Winn-Dixie and Unilever Bestfoods Join Hands to Help Hungry

Companies to Match Customer Donations to Seasons of Giving Program

Contact:
Sue Hofer, America's Second Harvest, 312/263-2303 x127
Joanne R. Gage, Winn-Dixie, 904/370-7460

Jacksonville, FL -- November 26, 2002 -- Beginning November 29 through December 31, 2002, Winn-Dixie customers can reach out to help ease hunger in their community by participating in the Seasons of Giving program. The Seasons of Giving campaign gives Winn-Dixie shoppers the opportunity to donate money at checkout to America's Second Harvest food banks and food-rescue affiliates. Winn-Dixie and Unilever Bestfoods will then match those donated funds up to $100,000.

Throughout the duration of the Seasons of Giving program, shoppers in every Winn-Dixie store can help make a real difference by donating money to feed the hungry in their community. Contributions can be made in increments of $1 or $5 as indicated on donation slips attached to each cash register at checkout. Customers simply tear off a donation slip and the designated contribution amount gets scanned by the cashier and credited to the Seasons of Giving campaign. To further acknowledge the giving spirit, customers who contribute can write their name on the individual donation slip and Winn-Dixie will display them in the store to showcase shoppers' generosity.

Upon completion of the Seasons of Giving campaign, donated funds will be matched up to $100,000 by Winn-Dixie and Unilever Bestfoods. Those proceeds will be distributed to America's Second Harvest affiliates in the various communities throughout Winn-Dixie's operating area.

"We are proud to partner with Unilever Bestfoods in this very worthwhile effort to help those in need of life's most basic necessity, food," said Al Rowland, Winn-Dixie president and CEO. "We humbly appreciate our loyal customers who choose to join with us this season to help make a real difference and help end hunger in our communities."

America's Second Harvest is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. The mission of America's Second Harvest is to feed hungry people by soliciting and distributing food and grocery products through a nationwide network of certified affiliate food banks and food-rescue organizations to educate the public about the nature of and solutions to the problem of hunger in America.

To help shoppers fight hunger in their local communities, collected donations will be distributed to the local America's Second Harvest affiliate food bank or food-rescue organization that serves the community where the funds were raised. "This program comes to us at such an important time," said Robert Forney, President and CEO of America's Second Harvest. "Across thecountry our network of food banks and food rescue organizations are experiencing an increase in demand, and this program will allow people to help their neighbors in need."

Headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WIN) operates more than 1,070 stores in 12 states and the Bahamas. The Company, founded in 1925, is one of the largest food retailers in the nation employing more than 112,600 associates. Al Rowland serves as President and Chief Executive Officer. For more information, please visit Winn-Dixie on the web at www.winn-dixie.com.