HEINZ H J CO
DEF 14A, 1994-08-05
CANNED, FROZEN & PRESERVD FRUIT, VEG & FOOD SPECIALTIES
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<PAGE>
  
                           SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
 
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(A) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                             (AMENDMENT NO.    )

Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [ ]
 
Check the appropriate box:
 
[ ] Preliminary Proxy Statement
[X] Definitive Proxy Statement
[ ] Definitive Additional Materials
[ ] Soliciting Material Pursuant to (S)240. 14a-11(c) or (S)240. 14a-12

                             H.J. Heinz Company
               -----------------------------------------------       
               (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
 
                             H.J. Heinz Company
                  ------------------------------------------
                  (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement)
 
Payment of Filing Fee (check the appropriate box):

[X] $125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), or 14a-6(j)(2).
[ ] $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
    14a-6(i)(3).
[ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
 
 
 1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
 
 2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
  
 3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant 
    to Exchange Act Rule 0-11:*
    
 4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
  
 *  Set forth the amount on which the filing is calculated and state how it was 
    determined. 
  
  
[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act
    Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was
    paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
    number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
    
    
 1) Amount previously paid:
 
 2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
 
 3) Filing Party:

 4) Date Filed:
 
Notes:
<PAGE>
 
[LOGO of H. J. Heinz Company]

H. J. Heinz Company
World Headquarters P. O. Box 57 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230
 
 
Dear Shareholder:
 
You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of H. J.
Heinz Company to be held at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, September 13, 1994, at Heinz
Hall for the Performing Arts, 600 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
 
Information about the business of the meeting and the nominees for election as
members of the Board of Directors is set forth in the formal meeting notice and
the Proxy Statement on the following pages.
 
It is important that your shares be represented at the meeting. Whether or not
you plan to attend the session in person, we hope that you will vote on the
matters to be considered and sign, date and return your proxy in the enclosed
envelope as promptly as possible. You may obtain an admission ticket for the
meeting by completing the ticket request form which appears at the end of the
Proxy Statement and returning it in the same envelope with your proxy.
 
 
The Company's fiscal year 1994 Annual Report was first mailed to shareholders
under separate cover on July 25, 1994, and is not part of the proxy
solicitation material. In accordance with our regular practice, a report of
annual meeting proceedings, including an account of actions taken, will be sent
to you following the meeting.
 
                            Respectfully yours,
 
                     
                            /s/ Anthony J. F. O'Reilly
                            ------------------------------------- 
                            Anthony J. F. O'Reilly
                            Chairman of the Board,
                            President and Chief Executive Officer
 
 
August 5, 1994
<PAGE>
 
Notice of
Annual Meeting of Shareholders
 
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of H. J. Heinz Company will be held at Heinz
Hall for the Performing Arts, 600 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on
Tuesday, September 13, 1994, at 2 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, for the following
purposes:
 
  (1) To elect eighteen directors for a term of one year;
 
  (2) To elect auditors to audit the financial statements of the Company and
      certain of its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending May 3, 1995;
 
  (3) To consider and act upon a proposal to approve the 1994 Stock Option
      Plan for key employees of the Company and its subsidiaries;
 
  (4) To consider and act upon a proposal to approve the Company's new
      Incentive Compensation Plan;
 
  (5) To act upon a shareholder proposal, which is opposed by the Board of
      Directors; and
 
  (6) To consider and act upon such other business as may properly come
      before the meeting.
 
Your attention is directed to the accompanying Proxy Statement for a
description of matters to be considered at the meeting.
 
Holders of record as of the close of business on July 15, 1994 of the Company's
Common Stock and Third Cumulative Preferred Stock, $1.70 First Series, are
entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. A list of the shareholders
entitled to vote at the meeting will be available for inspection at the meeting
for purposes relating to the meeting.
 
Please sign, date and return the enclosed proxy promptly in the envelope
provided, which requires no United States postage. Your compliance with this
request will be appreciated and will assist in obtaining a quorum. Such action
will not limit your right to vote in person or to attend the meeting.
 
                                                Benjamin E. Thomas, Jr.
                                                Secretary
 
 
August 5, 1994
<PAGE>
 
Table of Contents
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           Page
<S>                                                                        <C>
General...................................................................   1
Voting Securities and Record Date.........................................   1
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners...........................   2
Security Ownership of Management..........................................   3
Board of Directors and Committees of the Board............................   4
Matters to Be Acted Upon
 1. Election of Directors.................................................   6
 2. Election of Auditors..................................................   9
 3. Proposal to Approve the 1994 Stock Option Plan........................   9
 4. Proposal to Approve the Incentive Compensation Plan...................  14
 5. Shareholder Proposal..................................................  20
 6. Other Business........................................................  21
Executive Compensation....................................................  21
Report of the Management Development and Compensation Committee on
 Executive Compensation...................................................  26
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation...............  28
Performance Graph--Five Years (1989-1994).................................  29
Performance Graph--15 Years (1979-1994)...................................  30
Additional Information....................................................  30
Appendix A--H.J. Heinz Company 1994 Stock Option Plan..................... A-1
Appendix B--H.J. Heinz Company Incentive Compensation Plan................ B-1
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
 
Proxy Statement
 
General
 
This Proxy Statement, with the enclosed proxy card, is being mailed to the
shareholders of H. J. Heinz Company (the "Company") starting on or about August
5, 1994 in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of the
Company of proxies to be used at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held
at Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, located at 600 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, at 2 P.M. on Tuesday, September 13, 1994. The accompanying Notice
of Annual Meeting of Shareholders sets forth the purposes of the Annual Meeting
of Shareholders. The principal executive offices of the Company are located at
600 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219. The proxy may be revoked at
any time before its exercise by giving notice of revocation to the Secretary of
the Company. The shares represented by proxies in the form solicited by the
Board of Directors will be voted at the meeting. Where a choice is specified
with respect to a matter to be voted upon, the shares represented by the proxy
will be voted in accordance with such specification. If no choice is specified,
such shares will be voted as stated hereinafter in this Proxy Statement.
 
The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. Following the
original mailing of the proxy soliciting material, regular employees or agents
of the Company may solicit proxies by mail, telephone, telegraph and personal
interview. To assist in the solicitation of proxies, the Company has engaged D.
F. King & Co., Inc. for a fee estimated not to exceed $20,000 plus
reimbursement of expenses. The Company will also request brokerage houses and
other nominees or fiduciaries to forward copies of its proxy material and
Annual Report to beneficial owners of stock held in their names, and the
Company will reimburse them for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in
doing so.
 
Voting Securities and Record Date
 
Holders of the Company's Common Stock and Third Cumulative Preferred Stock,
$1.70 First Series, of record as of the close of business on July 15, 1994 are
entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting. At the record date,
the Company had outstanding 247,443,354 shares of Common Stock, the holders of
which are entitled to one vote per share, and 38,876 shares of Third Cumulative
Preferred Stock, $1.70 First Series, the holders of which are entitled to one-
half vote per share. The Company does not have cumulative voting.
 
Insofar as management is advised, no executive officer, director or director
nominee of the Company, nor any person who has been an executive officer,
director or director nominee of the Company at any time since the beginning of
its last fiscal year, nor any associate of any such executive officer, director
or director nominee, has any substantial interest in the matters to be acted
upon at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders except for the interest which such
executive officer, director, director nominee or associate, as the case may be,
may have solely as a grantee or potential grantee of options under the
Company's 1994 Stock Option Plan or as a potential participant in the Company's
Incentive Compensation Plan.
 
                                                                               1
<PAGE>
 
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
 
A beneficial owner of a security includes any person who directly or indirectly
has or shares voting power and/or investment power with respect to such
security. Voting power is the power to vote or direct the voting of securities
and investment power is the power to dispose of or direct the disposition of
securities. The following are the only persons known to the Company or its
management who beneficially owned as of June 30, 1994 more than five percent of
any class of the Company's voting securities:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   Shares of
                                  Common Stock
      Name and Address of         Beneficially       Percent
       Beneficial Owner              Owned*         of Class**
      -------------------         ------------      ----------
<S>                               <C>               <C>
Howard Heinz Endowment(1)          15,299,092(2)(3)    6.17%
30 CNG Tower, 625 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
Teresa Heinz                       18,127,359(2)       7.31%
3200 CNG Tower
625 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
Mellon Bank Corporation and        26,323,908(3)      10.62%
 Mellon Bank, N. A.
6400 Steubenville Pike
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15244
</TABLE>
 
- ---------
*  All shares are held in trust unless otherwise indicated.
 
** The percentages represent the total shares listed in the adjacent column
   divided by the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock as of June 30,
   1994.
 
(1) The Howard Heinz Endowment is a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation.
 
(2) Mrs. Teresa Heinz, as Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Heinz
    Family Foundation, is entitled to vote the 735,922 shares held by the Heinz
    Family Foundation. Mrs Heinz has: (i) shared voting power and shared
    investment power with respect to 365,137 shares as co-executor of the
    estate of H. John Heinz III and (ii) shared voting power and shared
    investment power with respect to 17,026,300 shares that are held by 11
    trusts. In addition to these shares, Mrs. Heinz, as Chairperson and Chief
    Executive Officer of the Howard Heinz Endowment, is entitled to vote the
    15,299,092 shares held by the Howard Heinz Endowment.
 
(3) In addition to the 26,323,908 shares listed in the table above, Mellon Bank
    is a beneficial owner of the 15,299,092 shares held by the Howard Heinz
    Endowment. The shares held by Mellon Bank are held in a fiduciary capacity
    and include 16,706,300 shares of the 18,127,359 shares referred to in Note
    (2). As of June 30, 1994, Mellon Bank had sole voting power over 2,962,000
    shares; shared voting power over 22,491,000 shares; sole investment power
    over 18,410,000 shares; and shared investment power over 23,213,000 shares.
    Mellon Bank has disclaimed having a beneficial economic interest in any
    shares held in its fiduciary capacity. Mellon Bank is a subsidiary of
    Mellon Bank Corporation.
 
2
<PAGE>
 
Security Ownership of Management
 
The following table sets forth all equity securities of the Company
beneficially owned as of June 30, 1994, by each director nominee and by all
director nominees and executive officers as a group, being 18 in number.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       Shares of
                          Shares of                   Common Stock       Percent
                         Common Stock     Options     Beneficially         of
          Name            Owned (1)   Exercisable (2)  Owned (3)        Class (4)
          ----           ------------ --------------- ------------      ---------
<S>                      <C>          <C>             <C>               <C>
Anthony J. F. O'Reilly..  3,181,187           -0-       3,280,187(5)(6)   1.32%
William P. Snyder III...     37,610           -0-       2,753,854(7)      1.11%
Joseph J. Bogdanovich...     54,467        18,708       2,573,554(8)      1.04%
Herman J. Schmidt.......      2,400           -0-           2,400           --
Albert Lippert..........     12,064           -0-          12,064           --
Eleanor B. Sheldon......      7,000           -0-           7,000           --
Richard M. Cyert........      1,000           -0-           1,000(9)        --
Samuel C. Johnson.......        -0-           -0-           7,000(10)       --
David W. Sculley........    227,400       472,860         700,260(5)       .28%
Donald R. Keough........      1,112           -0-           1,112           --
S. Donald Wiley.........    148,133           -0-       9,268,593(11)     3.74%
Lawrence J. McCabe......     32,586       156,356         188,942           --
David R. Williams.......     22,996        65,582          88,578(5)        --
Luigi Ribolla...........      2,012        80,000          82,012           --
Nicholas F. Brady.......        -0-           -0-           2,000(12)       --
William R. Johnson......     15,554        45,000          60,554           --
William C. Springer.....     72,228       139,582         211,810           --
Edith E. Holiday........        200           -0-             200           --
All director nominees
and executive officers
as a group.............   3,817,949       978,088      19,241,120         7.73%
</TABLE>
- ---------
 (1) Shares listed in this column include all shares held by the named
     individuals and all director nominees and executive officers as a group
     in their own names and in street name and also includes all shares
     allocated to the accounts of the named individuals and all director
     nominees and executive officers as a group under the Company's Employees
     Retirement and Savings Plan (A. J. F. O'Reilly, 88,599; J. J.
     Bogdanovich, 31,883; D. W. Sculley, 25,449; L. J. McCabe, 20,782; D. R.
     Williams, 8,264; W. R. Johnson, 4,851; W. C. Springer, 12,698 and all
     director nominees and executive officers as a group, 192,526).
 
 (2) Represents shares subject to stock options granted under the Company's
     stock option plans exercisable within 60 days following June 30, 1994.
 
 (3) Shares listed in this column include all shares listed in the adjacent
     columns plus shares held in trust. Each person has both sole voting and
     sole investment power with respect to the shares listed, unless otherwise
     indicated.
 
 (4) The percentages represent the total of shares listed in the adjacent
     column divided by the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock as of
     June 30, 1994, plus, where applicable, all stock options granted to the
     individual or group, as appropriate, under the Company's stock option
     plans exercisable within 60 days following June 30, 1994. Percentages of
     less than .1 percent are omitted.
 
 (5) The shares indicated do not include unallocated shares held by the
     Company's leveraged employee stock ownership plan (the "Leveraged ESOP").
     Such shares are voted or tendered by the trustee in accordance with
     instructions received from the Investment Committee of the Board of
     Directors of the Company, unless the Investment Committee delegates this
     authority to plan participants. Dr. O'Reilly and Messrs. Williams and
     Sculley
 
                                                                              3
<PAGE>
 
     currently serve as members of the Investment Committee. As of June 30,
     1994, approximately 944,100 shares of Common Stock were held in the
     Leveraged ESOP but not allocated to participants' accounts. Each member
     of the Investment Committee disclaims having a beneficial economic
     interest in such shares.
 
 (6) Includes 99,000 shares held by a corporation which is beneficially owned
     by Dr. O'Reilly and members of his family.
 
 (7) Mr. Snyder has sole voting power and sole investment power with respect to
     37,610 shares and shared voting power and shared investment power with
     respect to 2,716,244 shares held by three trusts of which he is co-
     trustee. The shares held by these three trusts, of which Mellon Bank is
     also a co-trustee, are included in the shares referred to in Note (3) on
     page 2 of this Proxy Statement. Mr. Snyder has shared investment power
     with respect to 438,000 shares held by a trust which is referred to in
     Note 11 below.
 
 (8) Includes 2,500,379 shares held by a trust of which Mr. Bogdanovich is the
     sole beneficiary. Mr. Bogdanovich shares voting power and investment power
     with respect to the shares held by the trust.
 
 (9) Represents 1,000 shares of Common Stock owned jointly by Mr. Cyert and his
     wife.
 
(10) Represents 7,000 shares of Common Stock held by Mr. Johnson as trustee of
     the Samuel C. Johnson 1988 Revocable Trust.
 
