CATEGORY PERFORMANCE: FROZEN PASTA 2004-08-09 (1)

Dollar Sales $216,001,300 % Change From Last Year -7.17

ts, took a sales hit this past year, partially due to the low-carb craze. However, the category has also performed poorly in the previous two calendar years in all channels of trade.

For the 52 weeks ended June 13, sales dropped 7.1% to $217.3 million in the food, drug and mass channels. This decline followed dips of 5% in calendar year 2003 and 6% in calendar year 2002.

Supermarkets experienced the least amount of lost sales, recording a decrease of 7.2% to $216 million for the 52 weeks ended June 13. However, that sales drop has grown over the years, as the channel posted a sales loss of 5% in calendar 2003 and 6% in calendar 2002. Drug stores have not had success with the frozen pasta category for some time, a fact reflected in the sales drop of 33.5% for the year ended June 13. Calendar year 2003 proved even more unsuccessful, with drug stores posting a sales decline of 64.2%, following a loss of 21% in calendar year 2002.

Among the frozen pasta types suffering the largest losses in sales in the supermarket channel were manicotti, which saw sales drop by 11% to $4.9 million, and all other pasta/noodles, which posted a sales loss of 10% to $23.8 million. The pastas experiencing the smallest sales losses were pierogi, with sales dropping 2.7% to $49.6 million, and gnocchi, with sales dropping by 3.3% to $3.7 million.

Subcategories: 52-week sales; % change

FZ RAVIOLI: $95,703,310; -9.35

FZ PIEROGI: $49,609,220; -2.73

FZ TORTELLINI/TORTELLINI: $31,036,710; -4.74

FZ A/O PASTA/NOODLES: $23,802,790; -10.08

FZ STUFFED PASTA SHELL: $7,278,176; -6.51

FZ MANICOTTI: $4,865,156; -10.72

FZ GNOCCHI: $3,705,920; -3.33

Latest 52 weeks ended June 13, 2004.

Dollar Sales Latest 52 Weeks Ended June 13, 2004; % Change; Dollar Sales Calendar Year Ended Dec. 28, 2003; % Change; Dollar Sales Calendar Year Ended Dec. 29, 2002; % Change

Supermarkets: $216,001,300; -7.17; $225,027,700; -4.91; $236,638,200; -5.59

Drug: $56,782; -33.46; $63,323; -64.24; $177,088; -20.80

F/D/MX: $217,334,300; -7.13; $226,362,500; -4.96; $238,164,600; -5.56