PITTSBURGH—H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ) is pleased to announce that it ranked first in overall customer satisfaction among food processing companies for the 11th consecutive year in the American Customer Satisfaction Index™ (ACSI), which was released today.
Heinz led all food processing companies with an overall customer satisfaction score of 88, which also measures the Company’s performance in categories including quality, value, consumer loyalty, and consumer expectations. Heinz’s score was 7 points higher than the industry average, an increase of one point from a year ago.
The ACSI scores and rankings are based on customer evaluations of the quality of products and services available to household consumers in the United States. Heinz has held the ACSI’s number-one ranking among food manufacturers since 2000.
Commenting on the 2010 ACSI results, Heinz Chairman, President and CEO William R. Johnson said: “Heinz is proud to be recognized for the 11th year in a row as the food industry leader in satisfying U.S. consumers. Heinz has earned this Number One ranking and consistently outperformed our industry by staying true to our founder’s vision for customer satisfaction – quality, great taste, nutrition, innovation and value.”
“The fact that Heinz has ranked among the highest scoring of all companies in the ACSI is a testament to its longstanding ability to match a variety of high quality products to the personal tastes and preferences of its customers,” stated Claes Fornell, professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and founder of the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
First published in October 1994, the ACSI is a national economic indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of products and services available to household consumers in the U.S. and produced by both domestic and foreign firms with substantial U.S. market shares. ACSI reports scores on a 0-100 scale at the national level and produces indexes for 10 economic sectors, 45 industries (including e-commerce and e-business), and more than 225 companies and federal or local government agencies. In addition to the company-level satisfaction scores, ACSI produces scores for the causes and consequences of customer satisfaction and their relationships. The measured companies, industries and sectors are broadly representative of the U.S. economy serving American households.
ABOUT HEINZ: H.J. Heinz Company, offering “Good Food Every Day,”™ is one of the world’s leading marketers and producers of healthy, convenient and affordable foods specializing in ketchup, sauces, meals, soups, snacks and infant nutrition. Heinz provides superior quality, taste and nutrition for all eating occasions whether in the home, restaurants, the office or “on-the-go.” Heinz is a global family of leading branded products, including Heinz® Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing over one third of Heinz’s total sales), Ore-Ida® potato products, Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® entrees, T.G.I. Friday’s® snacks, and Plasmon infant nutrition. Heinz is famous for its iconic brands on six continents, showcased by Heinz® Ketchup, The World’s Favorite Ketchup®.