(11) Mr. Wiley has shared voting power and shared investment power with respect
     to one trust which holds 7,567,460 shares and which is one of the trusts
     referred to in Note (2) on page 2 of this Proxy Statement. Mr. Wiley has
     shared investment power with respect to 1,553,000 shares held by two
     trusts, one of which includes the 438,000 shares referred to in Note (7)
     above. Mr. Wiley disclaims having a beneficial economic interest in the
     shares held by such trusts.
 
(12) Represents 2,000 shares of Common Stock held by a trust of which Mr. Brady
     is the sole beneficiary.
 
Board of Directors and Committees of the Board
 
The business of the Company is under the general management of a Board of
Directors as provided by the laws of Pennsylvania, the Company's state of
incorporation. The By-Laws of the Company provide for an Executive Committee
which, unless limited by a resolution of the Board and except to the extent
limited by law, has authority to act in all matters that the full Board may act
upon when the Board is not in session. The Executive Committee reports all of
its actions to the full Board of Directors. The Executive Committee is
currently composed of Messrs. O'Reilly (Chairman), Bogdanovich, Sculley,
McCabe, Williams, Ribolla, W.R. Johnson and Springer.
 
In addition to the Executive Committee, the Board of Directors has designated
the following five standing committees of the Board: Audit, Nominating,
Management Development and Compensation, Investment, and Public Issues and
Social Responsibility.
 
The Audit Committee's basic functions are to assist the Board of Directors in
preserving the integrity of the financial information published by the Company
through the review of financial and accounting controls and policies, financial
reporting requirements, alternative accounting principles that could be applied
and the quality and effectiveness of the independent accountants and the
Company's internal auditors. Currently, the members of the Audit Committee, all
of whom are outside directors, are Messrs. Snyder (Chairman), Cyert, Schmidt,
S.C. Johnson, Brady, Lippert and Ms. Sheldon.
 
The Nominating Committee is responsible for establishing qualification
guidelines for potential directors and screening and recommending prospective
candidates for membership on the Board. The Nominating Committee will consider
nominees recommended by shareholders provided that shareholders submit the
names of nominees in writing to the attention of the Secretary of the Company
together with a statement of the nominee's or nominees' qualifications.
 
4
<PAGE>
 
Such information must be received no later than 120 days prior to the Annual
Meeting of Shareholders. The current members of the Nominating Committee are
Messrs. O'Reilly (Chairman), Cyert, Schmidt, Snyder, Bogdanovich, Lippert,
Keough and Brady.
 
The Management Development and Compensation Committee's basic functions are to
monitor the Company's management systems for selecting and planning succession
at the corporate and key subsidiary officer level, to develop a corporate
organization structure, and to review the adequacy and effectiveness of the
management compensation plans of the Company. The Management Development and
Compensation Committee recommends to the Board the Chief Executive Officer for
the Company; reviews and approves the appointment of corporate officers who
report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and the compensation of the
Chief Executive Officer and the managers reporting to the Chief Executive
Officer; reviews and approves the management incentive systems of the Company
and the awards granted thereunder; determines the corporate goals and the
awards granted under the incentive compensation plans of the Company; and
administers the Company's stock option plans. The current members of the
Management Development and Compensation Committee are Messrs. Schmidt
(Chairman), Snyder, Cyert, S.C. Johnson, Keough and Ms. Sheldon.
 
The Investment Committee's primary function is to monitor the policies and
operations of the Employee Benefits Administration Board and the investment of
the Company's Pension, Employees Savings, and Long-Term Disability funds for
U.S. and foreign affiliate companies. The current members of the Investment
Committee are Messrs. O'Reilly (Chairman), Williams and Sculley.
 
The Public Issues and Social Responsibility Committee's basic function is to
monitor the policies and actions of the Company relating to major issues of
public and governmental concern, including, but not limited to, equal
employment opportunity, environmental, occupational health and safety, public
health and nutrition, and charitable contributions; and to consider the
significant social impact of corporate activities. The Public Issues and Social
Responsibility Committee is responsible for making recommendations to
management that it considers to be major issues of public concern that may
require special attention or action; reviewing Company policies and actions
relating to such issues; and monitoring the Company's activities and
performance in light of such policies. The current members of the Public Issues
and Social Responsibility Committee are Ms. Sheldon (Chairman) and Messrs.
O'Reilly, Schmidt, Lippert, Cyert, Bogdanovich and Wiley.
 
During fiscal year 1994, the Executive Committee held 11 meetings, the
Nominating Committee held one meeting, the Management Development and
Compensation Committee held seven meetings, the Investment Committee held one
meeting, the Audit Committee held three meetings, and the Public Issues and
Social Responsibility Committee held one meeting.
 
The Board of Directors held ten meetings during fiscal year 1994. Each
incumbent director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of
the Board and Board committees on which the director served, except for Messrs.
Ribolla and Wiley who attended 71% and 73% respectively of the aggregate number
of meetings.
 
Director Compensation
 
Directors who are full-time employees of the Company or a subsidiary receive no
additional compensation for services as a member of the Board or any committee
of the Board. Directors who are not employees of the Company receive an annual
retainer of $26,000 for Board service and a fee of $1,000 for each Board and
committee meeting attended. The outside directors who serve as chairmen of the
Audit Committee, the Management Development and Compensation Committee, and the
Public Issues and Social Responsibility Committee receive additional annual
retainers of $5,000, $5,000 and $3,000, respectively. A director who is not a
full-time employee of the Company is permitted to defer some or all of his
retainer and attendance fees until termination of services as a director or to
a specified year in the future. At the end of the deferral period, a
participating director may receive his cash payment together with accrued
interest (calculated periodically at the prime rate) either in a lump sum or in
equal annual installments. A
 
                                                                               5
<PAGE>
 
director who has served as such for five or more years while not a full-time
employee of the Company or one of its subsidiaries will be paid, upon
retirement on or after age 70, a pension benefit for life equivalent to the
annual retainer in effect at the time of the director's retirement.
 
As part of the Company's overall program to promote charitable giving, the
Company maintains a charitable award program funded by insurance policies on
the lives of the Company's directors who are not full-time employees. Under the
program, two directors are paired on a dual life policy. Following the death of
both directors, the Company will donate $1,000,000 to qualifying charitable
organizations recommended by each of the directors covered under the policy and
approved by the Company.
 
In addition, the Company has a similar program for directors who are executive
officers and certain other key employees of the Company. Participation in this
program is contingent upon the participant having made annual charitable
contributions for five consecutive years in an amount not less than $1,000 nor
more than $4,000 per year to the Company's charitable foundation. With respect
to the current participants, the amount the Company will donate to qualifying
charitable organizations on their behalf will range from $750,000 to $2,000,000
based upon their age at the time of their enrollment.
 
The Company will subsequently be reimbursed from the proceeds of the life
insurance policies. Participants derive no financial benefit from these
programs.
 
Matters to Be Acted Upon
1. Election of Directors
(Item 1 on proxy card)
 
The Board of Directors, pursuant to the By-Laws of the Company, has determined
that the number of directors constituting the full Board of Directors shall be
18. Proxies are solicited in favor of the nominees named on the following pages
and it is intended that the proxies will be voted for the 18 nominees unless
otherwise specified. All of the nominees are now serving as directors. In the
event that any of the nominees should become unable or unwilling to serve as a
director, it is intended that the proxies will be voted for the election of
such other person, if any, as shall be designated by the Board of Directors. It
is not anticipated that any of the nominees will be unable or unwilling to
serve as a director. Each director to be elected will serve until the next
Annual Meeting of Shareholders or until a successor is elected and shall
qualify.
 
Information Regarding Nominees for Election of Directors
 
A brief statement of the business experience and positions with the Company for
the past five years, and a listing of certain other directorships for each
person nominated to become a director of the Company and their ages (as of
September 13, 1994) are set forth on the following pages. There are no family
relationships between any of the directors, nominees and executive officers of
the Company nor any arrangement or understanding between any director or
nominee and any other person pursuant to which he or she was or is to be
selected as a director or nominee.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          Name                          Business Experience and Age
          ----                          ---------------------------
 <C>                    <S>
 Anthony J. F. O'Reilly Chairman of the Board of H. J. Heinz Company since March
                        11, 1987 and President and Chief Executive Officer since
                        July 1, 1979; director of the Company since 1971; director
                        of the New York Stock Exchange, Inc.; 58.
 William P. Snyder III  President of The Wilpen Group, Inc. (investment group)
                        since 1986; director of H. J. Heinz Company since 1961;
                        director of Whitney Holding Corporation (bank holding
                        company); 76.
 Joseph J. Bogdanovich  Vice Chairman of the Board of H. J. Heinz Company since
                        September 7, 1988; also in charge of Heinz Japan Ltd.
                        since June 20, 1973; Chairman of the Board of Star-Kist
                        Foods, Inc.; director of the Company since 1963; 82.
</TABLE>
 
6
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        Name                          Business Experience and Age
        ----                          ---------------------------
 <C>                <S>
 Herman J. Schmidt  Independent businessman; director of H. J. Heinz Company since
                    1977; director of MAPCO, Inc. (diversified energy company),
                    HON Industries, Inc. (manufacturer of office furniture), Tri-
                    Continental Corporation (diversified management investment
                    company), Seligman Select Municipal Fund (investment company),
                    Seligman Mutual Funds (investment companies) and Seligman
                    Quality Municipal Fund (investment company); 77.
 Albert Lippert     Consultant; Chairman of the Board of Weight Watchers
                    International, Inc. from 1968 to January, 1991; Vice President
                    of George Simonton Inc. (clothing manufacturer) from 1986
                    until April 1992; director of
                    H. J. Heinz Company since 1978; 69.
 Eleanor B. Sheldon Social Scientist; director of H. J. Heinz Company since 1979;
                    74.
 Richard M. Cyert   Professor of Economics and Management, Carnegie Mellon
                    University since 1992 and President Emeritus of Carnegie
                    Mellon University since 1990; President-Carnegie Bosch
                    Institute and Professor of Economics and Management, Carnegie
                    Mellon University from 1990 to 1992; President of Carnegie
                    Mellon University from 1972 until June 30, 1990; director of
                    H. J. Heinz Company since 1984; 73.
 Samuel C. Johnson  Nonexecutive Chairman of the Board of S. C. Johnson & Son,
                    Inc. (manufacturer of chemical specialty products) since
                    January 1994; Chairman of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. from 1988
                    to January 1994; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of S. C.
                    Johnson & Son, Inc. from 1972 to 1988; director of H. J. Heinz
                    Company since 1988; director and chairman of Johnson Worldwide
                    Associates, Inc., director of Deere & Company and Mobil
                    Corporation; 66.
 David W. Sculley   Senior Vice President of H. J. Heinz Company in charge of
                    Weight Watchers International, Inc. since June 1, 1989, Weight
                    Watchers Food Company since July 1, 1991, and Heinz Bakery
                    Products Division and Ore-Ida Foods, Inc. since January 1,
                    1992; from June 1, 1989 to December 31, 1991, in charge of H.
                    J. Heinz Company of Canada Ltd.; also until January 31, 1992
                    in charge of Heinz companies in Africa, Australia, the
                    People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and
                    Thailand; director of the Company since 1989; 48.
 Donald R. Keough   Adviser to the Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company
                    since April 1993 and Chairman of the Board of Allen & Co.
                    Incorporated (an investment banking firm) since April 1993;
                    President, Chief Operating Officer and a director of The Coca-
                    Cola Company from 1981 until his retirement in April 1993;
                    Chairman of the Board of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. until
                    April 1993; director of H. J. Heinz Company since 1990;
                    director of The Washington Post Company, National Service
                    Industries, Inc. (diversified manufacturing and service
                    company), Home Depot Inc. (retailer) and McDonald's
                    Corporation; 68.
 S. Donald Wiley    Vice Chairman of the H. J. Heinz Company Foundation (a
                    charitable foundation) since October 1990; Trustee of the Vira
                    I. Heinz Endowment; Special Counsel with the law firm of Reed
                    Smith Shaw & McClay from May 1, 1991 to January 31, 1993;
                    Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of H. J.
                    Heinz Company from 1972 until his retirement on September 30,
                    1990; director of H. J. Heinz Company from 1972 until
                    September 30, 1990 and since his reelection in 1991; Trustee
                    of Lehman Brothers Institutional Funds Group Trust (investment
                    company); 67.
</TABLE>
 
                                                                               7
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        Name                          Business Experience and Age
        ----                          ---------------------------
 <C>                 <S>
 Lawrence J. McCabe  Senior Vice President-General Counsel of H. J. Heinz Company
                     since June 12, 1991; Vice President-General Counsel from
                     October 1, 1990 to June 11, 1991; Vice President-Associate
                     General Counsel from July 1, 1982 through September 30, 1990;
                     director of the Company since 1991; 59.
 David R. Williams   Senior Vice President-Finance and Chief Financial Officer of
                     H. J. Heinz Company since August 1, 1992; Vice President-
                     Finance and Chief Financial Officer from February 1, 1992 to
                     July 31, 1992; Vice President and Corporate Controller from
                     August 1, 1988 until January 31, 1992; director of the
                     Company since 1992; 51.
 Luigi Ribolla       Senior Vice President of H. J. Heinz Company in charge of all
                     Heinz affiliates in Europe, Cairo Foods Industries SAE in
                     Egypt and Heinz development activities in Russia, Eastern
                     Europe, the Middle East and North Africa since August 1,
                     1992; Director of Heinz Mediterranean Area from 1988 to July
                     31, 1992; director of the Company since 1992; 57.
 Nicholas F. Brady   Chairman of the Board and President of Darby Advisors, Inc.
                     (an investment firm) since February 1993 and Chairman of
                     Darby Overseas Investments Ltd. (an investment firm) since
                     February 1994; Secretary of the United States Department of
                     Treasury from September 1988 until January 1993; Chairman
                     until September 1988 of Dillon, Read & Co., Inc., an
                     investment banking firm for which Mr. Brady served in various
                     capacities since 1954; director of the Company since his
                     election by the Board in April 1993 (formerly a director of
                     the Company from June 1987 until September 1988); director of
                     Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. (network broadcasting), Christiana
                     Companies, Inc. (oil and gas field machinery and equipment)
                     and various Templeton Mutual Funds (investment companies);
                     64.
 William R. Johnson  Senior Vice President in charge of Star-Kist Foods, Inc. and
                     Heinz operations in the Asia Pacific area since September 8,
                     1993; President and Chief Executive Officer of Star-Kist
                     Foods, Inc. since May 1, 1992 and President and Chief
                     Executive Officer of Heinz Pet Products Company since
                     November 1, 1988; director of the Company since September 8,
                     1993; 45.
 William C. Springer Senior Vice President in charge of Heinz North America, Heinz
                     Service Company and Heinz operations in Latin America since
                     September 8, 1993; President of Heinz North America since
                     June 1, 1992 and President and Chief Executive Officer of
                     Heinz U.S.A. Division since May 1, 1989; director of the
                     Company since September 8, 1993; 54.
 Edith E. Holiday    Attorney; Assistant to the President of the United States and
                     Secretary of the Cabinet from June, 1990 to January, 1993;
                     General Counsel, United States Department of Treasury from
                     1989 to June, 1990; director of the Company since her
                     election by the Board in January, 1994; director of Hercules,
                     Inc. (chemicals), Amerada Hess (oil/gas), Bessemer Trust
                     Company N.A. (banking) and Bessemer Trust Company of New
                     Jersey (banking); 42.
</TABLE>
 
8
<PAGE>
 
2. Election of Auditors
(Item 2 on proxy card)
 
The Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders vote "FOR" the election
of the firm of Coopers & Lybrand as the auditors to audit the financial
statements of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries for the fiscal year
ending May 3, 1995. It is intended that the proxies in the form enclosed with
this proxy statement will be voted for such firm unless shareholders specify to
the contrary in their proxies.
 
