In an effort to accommodate the growing demand for its premium fertilizers, Pennington Seed Inc., the world's largest packager of grass seed and bird feed, and a subsidiary of Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT), will offer its new Pennington line of premium fertilizers to lawn and garden retailers nationwide in fall 1999. With several varieties formerly available only through independent retailers, the fertilizers, formerly known as Penngreen(r), will be marketed as Pennington Fertilizers. The brand's new packaging will reflect the same colorful design and easy-to-follow instructions as Pennington's grass and wildflower seed mixtures.

The Pennington fertilizer line will be priced competitively, and Pennington's expanded marketing and advertising efforts will help increase product awareness and demand nationwide.

"The new packaging creates a uniform presentation of the entire Pennington product line - from grass seed and fertilizers to wildflower mixtures and wild bird feed," notes Dan Pennington, executive vice president and chief operations officer, Pennington Seed. "The brand loyalty we have established through our grass seed and bird feed products will carry over to our new family of fertilizers - satisfying retailers with complementary sales."

The Pennington Fertilizer family will initially consist of the following varieties: Lawn Food, Weed & Feed, Lawn Starter, Lawn Winterizer, Nursery & Landscape, Centipede/St. Augustine Food, Centipede/St. Augustine Weed & Feed, Crabgrass Preventer with Barricade, Rose Food, and Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Food. Many of these products are broken down into various concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to provide the best solution for each individual lawn. These products add a rich green color to a home lawn and help grasses maintain hardiness during extreme seasonal conditions.

"Our lawn foods contain Pennington's coated slow-release nitrogen, the proper ratio of N-P-K, and a rich package of micronutrients that our competition cannot match," Pennington explains.
As an added benefit to both retailers and consumers, the fertilizers' bright new packaging will be more informative than ever before. The particular use for each product will be prominently displayed on both sides of the bags, and even novices will find the color-coded, easy-to-understand instructions to be very user-friendly.

"We understand that not all homeowners are avid gardeners or lawn care enthusiasts, however, they still need to have the resources to properly maintain their yard," concludes Pennington. "Pennington Fertilizers will assist them by offering a superior line of products that eliminates all guesswork by providing informative, at-a-glance packaging."

Founded in 1945 by Brooks Pennington Sr., Pennington Seed is today owned by Central Garden & Pet Company. A leading manufacturer and distributor of lawn, garden, turf care, forage grasses, wild game and bird seed products, Pennington is also the largest packager of grass seed in the world. Central Garden & Pet reported 1998 revenues of more than $1.29 billion, with more than 3,900 employees and thousands of dealers nationwide.

Company news release
N2058