Preference Share Offer Update

Greencore Group PLC 9 March 2001 For immediate release Not for release, publication or distribution in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan Greencore Group plc ('Greencore') Cash offer for the preference share capital of Hazlewood Foods plc ('Hazlewood') Greencore announces that the Preference Share Offer for the Hazlewood Preference Shares, as set out in the offer document dated 2 February 2001 (the 'Offer Document'), has become unconditional as to acceptances and has also therefore become wholly unconditional. As at 3.00 p.m. on 8 March 2001, the second closing date of the Preference Share Offer, valid acceptances of the Preference Share Offer had been received in respect of 54,037 Hazlewood Preference Shares, representing 90.1 per cent. of the issued preference share capital of Hazlewood. The Preference Share Offer will remain open for acceptance until further notice. As stated in the Offer Document, the Offeror now intends to proceed with the compulsory acquisition of outstanding Hazlewood Preference Shares, and to procure the cancellation of listing and admission to trading of all the Hazlewood Preference Shares by the UK Listing Authority and London Stock Exchange. It is expected that such cancellations will take effect on or following 9 April 2001. Terms used in this announcement have the same meaning as in the Offer Document. Prior to the commencement of the Preference Share Offer Period, the Offeror owned no Hazlewood Preference Shares and, save as disclosed above, has not since acquired any interest in any Hazlewood Preference Shares. 9 March 2001 Enquiries: Greencore +353 1 605 1000 Ben Power Salomon Brothers International Limited, trading as Schroder Salomon Smith Barney ('Schroder Salomon Smith Barney'), which is regulated in the United Kingdom by The Securities and Futures Authority Limited, is acting for Greencore and the Offeror and no one else in connection with the Preference Share Offer , and will not be responsible to anyone other than Greencore and the Offeror for providing the protections afforded to customers of Schroder Salomon Smith Barney or for providing advice to any other person in relation to the Preference Share Offer.
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