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As you may already know, there was an announcement on February 19, 2004 that McNeil Nutritionals and Tate & Lyle are building on their successful partnership over many years by realigning their sucralose responsibilities.

In the new alignment, McNeil Nutritionals will retain responsibility for the global SPLENDA® Brand for both tabletop retail and food service. Tate & Lyle will assume responsibility for global sucralose ingredient sales. This realignment of responsibilities is a natural evolution of the long-term partnership that has nurtured the success of the SPLENDA® Brand. It strengthens the global opportunities for both companies, especially in light of the recent European Union's Directive approving the use of SPLENDA® Brand Sucralose.

This collaborative structure plays to the strengths of each company and ensures that our customers, wherever they are, receive enhanced service dedicated to their business sector.

Our primary goal is to ensure a seamless transition. As a valued customer, please be assured that during the transition period we remain committed to providing the same high level of service that you've come to expect.

This announcement is great news for the business:

Our customers and clients will benefit from a focused team that understands their business issues and is a partner in helping to achieve those business goals.
McNeil Nutritionals' unique strengths in brand building and health care professional marketing will be key drivers for the SPLENDA® Brand at retail and food service as we move forward with global expansion initiatives and increase our focus on providing nutritional solutions for heath and wellness issues.
Tate & Lyle's strengths in manufacturing, technical services and global sales networks will enable the company to meet the globalization potential for sucralose as an ingredient by offering Splenda® Brand Sweetener ingredient to customers alongside its existing range of value-added food ingredients and sweeteners.

A copy of the press release for this announcement is attached for your reference. Final approval is expected on or around March 31, 2004. As we move through the transition period, we will continue to keep you advised on the status of the process. Your McNeil sales contact will be following up with you in the near future to provide additional information. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact your McNeil sales representative directly.

Bob Kondraske
Vice President, Sales
McNeil Nutritionals



For Immediate Release

Press Contacts:
Monica Neufang Chris Fox
McNeil Nutritionals Tate & Lyle
215.273.8812 011 44 20 7626 6525

Investor Relations Contacts:
Helen Short Stan Panasewicz Mark Robinson
Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson Tate & Lyle
732.524.6491 732.524.2524 011 44 20 7626 6525

McNeil Nutritionals and Tate & Lyle Announce
Strategic Realignment of Sucralose Alliance

Ft. Washington, PA (February 19, 2004) – McNeil Nutritionals, Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, today announced the realignment of its sucralose agreements with Tate & Lyle PLC to better position sucralose and the SPLENDA® Brand for future global growth opportunities.

In the new agreements, Tate & Lyle will become the sole manufacturer and will be responsible for worldwide food and beverage ingredient sales of SPLENDA® Brand sucralose. McNeil Nutritionals will be responsible for the worldwide SPLENDA® Brand retail and food service business. Tate & Lyle will supply McNeil Nutritionals sucralose requirements on an exclusive basis. This realignment of responsibilities is a natural evolution of the long-term partnership that has nurtured the success of sucralose and the SPLENDA® Brand. The collaborative structure plays to the strengths of each company and ensures that customers, wherever they are, receive enhanced service dedicated to their business sector.

“With the impressive growth of both the retail market for SPLENDA Brand tabletop products, combined with the recent European Union approval of sucralose, the SPLENDA Brand Sweetener, this realignment will enable us to better serve our customers around the world,” said Brian Perkins, worldwide chairman, Consumer Pharmaceuticals & Nutritionals Group, Johnson & Johnson.

“Most importantly,” he continued, “the new realignment will build our SPLENDA Brand by maximizing global opportunities in retail and food service. McNeil Nutritionals will focus resources on marketing to consumers and healthcare professionals, while Tate & Lyle will provide outstanding supply-side capabilities to the food and beverage industry.”

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McNeil Nutritionals Announcement
February 19, 2004

“Growing the contribution from value-added and branded products is a key part of our strategy and acquiring the sucralose ingredients business is another significant step towards achieving this goal. Sucralose is ideally placed to meet consumer demands for reduced calorie options in many categories, including soft drinks, dairy and confectionery. We look forward to offering this impressive product alongside our existing range of food ingredients and sweeteners,” said Iain Ferguson, chief executive of Tate & Lyle.

He added, “We are pleased that our long-standing relationship with McNeil Nutritionals continues to be developed so that we are each best able to serve our customer base and benefit from the exciting growth opportunities that sucralose and the SPLENDA Brand offer.”

On closing, McNeil Nutritionals will transfer to Tate & Lyle the sucralose manufacturing plant in Alabama and other assets of the ingredient business, including intellectual property. The transaction is not expected to have a material impact on revenues or earnings of Johnson & Johnson.

The transaction is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust Improvement Act in the United States. Both companies expect to conclude this transaction by April 2, 2004.

About SPLENDA Brand
SPLENDA Brand products are produced by McNeil Nutritionals Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc. SPLENDA Brand No Calorie Sweetener products are available at U.S. retail stores in packet and granular form. SPLENDA Brand No Calorie Sweetener is also available to foodservice operators throughout the U.S. SPLENDA Brand Sweetener is used in more than 3,500 products of major food brands worldwide. More information about SPLENDA Brand and recipes, tips on cooking and baking with SPLENDA can be found at www.SPLENDA.com or by calling 1-800-7-SPLENDA (1-800-777-5363).

About McNeil Nutritionals
McNeil Nutritionals Division of McNeil-PPC, Inc. is a marketer of innovative nutritional products that are validated by science. Its major brands include SPLENDA® Brand No Calorie Sweetener (www.splenda.com), VIACTIV® Soft Calcium Chews (www.viactiv.com), LACTAID® Milk and Dietary Supplements (www.lactaid.com) and BENECOL® Spreads and SoftGels (www.benecol.com) that are proven to help reduce cholesterol.