Welch's Celebrates 25th Jelly Jar Series With Limited Edition Pokémon Set

47 Year Tradition of Featuring Cartoons on Collectible Glasses Chronicles Pop Culture Icons of American Childhood

Concord, MA, April 1, 2000

The Flintstones. Bugs Bunny. Winnie-the-Pooh. Since 1953, Welch's has been imprinting America's favorite childhood icons on the faces of its jelly jars. Now, Welch's unveils its 25th collectible series featuring nine Pokémon characters including the ever-popular Pikachu, Togepi, Clefairy, Bulbasaur, Meowth, Squirtle, Charmander, Psyduck and Poliwhirl. The limited edition Pokémon jelly jars are now available in stores nationwide. Over 9 million 10-ounce Pokemon jelly jars will be produced for the series.

According to Linda Simensky, vice president of original animation for The Cartoon Network, cartoons such as Pokémon - which airs on the Kids' WB! Network - reflect the unique popular culture of each generation. "For the past 47 years, Welch's jelly jars have provided a wonderful pictorial chronology of the cartoon characters kids love. And these characters are tremendously important to children and adults alike. They are our friends. We grow up with them and weave them into the fabric of our life. By putting popular characters on merchandise, kids can take their 'friends' with them to school, have breakfast with them every morning, and ultimately hold onto them forever."

The Pokémon phenomenon started as a Nintendo® Game Boy® video game from Japan. To date, more than 13.5 million Pokémon video games have been sold in the U.S. Pokémon is the No. 1-rated children's show on both syndicated and network TV, and the first movie was released in November 1999.

"Welch's jelly jar series have held a special place in America's kitchen cabinets for almost 50 years," says Randy Papadellis, senior vice president of marketing at Welch's. "For the company's 25th series, we really wanted a character that mirrored what today's youth is passionate about. Pokémon was the clear winner."

Dr. Mark E. Chase, publisher of Collector Glass News, says that it is not just kids who are interested in the glasses. "Welch's jelly jars are hailed as one of a child's most favorite drinking glasses and are becoming a popular collectors item with Baby Boomers." An avid collectible drinking glass collector, Chase encourages people to hold onto or find their old jelly jars. In fact, if you think you have an old Flintstones or Howdy Doody jelly jar hanging around…find it! According to Chase, it could be worth as much as $75.

From now through July 31, children across the country can also enter the "Welch's Pokémon" coloring contest. The 100 contest winners will each win a Nintendo Game Boy. Contest details and entry forms are available by logging onto www.welchs.com or www.pokemon.com.

Welch's is the world's leading marketer of Concord and Niagara grape-based products, including grape juice and grape jelly. The company produces a variety of other fruit-based products, including 100 percent juices and juice cocktails in the following forms: bottled, refrigerated, single-serve, and frozen and shelf-stable concentrates. In addition, Welch's produces a number of fruit spread products.

Nintendo originally launched Pokémon in Japan for the world's best-selling Game Boy handheld video game system and watched the original 150 creatures evolve into a cultural phenomenon. The franchise arrived in North America in September 1998 with the release of the Pokémon Blue and Red Game Boy games and has grown into a $7 billion industry worldwide. Nintendo of America Inc. and its licensing agency, Leisure Concepts, Inc., a division of 4Kids Entertainment (NASDAQ:KIDE), have licensed the franchise to more than 150 U.S.-based companies whose products entertain millions of fans all over North America.

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