products are manufactured and packaged to provide foods for consumers, as well as foodservice and institutional customers. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2009 (fiscal 2009), the Company acquired Benedicta, a sauce business in France; Golden Circle Limited, a fruit and juice business in Australia; La Bonne Cuisine, a chilled dip business in New Zealand, and Papillon, a South African producer of chilled product.

Many products are prepared from recipes developed in the Company’s research laboratories and experimental kitchens. Ingredients are selected, washed, trimmed, inspected and passed on to factory kitchens where they are processed, after which the intermediate product is filled automatically into containers of glass, metal, plastic, paper or fiberboard, which are then sealed. The Company’s products are processed by sterilization, homogenization, chilling, freezing, pickling, drying, freeze drying, baking or extruding, then labeled and cased for market.

The Company manufactures and contracts for the manufacture of its products from a variety of raw foods. Pre-season contracts are made with farmers for a portion of raw materials, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, onions and some other fruits and vegetables. Ingredients, such as dairy products, meat, sugar and other sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup, spices, flour and certain other fruits and vegetables are generally purchased from approved suppliers. The Company also owns or leases office space, warehouses, distribution centers and research and other facilities throughout the world.

North American Consumer Products

The North American Consumer Products segment primarily manufactures, markets and sells ketchup, condiments, sauces, pasta meals, and frozen potatoes, entrees, snacks, and appetizers to the grocery channels in the United States and includes its Canadian business. The North American Consumer Products segment consists of the sales of Smart Ones frozen entrees and desserts, Boston Market frozen entrees and Classico pasta sauces.

Europe

This segment includes the Company’s operations in Europe, including Eastern Europe and Russia, and sells products in all of the Company’s categories. The Europe segment includes sales of Heinz ketchup across Europe, soup, beans and pasta meals in the United Kingdom, Pudliszki branded products in Poland, and Heinz sauces and condiments in Russia.

Asia/ Pacific

The Asia/ Pacific segment includes sales of soy sauce and beverages in Indonesia, LongFong frozen products in China and nutritional products in India. This segment includes the Company’s operations in New Zealand, Australia, India, Japan, China, South Korea, Indonesia, and Singapore. This segment’s operations include products in all of the Company’s categories.

U.S. Foodservice

The U.S. Foodservice segment primarily manufactures, markets and sells branded and customized products to commercial and non-commercial food outlets and distributors in the United States. It also includes ketchup, condiments, sauces, and frozen soups, desserts and appetizers.

Rest of World

The Rest of World segment includes the Company’s operations in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. The segment sells products in all of the Company’s categories.