Representatives of Coopers & Lybrand are expected to be present at the Annual
Meeting of Shareholders. They will have the opportunity to make statements if
they desire to do so and will be available to respond to appropriate questions.
 
Vote Required for Election of Director Nominees and Auditors
 
Under Pennsylvania law, the director nominees receiving the highest number of
votes cast will be elected. The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes
cast by all shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting is required for the
election of Coopers & Lybrand as auditors. With respect to the election of the
director nominees and auditors, an abstention is counted only for purposes of
determining a quorum, but is not considered a vote cast. Therefore, an
abstention will not be included in the vote totals and will have no effect on
the outcome of the vote.
 
3. Proposal to Approve the 1994 Stock Option Plan
(Item 3 on proxy card)
 
The Board of Directors has adopted, subject to shareholder approval, the H. J.
Heinz Company 1994 Stock Option Plan (the "1994 Plan"). Under the 1994 Plan,
options to purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $.25 per
share (the "Common Stock") may be granted to key employees of the Company and
its subsidiaries (including executive officers and officers of the Company).
The total number of shares available for grants of options under the 1994 Plan
is 12,000,000.
 
Summary of Other Stock Option Plans
 
In addition to the 1994 Plan, the Company has four other stock option plans,
the 1982 Stock Option Plan, the 1984 Stock Option Plan, the 1987 Stock Option
Plan and the 1990 Stock Option Plan--which provide for the grant of options to
purchase shares of Common Stock, as well as the grant of tandem stock
appreciation rights ("SARs") and tandem limited stock appreciation rights
("LSARs"), to key employees (including executive officers and officers of the
Company). All four stock option plans were approved by the shareholders and are
administered by the Management Development and Compensation Committee of the
Board of Directors, a committee consisting entirely of outside directors who do
not participate in the stock option plans (the "Committee"). Stock options are
outstanding under all such plans. No further options are available under any of
the plans unless outstanding options are surrendered unexercised whereupon they
would be available for subsequent grant. No SARs have been outstanding under
any of the plans since 1985.
 
Summary of 1994 Plan
 
The full text of the 1994 Plan is set forth in Appendix A to this Proxy
Statement. The 1994 Plan is substantially similar to the Company's other stock
option plans. The 1994 Plan, however, does not provide for the granting of
SARs. The following summary of the 1994 Plan is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the text of the 1994 Plan.
 
The 1994 Plan permits the Company to grant to key employees of the Company and
its subsidiaries incentive stock options, as defined in Section 422 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal Revenue Code"), non-
statutory stock options and LSARs. The term "option" as used in this summary
without further qualification shall mean any of the foregoing.
 
 
                                                                               9
<PAGE>
 
The purposes of the 1994 Plan are to promote growth and profitability of the
Company by enabling it to attract and retain the best available personnel for
positions of substantial responsibility, to provide key employees with an
opportunity for investment in the Common Stock and to give them an additional
incentive to increase their efforts on behalf of the Company and its
subsidiaries. The Committee estimates that approximately 300 key employees
(including those executive officers identified in the Summary Compensation
Table on page 21) are eligible to receive options under the 1994 Plan.
 
The 1994 Plan is administered by the Committee, which is composed of six
directors who are not employees of the Company. Each member of the Committee
must be a "disinterested person" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the
General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"Exchange Act"), as amended from time to time, or any law, rule, regulation or
other provision that may hereafter replace such rule ("Rule 16b-3") and an
"outside director" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue
Code ("Section 162(m)"). No member of the Committee is eligible to receive
options under the 1994 Plan.
 
Subject to the provisions of the 1994 Plan, the Committee has the authority to
determine and designate the key employees to whom options are to be granted,
the number of shares subject to options, the option exercise price (which may
not be less than the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of
grant), the type of the option, the option period, the terms of payment of the
option price, the terms and conditions of each option and the restrictions to
be placed on the exercise of options. The Committee may grant more than one
option to an individual. The maximum number of shares, however, which may be
granted under the 1994 Plan to any individual as options may not exceed 10% of
the maximum number of shares available under the 1994 Plan (subject to
adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends or certain other events specified
in the 1994 Plan). Options granted under the 1994 Plan may not be exercised
until the Company's shareholders have approved the 1994 Plan. If shareholder
approval is not obtained, all options granted under the 1994 Plan shall be void
and of no effect.
 
Consideration for the options granted under the 1994 Plan is provided by the
optionees' past, present and expected future contributions to the Company. No
monetary consideration is provided by the optionees with respect to the grant
of the options.
 
No options may be granted under the 1994 Plan subsequent to April 12, 2004. No
option granted under the 1994 Plan is transferable, except in the event of an
optionee's death, by will or the laws of descent and distribution. In addition,
optionees may during their lifetime, designate a beneficiary to exercise the
options after the optionee's death. Also, the Committee may amend outstanding
options to provide for transfer, without payment of consideration, to immediate
family members of the optionee or to trusts or partnerships for such family
members.
 
Options may be exercised by the optionee or his or her guardian or legal
representative or by such other means as the Committee may approve from time to
time that are not inconsistent with or contrary to the securities laws during
the option period, either (a) while the optionee is an employee or (b) within
three months after involuntary termination without cause of the optionee's
employment as described in the 1994 Plan. In the event that an optionee's
employment is terminated by reason of disability or an optionee dies while an
employee, the optionee or the optionee's successor may exercise the optionee's
options at any time prior to the expiration of such options whether or not such
options were exercisable at the date of termination or death. If an optionee
retires, the optionee may exercise any outstanding option at any time prior to
expiration of the option, provided such option was exercisable on the date of
retirement. The Committee may, at its discretion, waive the restrictions with
respect to exercisability of options. If the employment of an optionee by the
Company or any subsidiary terminates otherwise than by involuntary termination
without cause, disability, retirement or death, the optionee's rights under any
then outstanding option will terminate immediately unless the Committee takes
action to waive such automatic termination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at
the request of an optionee, the Committee in its sole discretion may extend the
period during which an option may be exercised following termination for any
period up to the remaining period of the option.
 
10
<PAGE>
 
The Committee may include LSARs in connection with an incentive stock option or
a non-statutory stock option. Holders of LSARs may exercise LSARs for cash only
during one or more 60-day periods following the occurrence of certain events
leading to a change in control or possible change in control of the Company.
The exercise of a LSAR entitles the holder to receive cash equal to the excess
of the fair market value per share of the Common Stock over the option price of
each share of the Common Stock subject to the stock option. For this purpose,
the definition of fair market value will vary with the timing and type of
event, and may result in a fair market value higher than the closing price on
the New York Stock Exchange on the exercise date.
 
 
LSARs will be exercisable at such time or times and to the extent, but only to
the extent, that the stock option to which they relate is exercisable. The 1994
Plan prohibits the exercise of LSARs prior to six months following the date of
grant.
 
Options granted under the 1994 Plan will expire no later than ten years from
the date of grant. Shares not purchased under options which expire or are
terminated unexercised shall again be available for purposes of the 1994 Plan.
To the extent that LSARs are exercised, the stock option in connection with
which such LSARs were granted shall be deemed to have been exercised and the
shares of Common Stock which otherwise would have been issued upon the exercise
of such stock option shall not be the subject of the grant of any further
options under the 1994 Plan.
 
An aggregate of 12,000,000 shares of Common Stock has been reserved for
purposes of the 1994 Plan. The Common Stock to be offered under the 1994 Plan
may be either authorized and unissued shares or issued shares reacquired by the
Company and held as treasury shares. The 1994 Plan provides for adjustment of
such aggregate number and of the number of shares at the time subject to any
outstanding option in the event a stock dividend is paid or in the event the
shares of Common Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number or
kind of shares of stock or other securities.
 
Under the 1994 Plan, the option price per share shall be determined by the
Committee, but may not be less than the fair market value of the Common Stock
on the date the option is granted. The last sale of the Common Stock on the New
York Stock Exchange on July 15, 1994 was $33 per share, but it cannot be
predicted what the market value will be on the date or dates on which options
may be granted in the future. The option price, in the discretion of the
Committee, shall be paid by any one or a combination of the following: (a) paid
in U.S. funds (including check, draft or wire transfer made payable to the
order of the Company) or by the delivery of already-owned shares of Common
Stock, which have been held for more than one year, equal in fair market value
to the option price, (b) paid on a deferred basis upon such terms and
conditions as the Committee shall provide, or (c) deemed paid in full provided
the notice of the exercise is accompanied by a copy of irrevocable instructions
to a broker to deliver to the Company the amount sufficient to cover the option
price. Optionees who are subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act and, if
determined by the Committee, other optionees, may elect to pay no more than the
required withholding taxes in connection with the exercise of a non-statutory
option by delivering to the Company already-owned shares of Common Stock or
having shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable to optionees under the 1994
Plan withheld by the Company.
 
The Board of Directors may, in accordance with the recommendation of the
Committee, amend the 1994 Plan as it shall deem advisable. The Board of
Directors may not, however, without further shareholder approval, (a) increase
the total number of shares that may be granted under the 1994 Plan; (b) change
the manner of determining the option price set forth in the 1994 Plan; (c)
permit any option to be exercised more than ten years after the date it was
granted or increase the maximum number of shares that may be subject to options
granted under the 1994 Plan to an individual pursuant to Section 5 of the 1994
Plan ("Eligibility"); (d) amend the provisions of Section 13 of the 1994 Plan
("Interpretation, Amendments and Termination"); or (e) withdraw the
administration of the 1994 Plan from a committee of directors meeting the
requirements of Rule 16b-3 and Section 162(m).
 
 
                                                                              11
<PAGE>
 
The Committee may adopt, amend and terminate any arrangements with respect to
options, consistent with the intent of the 1994 Plan, as it may deem necessary
or desirable to make available tax or other benefits of laws of any foreign
jurisdiction to participants who are subject to such laws.
 
Federal Income Tax Consequences
 
In the opinion of tax counsel to the Company, based upon the present provisions
of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations thereunder, the federal income tax
consequences of the grant and exercise of stock options and LSARs under the
1994 Plan and the subsequent disposition of stock acquired thereby are
described below. The 1994 Plan is not subject to the qualification requirements
of Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
 
Non-Statutory Options
 
Under present Treasury regulations holding that an option does not have a
readily ascertainable fair market value unless it is freely transferable and
meets certain other conditions, an optionee who is granted a non-statutory
option will not realize taxable income at the time the option is granted.
 
(a) In general, an optionee will be subject to tax for the year of exercise on
an amount of ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair market value of
the shares on the date of exercise over the option price and the Company will
receive a corresponding deduction. Income tax withholding requirements apply
upon exercise. The optionee's basis in the shares so acquired will be equal to
the option price plus the amount of ordinary income upon which he is taxed.
Upon subsequent disposition of the shares, he will realize capital gain or
loss, long-term or short-term depending upon the length of time he has held the
shares since the option was exercised.
 
(b) The grant rule will not apply, unless a specific election is filed within
30 days after exercise, if sale of the shares at a profit could subject the
optionee to suit under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. If no election is
made, the time of the taxable event and the application of the withholding
requirements will be postponed until the earlier of (i) six months after the
purchase of shares or (ii) the first day on which sale of the shares at a
profit will not subject the optionee to suit under Section 16(b) of the
Exchange Act, and the optionee's ordinary income and the Company's deduction
will be equal to the excess of the then value (or sale price) of the shares
over the option price.
 
(c) If an optionee exercises a non-statutory option by delivering shares of the
Company's Common Stock as payment of the option price, no gain or loss will be
recognized with respect to the shares delivered and the optionee will be
subject to tax in an amount of ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair
market value of the shares he is entitled to receive on the date of exercise
over the option price. The optionee's basis in shares received equivalent in
number to the shares surrendered will be the same as the optionee's basis in
the surrendered shares and the basis in the additional shares obtained by the
exercise of the option will be the amount of compensation income realized. The
optionee's holding period for the shares having the transferred basis will
include the holding period for the shares surrendered; the holding period for
the additional shares obtained by the exercise of the option will commence on
the date of exercise.
 
Incentive Options
 
An optionee is not taxed at the time an incentive option is granted. The tax
consequences upon exercise and later disposition depend upon whether the
optionee was an employee of the Company or a subsidiary at all times from the
date of grant until three months preceding exercise (one year in the case of
disability) and on whether the optionee holds the shares for more than one year
after exercise and two years after the date of grant of the option.
 
(a) If the optionee satisfies both the employment rule and the holding rule,
for regular tax purposes the optionee will not realize income upon exercise of
the option and the Company will not be allowed an income tax deduction at any
time. The difference between the option price and the amount realized upon
disposition of the shares by the optionee will constitute a long-term capital
gain or a long-term capital loss, as the case may be.
 
12
<PAGE>
 
(b) If the optionee meets the employment rule but fails to observe the holding
rule, the portion of any gain realized upon such disqualifying disposition of
the shares which does not exceed the excess of the value at date of exercise
over the option price will be treated as ordinary income, the balance of any
gain or any loss will be treated as capital gain or loss (long-term or short-
term depending on the length of time the stock was held after the option was
exercised) and the Company will be entitled to a deduction equal to the amount
of ordinary income upon which the optionee is taxed.
 
(c) If an optionee exercises an incentive option but does not meet the
employment rule, the option will be treated as a non-statutory option.
 
(d) Exercise of an incentive option with previously acquired shares of the
Company's Common Stock (other than shares acquired under a previously exercised
incentive option with respect to which the holding rule has not been met,
exchange of which would be a disposition with the result described in paragraph
(b) above) will not result in taxable income to the optionee. Under proposed
regulations, the optionee's basis in shares received equivalent in number to
the shares surrendered will be the same as the basis in the surrendered shares
and the basis in the additional shares obtained by the exercise of the option
will be zero. The optionee's holding period for the shares having the
transferred basis will include the holding period for the shares surrendered;
the holding period for the additional shares obtained by the exercise of the
option will commence at the date of exercise. The proposed regulations provide
that upon a disqualifying disposition of any of the shares obtained upon
exercise of the option it will be conclusively presumed that the zero basis
shares were disposed of before the shares with a transferred basis.
 
