As Aurora Foods Shows Improved Financial and Operating Results, CEO James T. Smith Assumes Additional Role of Chairman

St. Louis, MO - June 5, 2001 - Aurora Foods Inc. (NYSE: AOR), a leading producer and marketer of premium branded foods, delivers improved financial and operating performance, the Company today announced at its annual shareholder meeting here that President and Chief Executive Officer James T. Smith will assume the additional role of Chairman of the Board of Directors.

At the meeting this afternoon, Mr. Smith outlined the Company's three-part strategy to continue the Company's growth and deliver increased value to shareholders.

"To keep growing our business," Mr. Smith said, "we are putting increased emphasis on three programs: leveraging our strong brand equities, driving unnecessary costs out of the Company, and increasing our aggressiveness and skills capabilities. As we enter our next level of growth, we want to be faster, more aggressive and more opportunistic."

Aurora today also announced that it has elected William B. Connell, Chairman of EDB Holdings, Inc.; Stephen L. Key, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of J.D. Watkins Enterprises; and Jack Murphy, Managing Director of McCown DeLeeuw & Company, to its Board of Directors.

"All three of these new members bring very strong experiences in business management and consumer brands to the Aurora Board," said Mr. Smith. "They each have an outstanding track record of accomplishments over the years, and their experience and expertise will help make us a better Company. We have a very strong, diverse and talented Board of Directors guiding our Company, and I am honored to work with them as their Chairman."

Prior to joining EDB Holdings, Mr. Connell was President and Vice Chairman of Whittle Communications Inc., a major media company specializing in health and education programs. Between 1965-1989, he held various senior level positions at The Procter & Gamble Company Inc., with responsibilities for a wide array of businesses including such major brands as Tide, Crest, Mr. Clean and Pantene. Mr. Connell will become Chairman of the Board's Human Resource Committee. He also is a member of the Boards of Remington Products Company and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI).

Mr. Key joined Watkins Enterprises, a private microwave food and packaging company, in January 2001. Prior to this, and beginning in 1995, Mr. Key was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Textron, Inc., a $13 billion multi-industry conglomerate. From 1992-1995, he was Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of ConAgra, Inc., the second largest public retail food company in North America. Mr. Key will become Chairman of the Board's Audit and Compliance Committee.

Before joining McCown DeLeeuw, Mr. Murphy was a consultant at J&N Associates and Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Fresh Fields Markets, a chain of 22 retail outlets in eight states specializing in natural foods. Outgoing Aurora Chairman, Richard C. Dresdale, will remain a member of the Company's Board. "Jim's appointment as Chairman is a clear endorsement by the Board of his accomplishments in leading Aurora through its transformation this year," said Mr. Dresdale. "I look forward to continuing to work with Jim and the rest of the Board to deliver long-term value for Aurora."