Milk-Bone(R) Takes Manhattan ... America's Favorite Dog Snack Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary in a Big Way by Building the World's Largest Dog House in Times Square

New York City is officially in the dog house … the Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House, that is. Milk-Bone® brand announced today the celebration of its 100th Anniversary (that’s 700 in dog years) by throwing an un-fur-getable celebration that’s sure to have tails wagging. The brand’s canine-centric celebration will feature the world’s largest dog house — The Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House that will be located in Times Square’s Military Island on Wednesday, May 21 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Starting at 11 a.m., Milk-Bone® brand will be hosting an exclusive media event at the Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House. Immediately following the media event, at approximately 11:30 a.m., the Dog House will then open its doors to all of its four-legged friends, as well as their pet parents. The 480-square-foot Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House, which is covered with more than 100,000 Milk-Bone® dog biscuits, features: autographed photos of celebrity dog lovers and their four-legged family members (from Paris Hilton and her dog Tinkerbell, to Amy Smart and her dog Oscar); an elaborate cake created by the Food Network’s "Ace of Cakes”; a pet psychic to do ”paw-readings”; doggy dancing demonstrations; and lots of Milk-Bone® dog snacks provided by the friendly ”bark-tenders.” Starting at 11 a.m., Milk-Bone® brand will be hosting an exclusive media event at the Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House. Ivanka Trump will be making a special appearance to share the moment with her precious pooch. During the media event, celebrity friends of Milk-Bone® will dedicate the Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House to the millions of dogs – past, present and future – who have made, and will continue to make Milk-Bone® products America’s favorite dog snack. In addition, the Milk-Bone® brand will present a $1 million donation in honor of its Milk-Bone Canine Heroes™ program, a longstanding national outreach program that provides canine assistance service dogs to individuals with physical disabilities, as well as police dogs for law enforcement agencies. "For the last 100 years, Milk-Bone® has been the Gold standard for dog snacks. We are thrilled to celebrate this incredible milestone and want to thank the millions of dogs, as well as their pet parents, who make Milk-Bone® dog snacks a special part of their lives,” said Matthew Park, Vice President Marketing, Del Monte Foods. "Today, we are celebrating 100 years of special, silly, heart-warming, and magical moments with our four-legged friends throughout the years — and we look forward to celebrating many more wonderful moments for years to come.” Say CHEESE ... And Get Ready for Your Milk-Bone Moments™ Close-up Pet photographer to the stars Christopher Ameruoso will also be on hand at the 100th Anniversary celebration. Christopher donated 10 of his favorite photos of celebrity pet parents and their precious pooches for the celebrity paw-tograph auction, including Amy Smart, Paris Hilton, Nicollette Sheridan and many other Hollywood favorites. These beautiful photos, which have been autographed by both the dog and their famous pet parent, will be decorating the walls of the Milk-Bone Moments™ Dog House. After the 100th Anniversary celebration, the signed photos will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to benefit Canine Assistants. Visit www.Milk-Bone.com for more information. "I am so excited to be a part of the Milk-Bone® brand’s 100th Anniversary celebration! The Canine Assistants program is so inspiring and is making a real difference in the recipients’ lives. It is exciting to know that the money raised from my work will be going towards the donation of highly-trained service dogs to humans in need across the country,” said Christopher Ameruoso. "I always set out to take photos that capture the special bond that my clients have with their pets and I love that these photos are being used to raise money for such an outstanding and worthy cause.” Nationwide Search for America’s First-ever Milk-Bone® SpokesDog As part of the year-long Anniversary celebration, pet parents can enter their most memorable Milk-Bone Moment™ in the Make a Milk-Bone MomentTM contest by visiting the brand’s Web site – www.Milk-Bone.com. Milk-Bone® brand is looking for dogs and their pet parents to show what it means to have a Milk-Bone Moment. Almost any dog can do tricks, but in celebration of 100 years, Milk-Bone brand is looking for pictures and videos that capture those irreplaceable, special times that you have with your best friend. The contest will recognize the top 100 Milk-Bone Moments, moments of joy that strengthen the bond between a pet and his or her pet parent — a head on your lap when you are snuggling on the couch together, a little dance when he learns you are taking a walk together or even a sloppy kiss on the cheek to remind you how much he loves you. One lucky dog who shares the most memorable moment with his or her pet parent, and meets all of the contest winner requirements in the contest rules, will win the Make a Milk-Bone Moment™ Grand Prize — a $100,000 contract to serve as the first-ever Milk-Bone® 100th Anniversary SpokesDog, plus a digital camera to record the year’s activities. Ninety-nine runners up will also receive a digital camera to continue capturing those special Milk-Bone Moments™. Pet parents have until September 18, 2008 to enter their four-legged friends into the Make a Milk-Bone MomentTM contest. Big Plans for Milk-Bone® Brand’s Yearlong 100th Anniversary Celebration In addition to the Make a Milk-Bone Moment™ contest and the 100th Anniversary celebration, Milk-Bone® brand will continue its yearlong celebration by hitting the road to celebrate with its four-legged friends. Kicking off this spring, the Make A Milk-Bone Moment™ contest mobile tour will be stopping in 14 cities nationwide to bring the 100th Anniversary celebration to the brand’s four-legged fans. In addition to providing an unforgettable opportunity to interact, play and create new Milk-Bone Moments™, as well as enjoy free product samples, the tour will give pet parents and their dogs an opportunity to enter the Make A Milk-Bone Moment™ contest. For more information about the Make A Milk-Bone Moment™ contest and to learn more about the Milk-Bone® 100th Anniversary celebration, visit www.Milk-Bone.com. About Milk-Bone® Brand Milk-Bone® is a leading and trusted dog snack brand and markets a complete line of dog biscuits, chewy treats, long-lasting chews and crunchy treats. Since 1908 when the first Milk-Bone® Original dog biscuit was sold, the Milk-Bone® brand has made high-quality dog snacks that excite dogs and their pet parents! Today, dogs wag their tails for Milk-Bone® Original Biscuits, Milk-Bone® Flavor Snacks®, Milk-Bone® Chewy Treats, Milk-Bone® SteakChew®, Milk-Bone® Mar-O Snacks™ crunchy treats and Milk-Bone® Original Dog Treats. For more information about Milk-Bone products, visit www.Milk-Bone.com. About Del Monte Pet Products At Del Monte, our pet products nourish and enrich the lives of pets and pet parents by providing great-tasting, high-quality and innovative products for dogs and cats and by encouraging them to enjoy an active lifestyle together. With trusted brands including Meow Mix®, Kibbles ‘n Bits®, 9Lives®, Snausages®, Pup-Peroni®, Milk-Bone®, Meaty Bone® and Pounce®, our products enrich the connection between people and the pets they love. As a premier provider of taste-oriented pet food and pet snacks, our products play a key role in the lives of millions of pet families everyday. About Del Monte Foods Del Monte Foods is one of the country's largest and most well known producers, distributors and marketers of premium quality, branded food and pet products for the U.S. retail market, generating more than $3.4 billion in net sales in fiscal 2007. With a powerful portfolio of brands including Del Monte®, StarKist®, S&W®, Contadina®, College Inn®, Meow Mix®, Kibbles 'n Bits®, 9Lives®, Milk-Bone®, Pup-Peroni®, Meaty Bone®, Snausages® and Pounce®, Del Monte products are found in nine out of ten U.S. households. The Company also produces, distributes and markets private label food and pet products. For more information on Del Monte Foods Company (NYSE:DLM) visit the Company’s website at www.delmonte.com. Del Monte. Nourishing Families. Enriching Lives. Every Day.™