Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard Still Golden, Captures Gold in 2005 World-Wide Mustard Competition

    IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2005--
 

  New York's #1 Mustard Wows Napa Valley; Fenway Hot Dog Lovers Still
                        Call Gulden's Their Own

In a town where wine reigns supreme, Napa, Calif., Gulden's(R) Spicy Brown once again proved that 1862 was a vintage year for mustard.

Gulden's Spicy Brown, the nation's best-selling brand of brown mustard, won Gold as Best Deli/Brown Mustard at the 2005 Napa Valley Mustard Festival World-Wide Mustard Competition this past March. Gulden's has earned its reputation as a standard-bearer, having been acclaimed first in 1869 with an award from the American Institute of the City of New York - the gold medal that is still featured on its label today.

In New York, Gulden's Spicy Brown is the city's top-selling mustard, found everywhere from street-corner hot dog carts to such landmark locations as the Statue of Liberty, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Central Park Zoo. Gulden's also accompanies hot dogs, sandwiches and sides at some of America's most revered venues, including Fenway Park where Gulden's tops its famed Fenway Franks served in soft split-top white bread buns.

From condiment to accompaniment, the great zesty taste of Gulden's more than just passes muster.

Another Golden Honor

This year's Napa Valley Mustard Festival World-Wide Mustard Competition was overseen by the curator of "America's favorite condiment museum," Barry Levenson of the Mount Horeb (Wisc.) Mustard Museum. More than 300 mustards from four countries were judged. Among the specialty deli/brown mustard brands entered, Gulden's was judged to be best based on its mustard qualities, suitability for deli meats, and overall taste.

"When I saw the smiles on the faces of our judges, I knew they had found the perfect mustard for their corned beef sandwiches, hot pastrami, and hot dogs," said Levenson, whose museum boasts the world's largest mustard collection. "Our judges also had available a list of ingredients contained in each of the mustards in the final round; the simplicity of the all natural ingredients in Gulden's was certainly reassuring. As for me, a die-hard Red Sox fan, I'm delighted that the mustard of my youth - and the mustard served at Fenway Park - earned the recognition it deserves."

"The recognition by the Napa Valley Mustard Festival demonstrates that Gulden's continues to have that perfect zesty taste that seven generations of mustard lovers have come to love," said Valerie Sheppard, vice president, condiments, ConAgra Foods.

Gulden's Goes Great with Grilling

Although many have tried to duplicate Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard, the coveted blend of select seeds and spices, strict adherence to a formula that has been closely guarded for over 100 years, and patented production process safeguards Guldens' reputation as the gold standard of the brown mustard industry.

Its unique zest makes Gulden's a great ingredient for recipes of all types. In addition to pairing perfectly with hot dogs and hamburgers, Gulden's spices up sandwiches and adds pizzazz to picnics, as in this potato salad recipe.

    Made-in-Minutes Potato Salad
    ----------------------------

    Ingredients:

            2 pounds small red skin potatoes (about 20), well scrubbed

            1/3 cup Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard

            1/2 cup mayonnaise

            1/2 cup finely chopped celery (about 2 ribs)

            2 green onions, sliced thinly (about 1/4 cup)

    Directions:

    1. Pierce the skin of potatoes a few times with fork. Arrange
       whole potatoes on paper towel in a circle in microwave oven.
       Microwave on HIGH power 10 minutes or until fork tender.

    2. Cool potatoes 5 minutes; cut each into 8 bite-size pieces
       leaving skin on. Spread potatoes on baking sheet and allow
       potatoes to cool 5 more minutes.

    3. Mix together mustard, mayonnaise, celery, and half of green
       onions in large bowl. Add potatoes; blend until well coated
       with mustard mixture. Garnish with remaining onions. Serve
       immediately or chill.

            Prep time: 10 minutes

            Total time: 20 minutes

            Servings: 6 (about 1 cup each)

The History of Gulden's Mustard

Charles Gulden established his mustard company in 1862 near the South Street Seaport in New York City. From the port, Gulden purchased the imported seeds and spices that earned his mustard its prestigious award from the American Institute in 1869. By 1883, Gulden was producing over 30 kinds of mustard in addition to bottled olives, capers, Worcestershire sauce, cottonseed oil and catsup.

Charles Gulden, Jr., took over the business in 1911 and began focusing exclusively on mustard. Just after celebrating the 100th birthday of the business, a third Charles Gulden, grandson to the founder, sold the company to American Home Foods - which was later purchased by ConAgra Foods - and manufacturing was relocated to Milton, Pa., where Gulden's mustards are made to this day.

Gulden's Spicy Brown mustard was recognized again in 1883 by the American Institute "for exceptional quality and flavor, pride and innovation." It was the only mustard recognized with an award at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, and later earned awards at the Paris Exposition in 1900 and the Sesquicentennial International Exposition in Philadelphia in 1926.

Today, Gulden's Spicy Brown Mustard can be found at dozens of ballparks and arenas nationwide, including Shea Stadium, Wrigley Field, Meadowlands Arena, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, and even Heinz Field.

About ConAgra Foods

ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE:CAG) is one of North America's largest packaged food companies, serving consumer grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular ConAgra Foods consumer brands include ACT II, Armour, Banquet, Blue Bonnet, Brown 'N Serve, Butterball, Chef Boyardee, Cook's, Crunch 'n Munch, DAVID, Decker, Eckrich, Egg Beaters, Fleischmann's, Golden Cuisine, Gulden's, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt's, Kid Cuisine, Knott's Berry Farm, La Choy, Lamb Weston, Libby's, Life Choice, Lightlife, Lunch Makers, MaMa Rosa's, Manwich, Marie Callender's, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM, Parkay, Pemmican, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip, Rosarita, Ro*Tel, Slim Jim, Snack Pack, Swiss Miss, Van Camp's, Wesson, Wolf and many others. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.

    CONTACT: ConAgra Foods Inc.
             Ron Antonette, 949-437-1386
             ron.antonette@conagrafoods.com
             or
             Ketchum
             Deanne Yamamoto, 310-584-8300
             www.conagrafoods.com

    SOURCE: ConAgra Foods Inc.