NORTHFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 16, 2001--Kraft Foods, (NYSE: KFT) a global leader in branded foods and beverages, announced today that it reached a series of agreements that makes ACNielsen the company's primary provider of marketplace measurement throughout most of the world. In addition, Kraft Foods North America has a new long-term agreement with Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) for select, strategic research services for all Kraft's brands in the United States.

Under the new agreement, ACNielsen will now provide retail measurement, consumer panel, decision support, and modeling and analytical services to Kraft Foods International in approximately 50 countries within Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East/North Africa. In addition, ACNielsen will create a separate client-service organization dedicated solely to working on the company's international business. The agreement covers all of the company's core categories, including beverages, snacks, cheese, convenient meals and grocery.

"This agreement allows us to consolidate our international marketplace measurement capabilities and share important consumer information across our different businesses throughout the world," said Roger K. Deromedi, Co-CEO, Kraft Foods, and President and CEO, Kraft Foods International.

Kraft Foods North America already has agreements in place with ACNielsen for a wide range of strategic marketing research services in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Under an expanded new U.S. agreement, ACNielsen will provide comprehensive research services across all divisions, including the new divisions created by the acquisition of Nabisco.

"Our new global relationship with ACNielsen gives us access to their best talent for managing our marketplace measurement needs worldwide and creating greater value for our business," said Betsy D. Holden, Co-CEO, Kraft Foods, and President and CEO, Kraft Foods North America. "We will be further strengthening our relationship with ACNielsen by adding our Nabisco brands to the US agreement."

In addition, IRI will provide Kraft Foods North America with certain specialized, high-value services in the United States. "Under our new agreement, IRI will provide additional resources for our U.S. business and sales organization, including their InfoScan review service and other analytic and audit services," said Mary Carroll, Vice President, Consumer Insights and Strategy, Kraft Foods North America. "The combination of services from ACNielsen and IRI will give us a strong array of information capabilities."

Kraft Foods markets the world's favorite food and beverage brands

• including Kraft cheese, Jacobs and Maxwell House coffees, Nabisco cookies and crackers, Philadelphia cream cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, Post cereals and Milka chocolates - in more than 140 countries.

ACNielsen, a company of VNU N.V., is the world's leading market research firm, offering measurement and analysis of marketplace dynamics, consumer attitudes and behavior, and new and traditional media in more than 100 countries. Clients include leading consumer product manufacturers and retailers, service firms, media and entertainment companies and the Internet community.

Information Resources, Inc. (Nasdaq: IRIC) is a leading provider of UPC scanner-based solutions to the consumer packaged goods industry, offering services in the U.S., Europe, and other international markets. IRI supplies manufacturers, retailers, and brokers with information and analysis critical to their sales, marketing, and supply chain operations, providing services designed to deliver value through an enhanced understanding of the consumer to a majority of the Fortune 500 companies in the consumer packaged goods industry.

For more information about Kraft Foods, please go to www.kraft.com.

For more information about ACNielsen, please go to www.acnielsen.com.

For more information about IRI, please go to www.infores.com.

CONTACTS: Kraft Foods North America