PILLSBURY REVEALS PLANS FOR PET BRANDS

JAMES TENSER

MINNEAPOLIS -- Pillsbury Co. here has revealed part of its plan for the Pet Inc. brands it acquired last month.

The company said last week that it has set up a separate business unit to manage the businesses.

Based here, the new unit is called Pillsbury Specialty Brands. It will market the Old El Paso, Progresso, Underwood, Van de Kamp's and Accent brands, all of which were included in the $2.6 purchase deal.

The company has named Richard H. Lenny president of the new unit, which represents about $1 billion in annual sales based on current levels. He reports directly to Paul Walsh, chief executive officer of Pillsbury, who has assumed the additional post of chairman and CEO of Pet.

Lenny, who is 43, joined Pillsbury following 17 years at Kraft Foods, where he was most recently senior vice president of sales and customer service.

Pillsbury also announced a realignment of its advertising agency roster, which reflects the added brands. The Old El Paso line of Mexican foods was assigned to Leo Burnett Worldwide, Pillsbury's primary agency for 50 years.