(e) For purposes of calculating an optionee's liability for the alternative
minimum tax ("AMT"), the special deferral rules relating to incentive options
generally do not apply. Alternative minimum taxable income for the year of
exercise will include the excess of the fair market value of the shares at date
of exercise (or, if less, the sales price of any such shares sold in the year
of exercise) over the option price. If the incentive option shares are sold in
a later year, the shares will have a basis for AMT purposes equal to the amount
that was included in alternative minimum taxable income for the year of
exercise.
 
LSARs
 
An optionee is not taxed upon the grant of LSARs. Upon exercise of such rights,
the optionee will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates (subject to
withholding) on the amount of cash received, and the Company will be entitled
to a corresponding deduction.
 
Long-Term Gain or Loss
 
Except where the special one and two-year holding rules for incentive options
apply, a capital gain or loss is long-term or short-term depending on whether
the stock has been held for more than one year. Long-term capital gains
currently are taxed at 28%. Capital losses may offset capital gains without
limitation, but may offset ordinary income up to only $3,000 ($1,500 for a
married individual filing separately).
 
Other Limitations on Income Tax Deduction
 
To the extent that any payments constitute "excess parachute payments" under
Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code, the Company would not be entitled to
a deduction with respect to such amount and the recipient would be subject to
20% excise tax.
 
Under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code ("Section 162(m)") the
Company may be limited as to federal income tax deductions to the extent that
total compensation paid to the Company's Chief Executive Officer and to each of
the other four most highly compensated executive officers exceeds $1,000,000 in
any one year. The Company can preserve the deductibility of certain
compensation in excess of $1,000,000, however, provided that it complies with
conditions imposed by Section 162(m), including the payment of performance-
based compensation pursuant to a plan approved by stockholders. The 1994 Plan
is intended to comply with Section 162(m) by qualifying payments under the Plan
as performance-based compensation.
 
 
                                                                              13
<PAGE>
 
NEW PLAN BENEFITS
 
Set forth below are the number of shares underlying the options which have been
granted under the 1994 Plan to the persons and groups identified:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    Number of Shares Underlying
Name and Position                                         Options Granted
- -----------------                                   ---------------------------
<S>                                                 <C>
A. J. F. O'Reilly
Chairman, President and CEO                                    750,000
W. R. Johnson
Senior Vice President                                          450,000
L. Ribolla
Senior Vice President                                          200,000
W. C. Springer
Senior Vice President                                          450,000
D. R. Williams
Senior Vice President--Finance and Chief Financial
Officer                                                        450,000
All current Executive Officers as a Group
(including the persons named above)                          2,600,000
All current Directors, not Executive Officers, as
a Group (Not Eligible)                                             -0-
All Employees, not Executive Officers, as a Group            3,736,410
</TABLE>
 
All of the above options are subject to shareholder approval of the 1994 Plan,
are non-statutory stock options and have exercise prices ranging from $32.625
to $33.125 per share (the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of
grant). Except for the options granted to Dr. O'Reilly, all of the above
options are restricted as to exercise for a period of three years after the
date of grant. Dr. O'Reilly's options are restricted as to exercise until
December 31, 1997, which is three years after the expiration of his current
employment contract described on page 25. The executive officers named in the
table above and the other officers of the Company who are subject to Section
16(b) of the Exchange Act have received tandem LSARs in connection with the
stock options granted under the 1994 Plan.
 
No options were granted under the 1994 Plan to any associate of the Company's
directors or executive officers. No person other than the persons named in the
above table received more than five percent of the options granted under the
1994 Plan.
 
Vote Required for Approval of the 1994 Stock Option Plan
 
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by all shareholders
entitled to vote at the meeting is required for adoption of the proposal. For
purposes of this proposal, abstentions, unlike broker "non-votes," are counted
in determining the total number of votes cast and, thus, have the effect of a
vote against the proposal.
 
The Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders vote "FOR" this
proposal. Proxies solicited by the Board of Directors will be so voted unless
shareholders specify to the contrary in their proxies.
 
4. Proposal to Approve the Incentive Compensation Plan
(Item 4 on proxy card)
 
In furtherance of its belief that the continued success of the Company depends
upon its ability to attract, retain and motivate employees, and in view of
recent tax legislation which imposes limits on the Company's ability to deduct
employee compensation, the Management Development and Compensation Committee of
the Board of Directors (the "Committee") has reviewed the Company's incentive
compensation programs and determined that the Company's Management Incentive
Plan ("MIP") and Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP"), which were first approved
by the
 
14
<PAGE>
 
shareholders respectively in 1968 and 1973, have served their intended purpose,
but should be replaced by a new H. J. Heinz Company Incentive Compensation Plan
("ICP" or the "Plan") which shall provide for annual incentive payments.
Subject to the approval of the Company's shareholders, the Board of Directors
approved the adoption of the Plan, effective April 28, 1994.
 
The ICP covers executive officers and other key employees located in the
Company's affiliates throughout the world. The Committee believes that an
annual incentive plan that is uniform worldwide will more closely link
individual pay with operating income at the affiliate level and with earnings
per share at World Headquarters. The effect is expected to result in improved
individual and affiliate performance and should combine to enhance shareholder
value.
 
In order for payment of certain incentive awards to be deductible by the
Company under the current Internal Revenue Code, the payments must be paid
pursuant to a "performance-based" plan like the ICP which has been approved by
the shareholders.
 
Summary of the Incentive Compensation Plan
 
The full text of ICP is set forth in Appendix B to this Proxy Statement and
should be referred to for a complete description of its provisions. The
following summary of provisions of ICP is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the text of the Plan.
 
Purposes
 
The primary purposes of the Plan are to motivate participants toward achieving
annual goals that are within business unit and/or individual control, encourage
teamwork in various segments of the Company and reward performance with pay
that varies in relation to the achievement of preestablished goals.
 
Administration
 
The Plan shall be administered by the Committee which is composed of "outside
directors" within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, ("Section 162(m)"). No member of the Committee is eligible to
receive awards under the Plan. Subject to the limitations in the Plan, the
Committee has the authority to select the salaried employees who will
participate in the Plan (the "Participants"); the authority to determine the
size and types of awards; the terms and conditions for earning awards; the
right to interpret the Plan; establish, amend, or waive rules and regulations
for the Plan's administration; and subject to certain limitations which require
shareholder approval, amend the terms and conditions of the Plan.
 
Eligibility and Participation
 
Full-time, salaried employees of the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates
shall be eligible to be selected to participate in the Plan in any Award Period
(which shall, generally, be the fiscal year of the Company). It is the
intention of the Committee that there will be a new Award Period each year. No
person is automatically entitled to participate in the Plan in any Award
Period.
 
Performance Measures and Performance Goals
 
The Committee shall select performance measures and shall establish performance
goals for each Award Period. Such performance measures need not be the same for
all Participants. For the first Award Period, the Committee has determined that
World Headquarters employees will be measured based on the earnings per share
performance of the Company; and affiliate employees will be measured based on
the performance of their affiliate in terms of operating income.
 
Participants shall be grouped into categories ("Participant Categories"), as
determined by the Committee based upon level of responsibility. With respect to
each Participant Category, the Committee shall establish levels of incentive
award payment amounts ("Award Opportunities") which will be paid for
achievement against a range of performance goals. Each range of performance
goals shall include a level of performance at which one hundred percent (100%)
of the targeted incentive award ("Target Incentive Award") may be earned. In
addition, each range
 
                                                                              15
<PAGE>
 
of performance goals shall include levels of performance above and below the
one hundred percent (100%) performance level with a minimum level below which
no award will be paid and a maximum above which no payment will be made.
 
After the performance goals are established, the Committee will align the
achievement of the performance goals with Award Opportunities, such that the
level of achievement of the preestablished goals at the end of the Award Period
will determine the actual annual award amount ("Final Awards"). Except with
respect to the executive officers required to be named in the Summary
Compensation Table on page 21 ("Named Executive Officers"), the Committee shall
have the authority to exercise subjective discretion in the determination of
Final Awards with respect to any or all Participants, as well as the authority
to delegate the ability to exercise subjective discretion in this respect. The
Committee shall have the discretion to decrease or eliminate the amount of the
Final Award otherwise payable to a Named Executive Officer.
 
Award Opportunities
 
The Committee will establish, in writing, Award Opportunities which correspond
to various levels of attainment of the preestablished performance goals. The
established Award Opportunities will vary in relation to the Participant
Categories and may vary among affiliates and business units of the Company.
Except for the Named Executive Officers, in the event a Participant changes
Participant Categories during an Award Period, the Participant's Award
Opportunity may be adjusted to reflect the amount of time in each Participant
Category during the Award Period. Performance measures which may serve as
determinants of Named Executive Officers' Award Opportunities shall, except if
the Plan is amended with the consent of the shareholders of the Company or if
Section 162(m) is no longer applicable because of actions taken with the advice
of tax counsel, be limited to the following: (a) earnings per share; (b) return
on assets; (c) return on equity; (d) return on capital; (e) net profit after
taxes; (f) net profit before taxes; and (g) economic value added.
 
Estimated Plan Benefits
 
For the first Award Period, the Committee has determined that Award
Opportunities shall be based upon the midpoint of the salary range of the
individual Participant at the end of the Award Period and will depend on the
level of success each business unit achieves relative to the Target Incentive
Award. The amounts that will be awarded in fiscal year 1995 are not currently
determinable. Assuming the target is met, however, for fiscal year 1995, the
Named Executive Officers would receive the following amounts under the Plan: A.
J. F. O'Reilly $796,800, W. R. Johnson $358,600, L. Ribolla $358,600, W. C.
Springer $358,600 and D. R. Williams $249,000. The actual amount of any award
payment may be more or less than the amounts shown above and will be based on
the achievement of the performance goals. The maximum amount that could be paid
under the Plan would be equal to 250% of the target payout for Dr. O'Reilly and
from 150% to 180% of the target payouts for the other Named Executive Officers.
 
 
16
<PAGE>
 
The following table shows the amounts that would have been paid to the Named
Executive Officers and the specified groups if the Plan (which replaces both
the MIP and the LTIP) had been in effect for fiscal year 1994. The amounts
shown below would have appeared in the Summary Compensation Table on page 21 in
lieu of the MIP and LTIP payments (the Bonus and Long Term Incentive Payouts
columns, respectively). The dollar values shown are provided for purposes of
illustration only, as required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
 
New Plan Benefits
 
Incentive Compensation Plan
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name and Position                                           Dollar Value ($)
- -----------------                                           ----------------
<S>                                                         <C>
A. J. F. O'Reilly
Chairman, President and CEO                                         $-0-
W. R. Johnson
Senior Vice President                                                -0-
L. Ribolla
Senior Vice President                                                -0-
W. C. Springer
Senior Vice President                                                -0-
D. R. Williams
Senior Vice President--Finance and Chief Financial Officer           -0-
All current Executive Officers as a Group
(including the persons named above)                                  -0-
All current Directors, not Executive Officers, as a Group
(Not Eligible)                                                       -0-
All Employees, not Executive Officers, as a Group              8,000,000*
</TABLE>
- ---------
* Estimated aggregate amounts that would have been paid to participants based
  upon the achievement of operating income goals by certain affiliates of the
  Company.
 
Adjustment of Performance Goals and Award Opportunities
 
Once established, performance goals normally may not be changed during the
Award Period. However, except for the Named Executive Officers, if the
Committee determines that external changes such as changes in accounting
practices, tax policies or other externally-driven extraordinary items or other
unanticipated business conditions have materially affected the fairness of the
goals, then the Committee may approve appropriate adjustments to the
performance goals (either upward or downward) during the Award Period as such
goals apply to the Award Opportunities of specified Participants.
 
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of any change in
corporate capitalization, such as a stock split, or a corporate transaction,
such as any merger, consolidation, separation, including a spin-off, or other
distribution of stock or property of the Company, any reorganization (whether
or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such term in Code
Section 368), or any partial or complete liquidation of the Company, such
adjustment shall be made in the Award Opportunities and/or the performance
measures or performance goals related to the then-current Award Period as may
be determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee, in its sole
discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights; provided, however,
that any such adjustment shall not be made with respect to Named Executive
Officers if it would eliminate the ability of Award Opportunities held by Named
Executive Officers to qualify for the "performance-based" exemption under
Section 162 (m).
 
Final Award Determinations
 
At the end of each Award Period, Final Awards shall be computed for each
Participant as determined by the Committee. Final Awards may vary above or
below the Target Incentive Award, based on the level of achievement of the
preestablished Company-wide, business unit or
 
                                                                              17
<PAGE>
 
affiliate and/or individual performance goals, as applicable. In addition, the
Committee shall have the authority to reduce or eliminate Final Award
determinations of any or all Participants, based upon any objective or
subjective criteria it deems appropriate.
 
Final Award Limit
 
The Committee may establish guidelines governing the maximum Final Awards that
may be earned by Participants (either in the aggregate, by Participant
Category, or among individual Participants) in each Award Period. The
guidelines may be expressed as a percentage of Company-wide, business unit or
affiliate goals or financial measures, or such other measures as the Committee
shall determine; provided, however, that the maximum payout with respect to a
Final Award payable to any one Participant in connection with performance in
any one Award Period shall be four million dollars ($4,000,000).
 
Shareholder Protection Provision
 
ICP contains the identical shareholder protection formula that was approved by
the shareholders in 1968 for MIP and in 1973 for LTIP. That formula provides
that the aggregate of all payments of Final Awards under the Plan for any Award
Period shall not exceed, for each such Award Period, the sum of (a) three
percent (3%) of the net income of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries, before taxes and before giving effects to extraordinary items,
before taxes on income and before deductions for minority interests and the
amounts of payments of Final Awards under the Plan ("Consolidated Pre-tax Net
Income") and (b) five percent (5%) of Consolidated Pre-tax Net Income in excess
of a twelve percent (12%) return on "Shareholders' Equity" in the Company. For
purposes of this Plan, "Shareholders' Equity" is the consolidated capital and
surplus of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries at the beginning of
the Award Period to which the Final Award payments relate.
 
The Committee may establish minimum levels of performance goal achievement,
below which no payouts of Final Awards shall be made to any Participant.
 
Form and Timing of Payment of Final Awards
 
Subject to the terms and conditions as established by the Committee prior to
the payment of Final Awards, Participants shall have the election to choose
from any one or all of the following three methods of payment of Final Awards
under the Plan: (a) Cash; (b) Defer receipt of payment into the H. J. Heinz
Company Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Deferred Compensation
Plan"), provided that the Participant is eligible and selected to participate
in the Deferred Compensation Plan during the applicable Award Period; or (c)
Defer receipt of payment into a tax-qualified retirement savings plan sponsored
by the Company (as applicable, the "Savings Plan"); provided, however, that the
Participant must be eligible to make deferrals under the Savings Plan.
 
