WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 2005--Central Garden & Pet Company (Nasdaq:CENT) today announced that it has acquired certain intellectual property assets from Shirlo, Inc. including the company's exclusive marketing rights to etofenprox, a leading edge technology insect adulticide approved for on-animal use, for approximately $10 million.

"This acquisition is an important step in our strategy to develop new, high-margin products for both professional and consumer lawn & garden and pet insect control marketplaces," noted Glenn Novotny, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Etofenprox combined with our larvicide (S)-Methoprene enables us to produce innovative new products that combine both active ingredients for more effective insect control solutions for pet and garden uses. Adulticide products kill insects on contact and larvicides kill insects before they hatch."

The acquired assets will be combined with Wellmark International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Central. Wellmark is the primary producer of the larvicide (S)-Methoprene, an active ingredient used to control mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, ants and other insects used in leading professional and consumer insect control applications.

Shirlo, Inc. will continue to serve its customers as a contract manufacturer of aerosols and liquid products.

Central's leading brands of active ingredient based-products include Zodiac flea and tick control; Altosid and PreStrike mosquito control for professional and consumer usage; AMDRO fire ant control; Grant's household and garden ant control and Eliminator weed and grass control manufactured exclusively for Wal*Mart. In addition to Central's brands, (S)-Methoprene is licensed to other manufacturer's of insect control products.

The assets acquired from Shirlo, Inc will not materially contribute to Central's financial performance in fiscal 2006 and fiscal 2007.

Central Garden & Pet Company is a leading innovator, marketer and producer of quality branded products for the pet and lawn and garden supplies markets. Our pet products include pet bird and small animal food, aquarium products, flea, tick, mosquito and other pest control products, edible bones, cages, carriers, pet books, and other dog, cat, reptile and small animal products. These products are sold under a number of brand names, including Kaytee, Super Pet, All-Glass Aquarium, Oceanic, Kent Marine, Energy Savers Unlimited, Zodiac, Pre-Strike, Altosid, Nylabone, TFH, Four Paws and Interpet. Our lawn and garden products include grass seed, wild bird food, weed and insect control products, and decorative outdoor patio products. These products are sold under a number of brand names, including Pennington, Norcal Pottery, New England Pottery, GKI/Bethlehem Lighting, Lilly Miller, Matthews Four Seasons, Cedar Works, AMDRO, Grant's, Sevin and Over'n Out. For additional information on Central Garden & Pet , including access to the Company's SEC filings, please visit the Company's website at http://www.central.com/.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this release which are not historical facts, including future earnings guidance, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied by forward-looking statements. These risks are described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Central undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise.

    CONTACT: Central Garden & Pet

             Paul Warburg, 925-948-3686

    SOURCE: Central Garden & Pet Company