James V. Heim, President of Business Development

Glen Fleischer, President of Pet Products Division

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2009--Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ:CENT) (NASDAQ:CENTA) today announced the appointment of James V. Heim as President of Business Development and Glen Fleischer as President of the Pet Products Division.

"We believe these appointments will strengthen Central to take full advantage of the unique opportunities in today's marketplace," noted William Brown, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Central Garden & Pet Company. "Building on nearly five successful years as President of the Pet Products Division, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jim to the position of President of Business Development, reporting to me. In this new role, Jim will leverage his strong relationships with our major customers and his intimate knowledge of Central to drive new business opportunities in both the Garden and Pet operations. Additionally, he will help identify and form strategic alliances and other value creating investments for Central shareholders."

Succeeding Mr. Heim as the President of the Pet Products Division is Glen Fleischer.

"We are excited to have Glen join us. He brings to Central extensive experience in brand management and operations from leading, successful consumer product organizations. These skills will assist us as we continue our drive toward sustainable growth, improved market positioning and deepening our management strength."

Mr. Fleischer's prior professional assignments include Kraft Foods/Nabisco, Inc., Bayer Consumer Health Care, Kimberly-Clark Corporation and The Procter & Gamble Company. Mr. Fleischer's managed the Milk-Bone brand prior to its sale in 2006.

"Central is fortunate to have two strong executives of the caliber of Mr. Heim and Mr. Fleischer," concluded Mr. Brown. "By broadening and deepening our management team, we are further establishing a solid foundation for improved operational and financial results as we drive toward 'on profile' performance."

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn & garden and pet supplies markets. Committed to new product innovation, our products are sold to specialty independent and mass retailers in the following categories: In Lawn & Garden: Grass seed including the brands PENNINGTON(R) and THE REBELS(TM); wild bird feed and the brands PENNINGTON(R) and KAYTEE(R); lawn, weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO(R), SEVIN(R), IRONITE(R) and Over 'N Out(R); and decorative outdoor patio products and the brands NORCAL(R), NEW ENGLAND POTTERY(R) and MATTHEWS FOUR SEASONS(TM). We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden brands and supplies. Pet categories include: Animal health and the brands ADAMS(TM) and ZODIAC(R); aquatics and reptile and the brands OCEANIC(R), AQUEON(TM) and ZILLA(TM); bird & small animal and the brands KAYTEE(R), SUPER PET(R) and CRITTER TRAIL(R); dog & cat and the brands TFH(TM) / NYLABONE(R), FOUR PAWS(R), PINNACLE(R) and Avoderm(R); and equine and the brands FARNAM(R), BRONCO(R) and SUPER MASK(R). We also provide a host of other application-specific Pet brands and supplies. Central Garden & Pet Company is based in Walnut Creek, California and has approximately 4,600 employees, primarily in North America and Europe. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company's website at http://www.central.com/.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed November 26, 2008, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Central undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise.

CONTACT: Central Garden & Pet
Paul Warburg, 925-948-3686

Source: Central Garden & Pet Company