Unsecured Interest
 
No Participant or any other party claiming an interest in amounts earned under
the Plan shall have any interest whatsoever in any specific asset of the
Company. To the extent that any party acquires a right to receive payments
under the Plan, such right shall be equivalent to that of an unsecured general
creditor of the Company.
 
Termination of Employment Due to Death, Disability, or Retirement
 
In the event a Participant's employment is terminated by reason of death,
disability or retirement, the Final Award shall be reduced to reflect
participation prior to employment termination only.
 
Termination of Employment for Other Reasons
 
Except in the case of a change in control, in the event that a Participant's
employment is terminated prior to completion of an Award Period for any reason
other than death, disability, or retirement, all of the Participant's rights to
a Final Award for such Award Period shall be forfeited.
 
18
<PAGE>
 
However, except in the event of an involuntary employment termination for
"Cause," the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay a prorated award for
the portion of the Award Period that the Participant was employed by the
Company.
 
Amendments
 
Unless the Company's shareholders have first approved thereof, no amendment of
the Plan with respect to any Named Executive Officer may be made which would
increase the maximum amount that can be paid to any one Participant under the
Plan, change the specified performance goal for payment of Final Awards, or
modify the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan except
for the possible modifications described in the following two paragraphs.
 
If, on the advice of the Company's tax counsel, the Committee determines that
Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations thereunder will not adversely
affect the deductibility for federal income tax purposes of any amount paid
under the Plan by permitting greater discretion and/or flexibility with respect
to Award Opportunities granted to Named Executive Officers, then the Committee
may, in its sole discretion, apply such greater discretion and/or flexibility
to such Award Opportunities.
 
In the event the Committee determines that compliance with Code Section 162(m)
is not desired, then compliance with Code Section 162(m) will not be required.
In addition, in the event that changes are made to Code Section 162(m) to
permit greater flexibility under the Plan, the Committee may make any
adjustments it deems appropriate.
 
Other than as limited above, the Committee may amend any or all of the other
provisions of the Plan without shareholder approval, or suspend or terminate it
entirely; provided, however, that no such action may adversely affect any
rights or obligations with respect to any awards theretofore made under the
Plan without the prior consent of the Participants affected.
 
Federal Income Tax Consequences
 
In the opinion of tax counsel to the Company, based upon the present provisions
of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder, the federal income
tax consequences of the payment of an annual cash incentive award will be as
described below. The Plan is not subject to the qualification requirements of
Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
 
Any cash received under an incentive award will be included in income at the
time of receipt and will be subject to tax at ordinary income rates. Any
incentive awards that are properly deferred under the terms of the H.J. Heinz
Company Executive Deferred Compensation Plan or under a tax-qualified
retirement savings plan sponsored by the Company (the "Deferral Plans") shall
be taxable when actually or constructively distributed under such Deferral
Plans.
 
The Company will generally be entitled to a deduction equal to the amount of
ordinary income realized by the recipient upon receipt of an award. Deductions
for amounts deferred under the Deferral Plans shall be limited as provided in
Section 404 of the Internal Revenue Code. Under Section 162(m), the Company may
be limited as to federal income tax deductions to the extent that total
compensation paid to the Company's Chief Executive Officer and to each of the
other four most highly compensated executive officers exceeds $1,000,000 in any
one year. The Company can preserve the deductibility of certain compensation in
excess of $1,000,000, however, provided that it complies with conditions
imposed by Section 162(m), including the payment of performance-based
compensation pursuant to a plan approved by stockholders. The Plan is intended
to comply with Section 162(m) by qualifying payments under the Plan as
performance-based compensation.
 
Vote Required for Approval of the Incentive Compensation Plan
 
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by all shareholders
entitled to vote at the meeting is required for adoption of the proposal. For
purposes of this proposal, abstentions and broker "non-votes" are not counted
in determining the total number of votes cast and, thus, have no effect on the
outcome of the vote.
 
 
                                                                              19
<PAGE>
 
The Board of Directors has not determined what action it will take in regard to
the payment of incentive compensation if the shareholders do not approve the
Plan. However, the Board of Directors may decide to continue the MIP and LTIP.
 
The Board of Directors recommends that the shareholders vote "FOR" this
proposal. Proxies solicited by the Board of Directors will be so voted unless
shareholders specify to the contrary in their proxies.
 
5. Shareholder Proposal
(Item 5 on proxy card)
 
The record owner of 5,600 shares of Common Stock of the Company, whose name and
address will be furnished by the Company to any person promptly upon the
receipt of any oral or written request therefor, has given notice that the
following proposal will be presented at the Annual Meeting:
 
  "Be it resolved it is recommended that the Board of Directors seek rewards
  other than stock options or stock appreciation rights for future employee
  incentive compensation arrangements. It is further recommended that such
  future arrangements provide for specific goals and rewards for the coming
  year or years to be stated in the annual meeting notices."
 
The shareholder has submitted the following statement in support of the
proposal:
 
  "Stock options as a form of employee compensation may appear to be
  something for nothing since they don't appear in the income statement, but
  they dilute the stockholders' equity in a significant way. Worst of all
  they depend mostly on the movements of the stock market, which as all
  investors know can be quite unrelated to the progress of the company, and
  to the efforts of the individual employee, and can produce some grotesque
  incentive awards.
 
  Stock ownership by employees is desirable. It should be achieved by
  incentive stock grants and employee stock purchase plans, not by tickets to
  gamble on a mostly rising stock market. Therefore, the stockholders of the
  company shall have an opportunity to express their wishes by voting on the
  [above] resolution."
 
The Board of Directors does not agree with the above proposal and recommends a
vote "AGAINST" the proposal.
 
Your Board of Directors believes that the continued use of stock options is in
the best interest of the Company and its shareholders and is the most effective
way to direct management's efforts towards enhancing shareholder value and
maintaining the Company as one of the premier food companies in the world. Your
Directors submit that evidence of the value of the Company's stock option
plans, each of which was approved by at least 91% of the shareholders voting on
such plans, is that the Company's shares have outperformed the S&P 500 over the
15 year period from 1979 through 1994 and in three of the past five years
during the period 1989 through 1994. (See the Performance Graphs on pages 29
and 30.) If the shares do not appreciate in value, there is no benefit to the
option holder. If, however, the value of a share is higher on the date of
exercise than on the date of grant, both the optionee and the shareholders have
benefited from the increase in the value of the stock. During the past 15 years
the total market capitalization of the Company has increased from $948.5
million in 1979 to $8.4 billion in 1994 or (782%). Your Directors submit that
the record of the Company, as a consistently profitable company, ties more
closely to the efforts of its employees rather than to the vagaries of the
stock market. During the past 15 years, the Company has remained among the most
profitable public companies in the world. Your Directors firmly believe that
the best way to assure the shareholders that the value of their Company and the
consequent value of their shares will continue to increase in value is to
maintain an ongoing stock option program.
 
Accordingly, the Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote "AGAINST"
this proposal. Proxies received by the Board of Directors will be so voted
unless shareholders specify to the contrary in their proxies.
 
20
<PAGE>
 
Vote Required for Shareholder Proposal
 
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by all shareholders
entitled to vote at the meeting is required for adoption of this proposal. For
purposes of this proposal, absentions and broker "non-votes" are not counted
in determining the total number of votes cast and, thus, have no effect on the
outcome of the vote.
 
6. Other Business
 
The Board of Directors does not know of any other business to be presented at
the Annual Meeting of Shareholders. If any other matters properly come before
the meeting, however, it is intended that the persons named in the enclosed
form of proxy will vote the proxy in accordance with their best judgment.
 
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
The following tables and accompanying text discuss the compensation paid to
the Company's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and the
Company's four other most highly compensated executive officers. Under the
Securities and Exchange Commission's rules, Summary Compensation information
is required to be shown only for the years during which a person served as an
executive officer.
 
Summary Compensation Table
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     Annual Compensation               Long-Term Compensation
                                ------------------------------  -------------------------------------
                                                                 Awards (4)    Payouts
                                                                ------------- ----------
                                                                                 Long
                                                     Other       Securities      Term
      Name and                                       Annual      Underlying   Incentive   All Other
      Principal                  Salary   Bonus   Compensation     Options     Payouts   Compensation
      Position         Year (1)   ($)      ($)       ($)(2)     (No. Awarded)    ($)      ($)(2)(5)
- ---------------------  -------- -------- -------- ------------  ------------- ---------- ------------
<S>                    <C>      <C>      <C>      <C>           <C>           <C>        <C>
A. J. F. O'Reilly        1994   $524,290 $228,096   $142,418(3)    750,000    $  823,740   $186,357
Chairman,                1993    514,000  372,557    117,020           -0-     1,727,603     66,201
President and CEO        1992    514,000  532,224      --              -0-     2,122,416      --

W. R. Johnson            1994    291,955   66,240      --          450,000       412,689     35,612
Senior Vice President

L. Ribolla               1994    325,976   99,360      --          200,000       396,346        -0-
Senior Vice President    1993    324,677   84,015      --              -0-       676,271        -0-

W. C. Springer           1994    301,772   90,480      --          450,000       289,963     43,401
Senior Vice President

D. R. Williams           1994    248,736   75,600      --          450,000       187,012     34,638
Senior Vice President    1993    232,925  112,896      --           50,000       260,626     10,942
- --Finance and Chief      1992    166,625   84,492      --              -0-       161,335      --
Financial Officer
</TABLE>
- ---------
 
(1) Mr. Ribolla became an executive officer of the Company during fiscal year
    1993 and Messrs. Johnson and Springer became executive officers of the
    Company during fiscal year 1994.
 
(2) Pursuant to the Securities and Exchange Commission's rules, amounts prior
    to the 1993 fiscal year are not required to be disclosed nor are
    perquisites and other personal benefits which do not exceed the lesser of
    $50,000 or 10 percent of the named executive officer's salary and bonus.
 
(3) Includes $111,440 for personal financial counseling.
 
(4) No awards of restricted stock were made to the Chief Executive Officer or
    any of the executive officers during the period covered by the Summary
    Compensation Table.
 
(5) Includes for Dr. O'Reilly and Messrs. Johnson, Ribolla, Springer and
    Williams, respectively, the following: (i) amounts contributed by the
    Company under the Employees Retirement and Savings Plan, $106,387,
    $31,239, $0, $40,530 and $30,546; (ii) the company-paid premiums for
    "split dollar" term life insurance and the dollar value of the benefit, if
    any, to such persons of the remainder of the premiums paid by the Company,
    $35,204, $1,456, $0, $1,514 and $1,175; and (iii) the portion of interest
    accrued (but not currently paid or payable) on deferred compensation above
    120% of the applicable federal long-term rate, $44,766, $2,917, $0, $1,357
    and $2,917.
 
 
                                                                             21
<PAGE>
 
Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
 
The following table shows information with respect to grants of options to the
Chief Executive Officer and the other named executive officers in the 1994
fiscal year.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              Grant Date
                     Individual Grants                          Value
- ------------------------------------------------------------- ----------
                              Percent of
                   Number of    Total
                     Shares    Options
                   Underlying Granted to                      Grant Date
                    Options   Employees  Exercise              Present
                    Granted   In Fiscal    Price   Expiration   Value
      Name           (#)(1)      Year    ($/Share)    Date      ($)(2)
- -----------------  ---------- ---------- --------- ---------- ----------
<S>                <C>        <C>        <C>       <C>        <C>
A. J. F. O'Reilly   750,000     7.92%     $33.125   4/12/04   $3,900,000
W. R. Johnson       450,000     4.75%      33.125   4/12/04    2,502,000
L. Ribolla          200,000     2.11%      33.125   4/12/04    1,112,000
W. C. Springer      450,000     4.75%      33.125   4/12/04    2,502,000
D. R. Williams      450,000     4.75%      33.125   4/12/04    2,502,000
</TABLE>
 
1. All of the above options were granted on April 13, 1994 under the 1994 Stock
   Option Plan, which is subject to shareholder approval. If shareholder
   approval of the 1994 Stock Option Plan is not obtained the above options
   will be void and of no effect. Except for the options granted to Dr.
   O'Reilly, all of the above options are restricted as to exercise for a
   period of three years after the date of grant. Dr. O'Reilly's options are
   restricted as to exercise until December 31, 1997, which is three years
   after the expiration of his current employment agreement. All of the
   executive officers named above received grants of tandem LSARs in connection
   with their stock option grants. No SARs have been outstanding or granted
   under any of the Company's stock option plans since 1985.
 
2. The estimated grant date present value reflected in the above table is
   determined using the modified Black-Scholes model. The material assumptions
   and adjustments incorporated in the Black-Scholes model in estimating the
   value of the options reflected in the above table include the following:
   .  An exercise price on the option of $33.125, equal to the fair market
      value of the underlying stock on the date of grant.
   .  An option term of ten years.
   .  An interest rate of 6.97% that represents the interest rate on a U.S.
      Treasury security with a maturity date corresponding to that of the
      option term.
   .  Volatility of 19% calculated using daily stock prices for the one-year
      period prior to the grant date.
   .  Dividends at the rate of $1.32 per share representing the annualized
      dividends paid with respect to a share of common stock at the date of
      grant.
   .  Reductions of approximately 36% for Dr. O'Reilly and 31% for the other
      named executive officers to reflect the probability of forfeiture due to
      termination prior to vesting, and the probability of a shortened option
      term due to termination of employment prior to the option expiration
      date.
 
The ultimate values of the options will depend on the future market price of
the Company's stock, which cannot be forecast with reasonable accuracy. The
actual value, if any, an optionee will realize upon exercise of an option will
depend on the excess of the market value of the Company's common stock over the
exercise price on the date the option is exercised.
 
 
22
<PAGE>
 
Aggregated Option/SAR Exercises in 1994 Fiscal Year and
Fiscal Year-End Option/SAR Value
 
The following table shows information with respect to the exercise of stock
options during 1994 by the Chief Executive Officer and each of the other named
executive officers and the value of unexercised options at fiscal year-end.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    Number of Securities       Value of Unexercised
                                                   Underlying Unexercised    In-the-Money Options/SARs
                                                 Options/SARs at FY-End (#)  at Fiscal Year-End ($)(3)
                                                ---------------------------- -------------------------
                      Shares
                   Acquired on       Value
      Name         Exercise (#) Realized ($)(1) Exercisable Unexercisable(2) Exercisable Unexercisable
- -----------------  ------------ --------------- ----------- ---------------- ----------- -------------
<S>                <C>          <C>             <C>         <C>              <C>         <C>
A. J. F. O'Reilly        -0-       $    -0-           -0-      4,750,000     $      -0-   $13,593,750
W. R. Johnson         10,000        128,750        45,000        795,000        478,125       268,750
L. Ribolla               -0-            -0-        80,000        340,000        850,000       450,000
W. C. Springer        47,530        719,305       139,582        830,000      1,489,059       375,000
D. R. Williams         4,418         61,300        75,582        670,000        803,059       268,750
</TABLE>
 
1. The "Value Realized" is equal to the fair market value on the date of
   exercise, less the exercise price, times the number of shares acquired. No
   SARs were exercised during the last fiscal year.
 
