Central Garden & Pet to Provide Business Update in Conjunction with Its Presentation at the Oppenheimer Consumer Conference

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA), a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the lawn and garden and pet supplies markets, announced today that it will give a general overview and brief business update today at the Oppenheimer Annual Consumer Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. Gus Halas, President & CEO of Central Operating Companies and Lori Varlas, Chief Financial Officer, will be presenting at 1:00 p.m. ET. The live audiocast and presentation materials may be accessed on the Investor section of Central’s website at http://ir.central.com.

The Company will announce at the conference that its sales quarter-to-date through May were up significantly over the prior year period, driven by strength in its Pet segment. Sales in its Garden segment were relatively flat. Operating margins in both its Pet and Garden segments rose quarter-to-date through May compared with the same period a year ago. The Company expects to report its third quarter earnings for the period ended June 23, 2012 in early August.

About Central Garden & Pet

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. Participating categories in Lawn & Garden include: Grass seed and the brands PENNINGTON®, SMART SEED® and THE REBELS®; wild bird feed and the brand PENNINGTON®; weed and insect control and the brands AMDRO®, SEVIN®, IRONITE® and OVER-N-OUT®; and decorative outdoor patio products and the brands NORCAL POTTERY®, NEW ENGLAND POTTERY® and MATTHEWS FOUR SEASONS™. We also provide a host of other regional and application-specific garden brands and supplies. Participating categories in Pet include: Animal health and the brands ADAMS™ and ZODIAC®; aquatics and reptile and the brands OCEANIC SYSTEMS®, AQUEON® and ZILLA®; bird & small animal and the brands KAYTEE®, SUPER PET® and CRITTER TRAIL®; dog & cat and the brands TFH™, NYLABONE®, FOUR PAWS®, PINNACLE® and AVODERM®; and equine and the brands FARNAM®, VITA FLEX® and HORSE HEALTHTM PRODUCTS. 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 4,000 employees, primarily in North America. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet Company, including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company’s website at www.central.com.