Form: SC 13G

Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

February 12, 1997

SC 13G: Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

Published on February 12, 1997


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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



SCHEDULE 13G


UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

(AMENDMENT NO. )*
---------


Central Garden and Pet Co.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)

153527106
--------------------------------------------
(CUSIP Number)


*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities,
and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).



Page 1 of 4 pages

CUSIP No. 153527106 13G Page 2 of 4 Pages



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
A I M Management Group Inc., on behalf of itself and its wholly-owned
subsidiaries, A I M Advisors, Inc. and A I M Capital Management, Inc.
I.D. No. 74-1881407

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) / /
(b) / /

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC USE ONLY



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION


State of Delaware
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 SOLE VOTING POWER

NUMBER OF

SHARES -------------------------------------------------
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY 823,500
------------------------------------------------
EACH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

REPORTING

PERSON ------------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
WITH

823,500
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON


823,500
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

6.7%

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*


HC
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



*SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!


Page 2 of 4 pages

SCHEDULE 13G



Item 1(a) NAME OF ISSUER:
Central Garden and Pet Co.

Item 1(b) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES:
3697 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite 310
Lafayette, CA 94549

Item 2(a) NAME OF PERSON FILING:
A I M Management Group Inc.

Item 2(b) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE:
11 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1919
Houston, Texas 77046

Item 2(c) CITIZENSHIP:
State of Delaware

Item 2(d) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES:
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share

Item 2(e) CUSIP NUMBER:
153527106

Item 3 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON:
Parent Holding Company, in accordance with section 240.13d-
1(b)(ii)(G)

Item 4(a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1996:
823,500 shares of common stock

Item 4(b) PERCENT OF CLASS:
6.7%

Item 4(c) DEEMED VOTING POWER AND DISPOSITION POWER:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: N/A
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 823,500
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: N/A
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: 823,500

Item 5 OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS:
N/A

Item 6 OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON:
N/A



Page 3 of 4 pages




Item 7 IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED
THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY:
A I M Advisors, Inc. and A I M Capital Management, Inc., Investment
Advisers registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers
Act

Item 8 IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP: N/A

Item 9 NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF A GROUP:
N/A

Item 10 CERTIFICATION:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such
purposes or effect.

SIGNATURE:
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement
is true, complete and correct.


Date: February 12, 1997 A I M Management Group Inc.


/s/ CAROL F. RELIHAN


Carol F. Relihan
Vice President,
Secretary and General Counsel



** Please call Sharon Poessel at (713) 214-1126 with questions regarding this
filing.





Page 4 of 4 pages