2. The Unexercisable Options include the options granted to each of the persons
   named above under the 1994 Stock Option Plan, which is subject to
   shareholder approval.
 
3. The "Value of Unexercised In-The-Money Options at Fiscal Year-End" is equal
   to the fair market value of the shares underlying the options at April 26,
   1994, the last trading day of the 1994 fiscal year, less the exercise price,
   times the number of options.
 
Long-Term Incentive Plan--Awards In 1994
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   Estimated Future Payouts Under
                                                    Non-Stock Price-Based Plans
                                                  --------------------------------
                     Number of    Performance or
                   Shares, Units   Other Period
                     or Other    Until Maturation Threshold   Target     Maximum
      Name          Rights (#)      or Payout         ($)       ($)        ($)
- -----------------  ------------- ---------------- -------------------- -----------
<S>                <C>           <C>              <C>        <C>       <C>
A. J. F. O'Reilly     987,000       1994-1996       $29,610   $987,000  $2,961,000
W. R. Johnson         333,200       1994-1996         9,996    333,200     999,600
L. Ribolla            382,200       1994-1996        11,466    382,200   1,146,600
W. C. Springer        355,600       1994-1996        10,668    355,600   1,066,800
D. R. Williams        295,000       1994-1996         8,850    295,000     885,000
</TABLE>
 
The amounts included in the Estimated Future Payouts columns above, represent
the potential payouts awarded to the named executive officers under the
Company's Long-Term Incentive Plan (the "LTIP") depending upon the level of
achievement (i.e., threshold, target or maximum) of the performance goals for
the three-year cycle beginning in fiscal year 1994 (the "1994 Cycle"). The
LTIP, however, will terminate as of the end of fiscal year 1994 if the new
Incentive Compensation Plan described on page 14 is approved by the Company's
shareholders. If the LTIP is terminated, participants in the LTIP will receive
a payment of no more than one-third of the present value of the estimated cash
award for the 1994 Cycle in lieu of any future payments under the LTIP. The
payment will be based upon the estimated achievement of the performance goals
for the 1994 Cycle.
 
Performance goals are established by the Management Development and
Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee") early in the
first fiscal year of each cycle based on (a) changes during each cycle in the
earnings per share ("EPS") of the Company's Common Stock or, in the case of
subsidiary or division executives, the net profit after tax ("NPAT") of the
appropriate subsidiary or division, and (b) changes during the cycle in return
on average shareholders' equity ("ROE") of the Company. The number of units
awarded to each participant is determined by the Committee on the basis of the
importance and contribution of the participant's position.
 
                                                                              23
<PAGE>
 
The percentage of the performance units earned for the cycle, which may exceed
100%, depends on achievement of EPS/NPAT and ROE goals established for the
cycle. The amount of the cash award with respect to performance units earned is
determined by the Committee after an evaluation of the achievement of
performance goals.
 
Retirement Benefits
 
All full-time salaried employees of the Company and certain of its domestic
divisions and subsidiaries who were hired before January 1, 1993 are provided
retirement benefits under the Employees Retirement System of the H.J. Heinz
Company (the "Retirement System") based on credited service to the Company as
of December 31, 1992 and the five-year average earnable compensation of the
employee as of December 31, 1992. In April 1992, the Board of Directors of the
Company amended the Retirement System to provide that no benefits would accrue
under this plan on or after January 1, 1993. For purposes of the Retirement
System, compensation includes salary and bonuses paid under the Company's
Management Incentive Plan ("MIP"), but does not include deferred MIP payments
and Long-Term Incentive Plan ("LTIP") payments. The Retirement System has been
noncontributory since 1968.
 
The Board of Directors, effective May 1, 1989, adopted a Supplemental Executive
Retirement Plan (the "SERP") which provides additional retirement benefits for
eligible executives, including Dr. O'Reilly and the executive officers named in
the Summary Compensation Table, who retire under the terms of the Retirement
System. The SERP was adopted in order to compensate eligible executives for
reductions in the benefits calculated under the Retirement System due to
legislative and regulatory limitations imposed on qualified plans. Subject to
reduction as described below, the benefit payable under the SERP is a lump sum
equal to a multiple of the employee's final average earnable compensation
during any five of the last ten years prior to the employee's retirement. The
multiple used to calculate benefits under the SERP is based on the
participant's years of credited service up to 35 years. Salary, MIP payments
(including deferred payments) and one-half of LTIP awards are included in the
earnings base of participants. The benefit payable under the SERP is reduced by
(i) the lump sum benefit payable under the Retirement System (whether or not
the participant elects a lump sum form of payment) and (ii) the value of the
participant's age-related company contribution account under the Company's
Employees Retirement and Savings Plan and the Employees Retirement and Savings
Excess Plan. All benefit payments under the SERP after such reduction will be
made by the Company outside the qualified retirement plans.
 
Compensation for the fiscal year ended April 27, 1994, included in the earnings
base under the SERP for each of the executive officers named in the Summary
Compensation Table is as follows: A.J.F. O'Reilly $1,164,256, W. R. Johnson
$564,540, L. Ribolla $623,509, W. C. Springer $537,234 and D. R. Williams
$417,842. The following table shows the annual pension equivalent of the
estimated maximum retirement benefits payable to the above named executive
officers under the Company's qualified retirement plans and the SERP upon
normal retirement with the indicated number of credited years of service and
amount of eligible compensation.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         Years of Service
                       ------------------------------------------------------------
 Average Earnings
   High Five of
  Last Ten Years
Prior to Retirement       15           20           25           30           35
- -------------------    --------     --------     --------     --------     --------
<S>                    <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>
    $  400,000         $115,374     $134,602     $153,831     $173,060     $192,289
       500,000          144,217      168,253      192,289      216,325      240,362
       600,000          173,060      201,904      230,747      259,590      288,434
       700,000          201,904      235,554      269,205      302,855      336,506
       800,000          230,747      269,205      307,663      346,121      384,578
       900,000          259,590      302,855      346,121      389,386      432,651
     1,000,000          288,434      336,506      384,578      432,651      480,723
     1,200,000          346,121      403,807      461,494      519,181      576,868
     1,400,000          403,807      471,109      538,410      605,711      673,012
</TABLE>
 
 
24
<PAGE>
 
As of April 27, 1994, the credited years of service under the Retirement System
and the SERP for Dr. O'Reilly and Messrs. Johnson, Ribolla, Springer and
Williams were, as rounded to the nearest full year, 25, 12, 27, 20 and 27,
respectively. An employee is credited with years of service under the
Retirement System for years worked beyond the normal retirement date and prior
to January 1, 1993.
 
Executive Employment Agreement
 
The Company retains Dr. O'Reilly pursuant to an Employment Agreement (the
"Agreement") dated as of March 14, 1990. The Agreement with Dr. O'Reilly
provides for his continued employment as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
President through December 31, 1994 at an annual base salary of not less than
$514,000 subject to annual adjustment based upon a survey prepared by a
recognized compensation consultant. The Agreement also provides for Dr.
O'Reilly's continued participation in MIP and LTIP, or any substantially
equivalent programs.
 
Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Dr. O'Reilly received a grant of
4,000,000 non-statutory stock options with tandem limited stock appreciation
rights (the "Options"). The Options will expire on the earlier of three years
after termination of employment or December 31, 1999, but do not vest or become
exercisable until December 31, 1994, unless accelerated as provided for in the
Agreement or the 1987 and 1990 Stock Option Plans. The Agreement also restricts
the exercise of any Option by Dr. O'Reilly during certain periods when a
transaction that would constitute a "Change in Control" is pending.
 
If, prior to December 31, 1994, Dr. O'Reilly's employment is terminated without
"cause" ("cause" being defined either as a material breach of the Agreement by
the Executive or as in Section 11(D)(C) of the 1990 Option Plan) or by him for
"Good Reason," he will be entitled to receive: (a) a lump-sum payment of all
base salary accrued and unpaid through the date of termination, (b) a lump-sum
payment equal to the sum of (x) twice his annual base salary in effect at the
time of termination and (y) twice his highest aggregate incentive compensation
(including deferrals) in any one of the last three full years preceding
termination (if such termination occurs within two years following a "Change in
Control," the amount payable to Dr. O'Reilly may be greater, as described
below), (c) service credit under the Company's retirement plans for the
remaining term of the Agreement or three years, whichever is shorter; and (d) a
lump-sum payment of benefits accrued under the Company's Retirement and
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. In addition, upon such termination all
unvested options held by Dr. O'Reilly will immediately vest and become
exercisable. Unvested options held by Dr. O'Reilly would be cancelled in the
event that his employment were to be terminated for cause or by him without
Good Reason.
 
Under the Agreement, "Good Reason" for termination by Dr. O'Reilly includes:
(a) a material breach by the Company of its obligations under the Agreement,
(b) a material reduction by the Company in the responsibilities he customarily
exercised prior to the Agreement, (c) the failure to nominate, recommend and
elect Dr. O'Reilly as a Director at every shareholders' meeting at which his
term as a Director would otherwise expire or (d) the failure to continue Dr.
O'Reilly as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and (except upon certain limited
circumstances) President, or (e) a "Change in Control."
 
In the event that a termination by the Company without cause or by Dr. O'Reilly
for "Good Reason" occurs upon or within two years following a "Change in
Control," the lump-sum payment of base salary and incentive compensation to Dr.
O'Reilly shall be the greater of (a) the sum of (x) twice his annual base
salary in effect at the time of termination, and (y) twice his highest
aggregate incentive compensation (including deferrals) in any one of the last
three full years preceding termination, or (b) the sum of (x) the product of
the annual base salary in effect at the time of termination, multiplied by the
remaining term of the Agreement, and (y) the product of the highest aggregate
incentive compensation (including deferrals) in any one of the last three full
years preceding termination, multiplied by the remaining term of the Agreement.
 
 
                                                                              25
<PAGE>
 
The Agreement also provides for payments to Dr. O'Reilly if he should become
permanently disabled, and to the estate of Dr. O'Reilly upon his death.
 
If all or any portion of any payments to Dr. O'Reilly under the Agreement would
constitute a "parachute payment" within the meaning of Section 280G of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), then the amount of such
payment shall be reduced to the extent necessary so that no portion thereof
shall be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code unless
Dr. O'Reilly would receive a larger amount, on an after-tax basis, if the
payments were not reduced. The determination of whether or not Dr. O'Reilly
would receive a larger amount, on an after-tax basis, shall be made in good
faith by Dr. O'Reilly before the first payment.
 
Under the Agreement, Dr. O'Reilly is not permitted to compete directly with the
Company in areas throughout the world where the Company now conducts (or may in
the future conduct) significant business operations until the earlier of
December 31, 1996 or the second anniversary of the termination of his
employment, unless his employment is terminated by the Company without cause or
by him for "Good Reason." Dr. O'Reilly is, however, permitted during and after
the term of the Agreement to continue to invest and engage in the outside
business activities that he was engaged in as of January 1, 1990 and that do
not interfere with the performance of his duties under the Agreement.
 
Report of the Management Development and
Compensation Committee on Executive Compensation
 
 
The Management Development and Compensation Committee (the "Committee"), made
up solely of non-employee directors, oversees the administration of total
compensation for senior executives of the Company. Executive compensation
programs for those executives are clearly focused on enhancement of shareholder
value. Incentives are paid to those executives on achievement of pre-determined
goals approved by the Committee.
 
As discussed on page 14, the Committee has adopted, subject to shareholder
approval, a new H. J. Heinz Company Incentive Compensation Plan ("ICP") which
will replace the present Management Incentive Plan ("MIP") and Long-Term
Incentive Plan ("LTIP"). In addition, the Committee has adopted, subject to
shareholder approval, the 1994 Stock Option Plan which is described on page 9.
 
Components of Compensation
 
The Company's executive compensation program presently is comprised of base
salary, annual incentive awards granted under the MIP, long-term incentive
awards granted under the LTIP and stock options.
 
The Committee compares total compensation levels for the Company's senior
executives to the compensation paid to executives of a peer group of companies
(the "Peer Group"). The Peer Group is comprised of 22 leading international
consumer products companies which are similar to the Company in terms of sales,
assets, and total market capitalization. The companies chosen for the Peer
Group include ten of the 15 companies which comprise the Standard & Poor's
Foods Group Index in the Performance Graphs on pages 29 and 30. The Committee
believes that the Peer Group represents the Company's most direct competitors
for executive talent.
 
As needed, the Committee calls upon Hewitt Associates, an independent
compensation consultant, for consultations and survey information related to
executive compensation.
 
Base Salary
 
The objective of the Company's base salary policy is to provide income at a
median level in comparison to the Peer Group. Because base salaries had not
been increased in recent years, however, base salary levels of the Company's
executives were approximately 20% below the
 
26
<PAGE>
 
competitive median for base salaries among the Peer Group. Accordingly, base
salaries of executive officers were adjusted to levels at least equal to the
minimum of the applicable salary range. The base salaries of certain executive
officers were increased above the minimum salary range as a result of their
individual performance.
 
In April, 1994, Dr. O'Reilly's base salary was increased to $637,478 from the
$514,000 base salary that he had been paid since May, 1989. This was done to
bring his salary to the minimum of the salary range and in recognition of his
continued outstanding leadership. Although the Company experienced a difficult
year, partially due to the weak worldwide economy, less favorable tax rates,
and unfavorable variations in major foreign currencies, Dr. O'Reilly maintained
the Company's clear focus on controlling costs, preserved strong profit
margins, directed a major restructuring and identified and focused on growth
opportunities in foodservice, baby food and new geographic areas.
 
Annual Incentives
 
Annual incentive awards, which were lower than in prior years, were paid to
executives under the MIP for Fiscal Year 1994. Under the MIP, annual incentive
awards are determined based on individual performance during the year and the
Company's achievement of net-profit-after-tax goals ("NPAT goals"). In
determining the annual incentive award under the MIP, personal performance is
weighted 25% and achievement of NPAT goals is weighted 75% for participants at
World Headquarters and 25% personal, 25% corporate and 50% affiliate for
participants in affiliate positions.
 
For Fiscal Year 1994, targeted payouts under MIP were set at levels which if
attained would have provided salary and MIP Compensation at the 75th percentile
of total compensation of the Peer Group.
 
Because the Company's NPAT goal was not achieved, awards under the MIP for
Fiscal Year 1994 were approximately 50% below targeted awards for each
executive position. Dr. O'Reilly's award of $228,096 under the MIP, included
under the "Bonus" column in the Summary Compensation Table on page 21, was 50%
of the targeted award. His award was paid on the same basis as awards to other
executive officers under the MIP.
 
