Dakota Growers Pasta Company Receives Kroger Outstanding Supplier Award for Third Straight Year Carrington, N.D. – May 12, 2003 – Dakota Growers Pasta Company announced today that it has been recognized as Outstanding Supplier for 2002 by The Kroger Co. This is the third straight year that Dakota Growers has been recognized among the top three percent of suppliers for this award. The selection is based on the highest standards for quality, service, and cost effectiveness. Dakota Growers supplies dry pasta among the Kroger, Fred Meyer, and Ralphs banners. “We appreciate this recognition from Kroger in 2000, 2001 and now, again in 2002,” says Jack Hasper, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Dakota Growers. “We constantly review the basics—product quality, customer service and cost effectiveness—and assure our customers that we deliver these day in and day out,” says Hasper. “It is a pleasure working with a company that excels in meeting our goals and providing quality and value to the consumer.” Originally organized in 1991 as a cooperative of durum wheat growers, Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc. continues as the third largest producer of dry pasta products in North America. Dakota Growers is the leading supplier of retail store brand pasta and a leader in the foodservice and ingredient pasta markets. Processing plants are located in Carrington, North Dakota and New Hope, Minnesota. The company employs approximately 435 people. For more information visit www.dakotagrowers.com Pictured left to right: Greg Roller, Marketing Manager, Kroger; Jack Hasper, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Dakota Growers; Nick Hahn, Director of Corporate Brands, Kroger; Eldon Buschbom, Vice President of Manufacturing, Dakota Growers; David Dillon, President, Kroger; Mike Cunningham, Sales Business Manager Central Division, Dakota Growers; David “Bud” Schneickert, Corporate Category Manager, Kroger.   Certain information included herein and other Company reports, SEC filings, statements and presentations contain discussion of some of our expectations regarding Dakota Growers Pasta Company’s future performance. These forward-looking statements are based on our current views and assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from these current expectations and projections, and from historical performance. For example, our future results could be affected by such factors as: the competitive dynamics in the U.S. pasta market, the rate of our unit volume growth and our product mix, and fluctuations in the cost and availability of supply-chain resources. Our 2001 Form 10-K contains further discussions of these matters, and can be found through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval (EDGAR) system at www.SEC.gov.