Tyson Foods Awarded for Excelling in Innovation; Company receives honor from Consumer Goods Technology

Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) has been honored for innovation in the consumer goods market, company officials reported today.

Tyson has been given an “Outstanding Achievement” award in the “Most Innovative Company” category from Consumer Goods Technology (CGT), an integrated media organization that covers the consumer goods industry. The company was one of six companies honored at CGT’s second annual Growth & Innovation Forum.

The awards were given to recognize those companies in the consumer goods market that are excelling in innovation, according to Lori Castle, publisher, CGT. “Innovation is a top challenge, and we are proud to acknowledge such leaders with our awards,” she said. Nominations came from consumer goods executives, industry analysts, consultants and technology vendors and the winners were selected by CGT’s Editorial and Research Advisory Boards.

Tyson was chosen because of the company’s investment in research and development (R&D) staff and facilities, as well as the processes needed to help drive new product innovation.

“We recognize innovation comes through building a strong R&D team and equipping them with the best tools and industry’s best food R&D facility,” said Hal Carper, senior vice president of Corporate Research and Development for Tyson Foods. “It also involves broadening our team’s knowledge beyond food and meat science to include culinary skills, and equipping the business to more effectively innovate and manage the life of our products.”

Tyson has established culinary training and development for its food technologists. In association with Johnson and Wales University and the University of Arkansas, all Tyson’s food technologists are receiving 120 hours of hands-on culinary training in preparation for Research Chefs Association “Certified Culinary Scientist” certification testing. Because of this commitment, Tyson already has more Certified Culinary Scientists on staff than any other company.

The company’s commitment to innovation has also been enhanced by the 2007 opening of its new Discovery Center, which CGT describes as “an industry-leading R&D complex designed to enhance Tyson’s ability to collaborate with customers to create new foods and bring them to market more quickly.” Located at Tyson headquarters in Arkansas, the facility includes 19 research kitchens and an adjacent multi-protein USDA-inspected pilot production plant, which allows retail and foodservice concepts to be brought quickly to market.

In addition, Tyson has also implemented product lifecycle management and product data management systems to help coordinate, track, and measure the creation, manufacture and use of new products.

About Consumer Goods Technology
Consumer Goods Technology is read by more than 25,000 senior-level business and technology executives in the various segments that comprise the consumer goods (CG) market. The CGT organization helps CG executives improve business performance through integrated media that delivers actionable insight, benchmark analysis and peer-to-peer networking.

About Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods, Inc. [NYSE: TSN], founded in 1935 with headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas, is the world’s largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef, and pork, the second-largest food production company in the Fortune 500 and a member of the S&P 500. The company produces a wide variety of protein-based and prepared food products and is the recognized market leader in the retail and foodservice markets it serves. Tyson provides products and service to customers throughout the United States and more than 80 countries. The company has approximately 104,000 Team Members employed at more than 300 facilities and offices in the United States and around the world. Through its Core Values, Code of Conduct and Team Member Bill of Rights, Tyson strives to operate with integrity and trust and is committed to creating value for its shareholders, customers and Team Members. The company also strives to be faith-friendly, provide a safe work environment and serve as stewards of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it.