As mentioned above, the ICP will, subject to shareholder approval, replace both
the MIP and the LTIP. The ICP has been designed to focus executive compensation
more closely on improvements in operating income and earnings per share. The
Committee believes the ICP will help to motivate the managers and key employees
of each of the Company's businesses to meet their new business challenges.
 
Long Term-Incentives
 
Long-term incentive payouts, which were lower than in prior years, were paid
under the LTIP for Fiscal Year 1994 and are shown for the named executive
officers in the "Long Term Incentive Payouts" column in the Summary
Compensation Table on page 21. Payments under the LTIP are based on performance
of the Company against goals set by the Committee in Fiscal Year 1992 for all
executive officers. Performance was measured based on earnings per share goals,
weighted 50%, and return on equity goals, weighted 50%.
 
For the three-year performance period ending April 27, 1994, earnings per share
were below targeted goals while return on equity exceeded targeted goals.
Accordingly, awards under the LTIP made in Fiscal Year 1994 were 92% of the
targeted corporate payout.
 
Dr. O'Reilly's award of $823,740 under the LTIP, included under the Long-Term
Incentive Payouts column in the Summary Compensation Table on page 21, was 92%
of the targeted award.
 
The Committee intends, subject to shareholder approval of the ICP, to terminate
the LTIP. Following receipt of such approval, payments representing the present
value of the completed portions of the LTIP cycles ending in Fiscal Year 1995
and Fiscal Year 1996 will be estimated and paid. No further LTIP payments will
be made thereafter.
 
 
                                                                              27
<PAGE>
 
Stock Options
 
Stock options, which are a major part of incentive compensation for the senior
management of the Company and its affiliates, serve to focus attention on the
interests of the shareholders and to encourage share ownership by Company
executives.
 
The Committee makes periodic grants of stock options to executive officers and
other key employees of the Company to foster a commitment to increasing long-
term shareholder value. To advance further the Committee's goal of linking a
significant portion of management's compensation to an increase in long-term
shareholder value, the Committee has adopted, subject to shareholder approval,
the 1994 Stock Option Plan.
 
On April 13, 1994, the Company made grants of options to executive officers and
other key employees of the Company, restricted as to exercise for three years.
While grants have been made annually to a group of about 300 eligible managers,
grants to the senior management of the Company are only made every few years.
Grants to executive officers were last generally made in December, 1990. As a
result, these grants, when made, are larger than if annual awards were made.
The number of options that were granted to the executive officers during the
past fiscal year are included in the table on page 22 of this Proxy Statement.
These grants were made subject to shareholder approval of the 1994 Stock Option
Plan.
 
The Committee believes it is in the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders that Dr. O'Reilly continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer
beyond the December 31, 1994 termination date set forth in his 1990 employment
contract. To express the Committee's confidence in his stewardship and in
expectation of his continued leadership of the Company, Dr. O'Reilly was
granted 750,000 options at the market price on April 13, 1994. This grant was
determined to be proper and reasonable in view of the number of options
previously granted to Dr. O'Reilly. To encourage Dr. O'Reilly to remain with
the Company, these options are restricted as to exercise for a period of three
years from the end of Dr. O'Reilly's current contract. Dr. O'Reilly's last
stock option grant was in March, 1990 when he signed his employment agreement.
 
Policy on Deductibility of Compensation Under Section 162(m)
 
Recently enacted Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally limits
the corporate deduction for compensation paid to the Company's executive
officers named in the Summary Compensation Table on page 21, unless certain
requirements are met. The Committee has carefully considered the impact of this
new tax code provision. At this time, the Committee intends to take such action
as may be required to preserve the Company's tax deduction with respect to
compensation paid the executive officers subject to the deduction limit. The
Company's new Incentive Compensation Plan and the 1994 Stock Option Plan are
designed to qualify future payments for tax deductibility.
 
Conclusion
 
The Committee believes these executive compensation policies and programs
effectively serve the interests of shareholders and the Company and are
appropriately balanced to provide increased motivation for executives to
contribute to the Company's overall future success.
 
HERMAN J. SCHMIDT (Chairman)                 RICHARD M. CYERT
WILLIAM P. SNYDER III                        SAMUEL C. JOHNSON
ELEANOR B. SHELDON                           DONALD R. KEOUGH
 
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
 
Messrs. Schmidt, Snyder, Cyert, S.C. Johnson, Keough and Ms. Sheldon as well as
Mr. Lippert (who resigned from the Committee effective April 12, 1994) served
as members of the Management Development and Compensation Committee during
fiscal year 1994. Mr. Lippert served until January 1991 as Chairman of the
Board of Directors of Weight Watchers International, Inc., a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the Company. Mr. Lippert presently acts as a consultant to Weight
Watchers International, Inc. Mr. Lippert also serves as a Director of Olivine
Industries, an affiliate of the Company located in Zimbabwe.
 
28
<PAGE>
 
Performance Graph--Five Years (1989-1994)
 
The following graph compares the cumulative total shareholder return on the
Company's Common Stock over the five preceding fiscal years with the cumulative
total shareholder return on the Standard & Poor's Foods Group Index and the
return on the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index, assuming an investment of $100
in each of the above at their closing prices on May 3, 1989 and reinvestment of
dividends.

<TABLE>
                             [GRAPH APPEARS HERE]
                   COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE RETURN
         AMONG H. J. HEINZ COMPANY, S&P 500 INDEX AND S&P FOODS INDEX

<CAPTION>
    Measurement period      H. J. Heinz        S&P 500        S&P Foods
  (Fiscal year Covered)       Company           Index           Index 
  ---------------------       -------           -----           -----
<S>                         <C>                <C>             <C>  
Measurement PT -
5/3/89                         $100             $100             $100

FYE 1990                       $129             $112             $114
FYE 1991                       $159             $132             $153
FYE 1992                       $156             $147             $161
FYE 1993                       $159             $161             $169
FYE 1994                       $152             $170             $166

</TABLE> 










 
                                                                              29
<PAGE>
 
Performance Graph--15 Years (1979-1994)
 
The following graph compares the cumulative shareholder return on the Company's
Common Stock over the 15 preceding fiscal years with the cumulative total
shareholder return on the Standard & Poor's Foods Group Index and the return on
the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index, assuming an investment of $100 in each
of the above at their closing prices on May 2, 1979 and reinvestment of
dividends. Dr. O'Reilly has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company
since July 1, 1979 (14 years and 10 months of the 15-year period) and served as
President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company from June 1973 through
June 30, 1979.


<TABLE>
                             [GRAPH APPEARS HERE]
                   COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE RETURN
         AMONG H. J. HEINZ COMPANY, S&P 500 INDEX AND S&P FOODS INDEX

<CAPTION>
   Measurement period      H. J. Heinz        S&P 500         S&P Foods
 (Fiscal year Covered)       Company           Index            Index
 ---------------------       -------           -----            -----
<S>                         <C>                <C>             <C>

Measurement PT -
5/2/79                        $  100            $100             $  100

FYE 1980                      $  100            $111             $  102
FYE 1981                      $  150            $146             $  135
FYE 1982                      $  189            $135             $  156
FYE 1983                      $  260            $194             $  212
FYE 1984                      $  313            $202             $  245

FYE 1985                      $  434            $230             $  321
FYE 1986                      $  782            $313             $  571
FYE 1987                      $  817            $387             $  705
FYE 1988                      $  820            $367             $  721
FYE 1989                      $1,018            $439             $1,015

FYE 1990                      $1,300            $489             $1,145
FYE 1991                      $1,598            $568             $1,530
FYE 1992                      $1,558            $629             $1,600
FYE 1993                      $1,573            $682             $1,670
FYE 1994                      $1,489            $716             $1,634
</TABLE>

Additional Information
Transactions with Beneficial Shareholders
 
From time to time the Company and certain of its subsidiaries transact business
with Mellon Bank, N.A. ("Mellon Bank"). Mellon Bank's holdings of the Company's
Common Stock are shown under the heading "Security Ownership of Certain
Beneficial Owners" on page 2 of this Proxy Statement. During the period from
April 29, 1993 through June 30, 1994, the Company paid approximately $500,000
in interest to Mellon Bank on short-term borrowings. In addition, the Company
incurred approximately $173,000 in commitment fees to Mellon Bank under
unsecured lines of credit.
 





 
30
<PAGE>
 
Director and Officer Securities Reports
 
The federal securities laws require the Company's Directors and Officers, and
persons who own more than ten percent of a registered class of the Company's
equity securities, to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
New York Stock Exchange initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in
ownership of any securities of the Company.
 
To the Company's knowledge, based solely on review of the copies of such
reports furnished to the Company and written representations that no other
reports were required, during the fiscal year ended April 27, 1994, all the
Company's Officers, Directors and greater-than-ten-percent beneficial owners
made all required filings, except for Mr. George C. Greer, a Vice President of
the Company, who filed a late report regarding a gift to his son.
 
Shareholder Proposals
 
Proposals of shareholders to be presented at the 1995 Annual Meeting of
Shareholders must be received by the Secretary of the Company by April 7, 1995
to be considered for inclusion in the Company's Proxy Statement and form of
proxy relating to that meeting. It is anticipated that the 1995 Annual Meeting
will be scheduled for Tuesday, September 12, 1995.
 
Proxy
 
The enclosed proxy includes all shares held in your name as of July 15, 1994,
according to the Company's stockholder records, including the number of full
shares, if any, that were purchased for you through Mellon Bank, N.A. pursuant
to the Company's Automatic Dividend Reinvestment Service for Shareholders.
 
Annual Report
 
The Annual Report to Shareholders covering the Company's fiscal year ended
April 27, 1994 was first mailed to shareholders on July 25, 1994. The Annual
Report does not form any part of the material for the solicitation of proxies.
 
Benjamin E. Thomas, Jr.
Secretary
 
Dated: August 5, 1994
 
                                                                              31
<PAGE>
 
                                                                      APPENDIX A
 
                   H. J. Heinz Company 1994 Stock Option Plan
 
1. Definitions
 
The terms defined in this Section 1 shall, for all purposes of this Plan, have
the meanings herein specified:
 
 (a) "Board of Directors" shall mean not less than a quorum of the whole Board
 of Directors of the Company.
 
 (b) "Change in Control" shall mean the events described in Section 8(C)(1)
 hereof.
 
 (c) "Committee" shall mean the Management Development and Compensation
 Committee of the Board of Directors described in Section 4 hereof.
 
 (d) "Common Stock" shall mean the Company's presently authorized Common
 Stock, par value $.25 per share, except as this definition may be modified as
 provided in Section 11 hereof.
 
 (e) "Company" shall mean H. J. Heinz Company, a Pennsylvania corporation.
 
 (f) "Employee" or "Employees" shall mean key persons (including directors and
 officers) employed by the Company, or a Subsidiary thereof, on a full-time
 basis and who are compensated for such employment by a regular salary.
 
 (g) "Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
 amended.
 
 (h) "Fair Market Value" shall, except as provided in Section 8, mean the
 closing sale price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange--
 Composite Tape on the date a Stock Option is granted or Limited Stock
 Appreciation Rights are exercised (or for purposes of determining the value
 of shares of Common Stock used in payment of the Option Price as provided in
 Section 9(C)(4) the date of exercise) or, if there are no sales on such
 dates, on the next following day on which there are sales.
 
 (i) "Incentive Option" shall mean a Stock Option which is an "incentive stock
 option" as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
 amended.
 
 (j) "Limited Stock Appreciation Rights" shall mean the right to receive cash
 with respect to shares of Common Stock subject to a Stock Option in lieu of
 exercising such Stock Option as described in Section 8 hereof.
 
 (k) "Non-Statutory Option" shall mean a Stock Option which does not qualify
 as an Incentive Option as defined above.
 
 (l) "Option" shall mean a Stock Option or Limited Stock Appreciation Right
 granted by the Company pursuant to the Plan.
 
 (m) "Optionee" shall mean a person who accepts an Option granted under the
 Plan.
 
 
                                      A-1
<PAGE>
 
 (n) "Option Price" shall mean the price to be paid for the shares of Common
 Stock being purchased pursuant to a Stock Option Agreement.
 
 (o) "Option Period" shall mean the period from the date of grant of an Option
 to the date after which such Option may no longer be exercised. Nothing in
 this Plan shall be construed to extend the termination date of the Option
 Period beyond the date set forth in the Stock Option Agreement. No Option
 shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date the
 Option is granted.
 
 (p) "Plan" shall mean the H. J. Heinz Company 1994 Stock Option Plan.
 
 (q) "Stock Option" shall mean an Incentive Option or a Non-Statutory Option
 granted by the Company pursuant to the Plan to purchase shares of Common
 Stock.
 
 (r) "Stock Option Agreement" shall mean the written agreement between the
 Company and Optionee confirming the Option and setting forth the terms and
 conditions upon which it may be exercised.
 
 (s) "Subsidiary" shall mean any corporation in which the Company owns,
 directly or indirectly through Subsidiaries, at least 50% of the total
 combined voting power of all classes of stock.
 
 (t) "Successor" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(D)(4) hereof.
 
2. Purposes
 
The purposes of the Plan are to promote the growth and profitability of the
Company by enabling it to attract and retain the best available personnel for
positions of substantial responsibility, to provide key Employees with an
opportunity for investment in the Company's Common Stock and to give them an
additional incentive to increase their efforts on behalf of the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
 
3. Effective Date and Termination
 
The effective date of the Plan* is April 13, 1994. No Stock Options or Limited
Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted under the Plan after April 12, 2004.
 
4. Administration
 
The Plan shall be administered by a Management Development and Compensation
Committee of not less than three directors of the Company ("Committee")
appointed by the Board of Directors. No person shall be eligible or continue to
serve as a member of such Committee unless such person is a "disinterested
person" within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the General Rules and Regulations
under the Exchange Act, or any law, rule, regulation or other provision that
may hereafter replace such rule ("Rule 16b-3") and an "outside director" within
the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
("Section 162(m)"). No person shall be eligible for the grant of an Option
under this Plan while serving as a member of such Committee. Members of the
Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. Vacancies
occurring in the membership of the Committee shall be filled by appointment by
the Board of Directors. No member of the Committee, while serving as such,
shall be eligible to receive any Option hereunder, although membership on the
Committee shall not affect or impair

- --------
*Subject to shareholder approval.
 
 
 
                                      A-2
<PAGE>
 
any such member's rights under any Option granted to him at a time when he was
not a member of the Committee.
 
The Committee shall keep minutes of its meetings. A majority of the Committee
shall constitute a quorum thereof and the acts of a majority of the members
present at any meeting of the Committee at which a quorum is present, or acts
approved in writing by a majority of the entire Committee, shall be the acts of
the Committee.
 
5. Eligibility
 
Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall determine and
designate from time to time those key Employees of the Company or its
Subsidiaries to whom Options are to be granted and the number of shares of
Common Stock covered by such grants. In determining the eligibility of an
Employee to receive an Option, as well as in determining the number of shares
covered by such Option, the Committee shall consider the position and
responsibilities of the Employee being considered, the nature and value to the
Company or a Subsidiary of his services and accomplishments, his present and
potential contribution to the success of the Company or its Subsidiaries and
such other factors as the Committee may deem relevant.
 
No Option may be granted to an individual who, immediately after such grant,
"owns" (as defined in Sections 422 and 424 of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended) stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting
power or value of all classes of stock of the corporation then employing such
individual or of a parent or subsidiary corporation of such employer
corporation.
 
More than one Option may be granted to an individual. The maximum number of
shares, however, which may be granted under this Plan to any individual as
Options shall not exceed 10% of the maximum number of shares available under
the Plan, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11 hereof.
 
The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Stock Option is
granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which Incentive Options granted
after 1986 are exercisable for the first time during any calendar year by an
Employee under all plans of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall not exceed
the greater of $100,000 or such sum as may from time to time be permitted under
Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
 
6. Number of Shares Available
 
Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11 hereof, the aggregate number of
shares of Common Stock that may be granted as Options is 12,000,000. The Common
Stock to be offered under the Plan may be either authorized and unissued shares
or issued shares reacquired by the Company and presently or hereafter held as
treasury shares. The Board of Directors has reserved for the purposes of the
Plan a total of 12,000,000 of the authorized but unissued shares of Common
Stock, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 11 hereof. If any
shares as to which an Option granted under the Plan shall remain unexercised at
the expiration thereof or shall be terminated unexercised, such shares may be
available for further grants under the Plan. To the extent that a Limited Stock
Appreciation Right granted in conjunction with a Stock Option is exercised,
such Stock Option shall be deemed to have been exercised and the shares of
Common Stock which otherwise would have been issued upon the exercise of such
Stock Option shall not be subject to the grant of any further Options.
 
7. Types of Stock Options
 
The Committee shall have full and complete authority, in its discretion,
subject to the provisions of the Plan, to grant Stock Options containing such
terms and conditions as shall be requisite, in the judgment of the Committee,
to constitute both Incentive Options and Non-Statutory Options. Non-Statutory
Options shall be identified as such in the Stock Option Agreement. The
Committee may
 
                                      A-3
<PAGE>
 
include Limited Stock Appreciation Rights (as provided by Section 8 hereof) in
connection with a Stock Option, either at the time of grant or, in the case of
a Non-Statutory Option, at a later date.
 
8. Limited Stock Appreciation Rights and Acceleration of the Exercise Date of
Stock Options following Change in Control
 
(A) Limited Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted in connection with all or
part of a Stock Option granted under this Plan, either at the time of grant of
such Stock Option or, in the case of a Non-Statutory Option, at any time
thereafter during the term of the Stock Option.
 
(B) Limited Stock Appreciation Rights shall entitle the holder of a Stock
Option in connection with which such Limited Stock Appreciation Rights are
granted, upon exercise of the Limited Stock Appreciation Rights, to surrender
the Stock Option, or any applicable portion thereof, to the extent unexercised,
and to receive an amount of cash determined pursuant to subparagraph (3) of
paragraph (C) of this Section 8. Such Stock Option, shall, to the extent so
surrendered, thereupon cease to be exercisable.
 
(C) Limited Stock Appreciation Rights shall be subject to the following terms
and conditions and to such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the
Plan as shall from time to time be approved by the Committee.
 
 (1) Limited Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercisable, subject to
 subparagraph (2) of this paragraph (C), for a period of 60 days beginning on
 the date of occurrence of any of the events set forth in clauses (a), (b) and
 (c) of this subparagraph (1) (the occurrence of any such event shall for
 purposes of this Plan be considered to be a "Change in Control");
 
  (a) the date the Company acquires knowledge of the filing under the
  Exchange Act of a statement on Schedule 13D, or any amendment thereto,
  relating to a transaction or series of transactions in which any person or
  group deemed a person under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act shall have
  become the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly (with beneficial
  ownership determined as provided in Rule 13d-3, or any successor rule,
  under the Exchange Act), of securities of the Company entitling the person
  or group to 20% or more of all votes (without consideration of the rights
  of any class of stock to elect Directors by a separate class vote) to which
  all shareholders of the Company would be entitled in the election of
  Directors were an election held on such date; provided, that any shares
  held by a person or group who filed or who would have been obligated to
  file a Schedule 13D or 13G with respect to beneficial ownership of
  securities of the Company prior to January 1, 1994, any affiliate or
  associate as of January 1, 1994 of any such person, any beneficiary of any
  trust or estate included in any such person or group, any member of the
  family of any such person, any trust or estate (including the trustees or
  executors thereof) established by or for the benefit of any such person, or
  any charitable foundation, whether a trust or a corporation (including the
  trustees and directors thereof) established by or for the benefit of any
  such person (in each case, an "Existing Shareholder"), and any shares held
  by any employee stock ownership plan sponsored by the Company, shall be
  excluded from the shares held by any person or group for purposes of
  determining whether the foregoing 20% threshold for securities ownership
  has been reached by such person or group; and provided further that,
  notwithstanding the foregoing, the securities beneficially owned by any
  Existing Shareholder shall not be so excluded from the securities
  beneficially owned by any person or group if (x) such person or group
  includes any person who is not an Existing Shareholder and (y) such person
  or group has beneficial ownership of securities of the Company having 20%
  or more of all votes in the election of directors (without consideration of
  the rights of any class of stock to elect Directors by a separate class
  vote);
 
 
                                      A-4
<PAGE>
 
  (b) the date on which there is a failure of individuals who were members of
  the Board of Directors as of April 13, 1994 to constitute at least a
  majority of the Board of Directors, unless the election (or the nomination
  for election by the shareholders) of each new director was approved by a
  vote of at least two-thirds of the total of such individuals then still in
  office and such other directors as may previously have been elected or
  nominated pursuant to such a two-thirds vote; or
 
  (c) the date of approval by the shareholders of the Company of an agreement
  (a "reorganization agreement") providing for (i) the merger or
  consolidation of the Company with another corporation in which the Company
  is not the surviving corporation, or pursuant to which its common stock is
  converted, other than a merger where the shareholders of the Company
  immediately prior to the merger or consolidation beneficially own,
  immediately after the merger or consolidation, shares of the corporation
  issuing cash or securities in the merger or consolidation entitling such
  shareholders to 50% or more of all votes (without consideration of the
  rights of any class of stock to elect Directors by a separate class vote)
  to which all shareholders of such corporation would be entitled in the
  election of Directors or where the members of the Board of Directors of the
  Company immediately prior to the merger or consolidation constitute,
  immediately after the merger or consolidation, a majority of the Board of
  Directors of the corporation issuing cash or securities in the merger or
  consolidation, or (ii) the sale or other disposition or liquidation of all
  or substantially all of the assets of the Company; provided, however that
  notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, no transaction or
  series of transactions shall constitute a "Change in Control" as to the
  holder of any Stock Option if such transaction or series of transactions
  required such holder to be identified in any United States securities law
  filing as a person or a member of any group acquiring, holding or disposing
  of beneficial ownership of the Company's securities and effecting a "Change
  in Control" as defined herein.
 
 (2) Limited Stock Appreciation Rights shall in no event be exercisable unless
 and until the holder of the Limited Stock Appreciation Rights shall have
 completed at least six months of continuous service with the Company or a
 Subsidiary, or both, immediately following the date upon which the Limited
 Stock Appreciation Rights shall have been granted and shall be exercisable
 only at such time or times and to the extent that the related Stock Option is
 exercisable.
 
 (3) Upon exercise of Limited Stock Appreciation Rights, the holder thereof
 shall be entitled to receive an amount of cash in respect of each share of
 Common Stock subject to the related Stock Option equal to the excess of the
 fair market value of such share over the Option Price of such related Stock
 Option, and for this purpose fair market value shall mean the highest last
 sale price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange during the
 period beginning on the 90th day prior to the date on which the Limited Stock
 Appreciation Rights are exercised and ending on such date, except that (a) in
 the event of the acquisition by any person or group of beneficial ownership
 of securities of the Company entitling the person or group to 20% or more of
 all votes to which all shareholders of the Company would be entitled in the
 election of Directors (without consideration of the rights of any class of
 stock to elect Directors by a separate class vote), fair market value shall
 mean the greater of such last sale price or the highest price per share paid
 for Common Stock shown on the Statement on Schedule 13D, or any amendment
 thereto, filed by the person or group becoming a 20% beneficial owner and (b)
 in the event of approval by shareholders of the Company of a reorganization
 agreement, fair market value shall mean the greater of such last sale price
 or the fixed or formula price specified in the reorganization agreement if
 such price is determinable as of the date of exercise of the Limited Stock
 Appreciation Rights. Any securities or property which are part or
 
                                      A-5
<PAGE>
 
 all of the consideration paid for Common Stock in a tender offer or exchange
 offer or under an approved reorganization agreement shall be valued at the
 higher of (a) the valuation placed on such securities or property by the
 person making the tender offer or exchange offer or by the corporation other
 than the Company issuing securities or property in the merger or
 consolidation or to whom the Company is selling or otherwise disposing of all
 or substantially all the assets of the Company and (b) the valuation placed
 on such securities or property by the Committee.
 
(D) All Options shall become exercisable upon the occurrence of any of the
events specified in subparagraph (1) of paragraph (C) of this Section 8 whether
or not such Options are then exercisable under the provisions of the applicable
agreements relating thereto.
 
(E) To the extent that Limited Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercised,
the Stock Option in connection with which such Limited Stock Appreciation
Rights shall have been granted shall be deemed to have been exercised. To the
extent that the Stock Option in connection with which Limited Stock
Appreciation Rights shall have been granted shall be exercised, the Limited
Stock Appreciation Rights granted in connection with such Option shall be
cancelled.
 
9. Terms of Options
 
The grant of each Option shall be confirmed by a Stock Option Agreement (in the
form prescribed by the Committee) which shall be executed at Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, by the Company and the Optionee as promptly as practicable after
such grant. The Stock Option Agreement shall expressly state or incorporate by
reference the provisions of this Plan.
 
 A. Option Price
 
 Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 11 hereof, the Committee at the
 time a Stock Option is granted shall determine the Option Price which shall
 be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of the Company's Common Stock
 on the date of grant.
 
 
 B. Option Periods
 
 The term of each Option granted under this Plan shall be for such period as
 the Committee shall determine, but not more than ten years from the date of
 grant thereof, subject to earlier termination as hereinafter provided in
 paragraph D of this Section 9.
 
 C. Exercise of Options
 
 Each Option granted under this Plan may be exercised to the extent
 exercisable, in whole or in part at any time during the Option Period, for
 such number of shares as shall be prescribed by the provisions of the Stock
 Option Agreement evidencing such Option, provided that:
 
  (1) An Option may be exercised (a) during the continuance of the Optionee's
  employment by the Company or a Subsidiary in accordance with the provisions
  of paragraph E of this Section 9, or (b) after termination of the
  Optionee's employment by the Company or a Subsidiary in accordance with the
  provisions of paragraph D of this Section 9.
 
  (2) Limited Stock Appreciation Rights may not be exercised prior to six
  months immediately following the date upon which such Limited Stock
  Appreciation Rights are granted.
 
  (3) An Option may be exercised by the Optionee or a Successor only by
  written notice (in the form prescribed by the Committee) to the Company
  specifying the number of shares to be purchased.
 
  (4) The aggregate Option Price of the shares as to which a Stock Option may
  be exercised shall be, in the discretion of the Committee, (a) paid in U.S.
  funds by any one or any
 
                                      A-6
<PAGE>
 
  combination of the following: cash, (including check, draft or wire
  transfer made payable to the order of the Company), or delivery of Common
  Stock certificates endorsed in blank or accompanied by executed stock
  powers with signatures guaranteed by a national bank or trust company or a
  member of a national securities exchange evidencing shares of Common Stock
  which have been held for more than one year, whose value shall be deemed to
  be the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of such Common Stock, or
  (b) paid on a deferred basis, and upon such terms and conditions, including
  provision for securing the payment of the same, as the Committee, in its
  discretion, shall provide, or (c) deemed to be paid in full provided the
  notice of the exercise of a Stock Option is accompanied by a copy of
  irrevocable instructions to a broker to promptly deliver to the Company the
  amount of sale or loan proceeds sufficient to cover the Option Price.
  Payment of the Option Price with certificates evidencing shares of Common
  Stock as provided above shall not increase the number of shares available
  for the grant of Options under the Plan.
 
 As soon as practicable after receipt by the Company of notice of exercise and
 of payment in full of the Option Price of the shares with respect to which a
 Stock Option has been exercised, a certificate or certificates representing
 such shares shall be registered in the name or names of the Optionee or his
 Successor and shall be delivered to the Optionee or his Successor at
 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If any part of the Option Price is paid on a
 deferred basis, the shares for which payment has been deferred shall be
 registered in the name of the Optionee or his Successor but the certificate
 or certificates representing such shares shall not be delivered to the
 Optionee or his Successor until the Option Price for such shares has been
 paid in full.
 
 D. Termination of Employment
 
 The effect of termination of an Optionee's employment with the Company or a
 Subsidiary shall be as follows:
 
  (1) Involuntary Termination. If the employment of an Optionee is terminated
  involuntarily without cause, (for the purpose of this Plan "cause" shall
  mean an act of dishonesty, moral turpitude or an intentional or gross
  negligent act detrimental to the best interests of the Company or a
  Subsidiary) by the Company or a Subsidiary, any outstanding Options held by
  such Optionee may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration date of
  such Options or within three months after the date of such involuntary
  termination, whichever is the shorter period; provided, however, that such
  Options were exercisable on the date of such termination under the
  provisions of the applicable agreements relating thereto, or the Committee
  specifically waives the restrictions relating to exercisability, if any,
  contained in such agreements.
 
  (2) Disability Termination. If the employment of an Optionee is terminated
  by the Company or a Subsidiary because, in the opinion of the Committee,
  the Optionee has become physically incapacitated, any outstanding Options
  held by such Optionee may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration
  date of such Options; whether or not such Options were exercisable on the
  date of such termination under the provisions of the applicable agreements
  relating thereto. For the purposes of this Plan the question whether the
  termination of employment shall be considered a disability termination
  caused by physical incapacity shall be determined in each case by the
  Committee and such determination by the Committee shall be final.
 
  (3) Retirement. If an Optionee's employment terminates as the result of
  retirement of the Optionee under any retirement plan of the Company or a
  Subsidiary, he may exercise any outstanding Option at any time prior to the
  expiration date of the Option; provided, however, that such Options were
  exercisable on the date of such termination under the provisions of the
  applicable agreements relating thereto, or the Committee specifically
  waives the restrictions relating to exercisability, if any, contained in
  such agreements.
 
 
                                      A-7
<PAGE>
 
  (4) Death. (a) If an Optionee shall die, the Optionee's Options may be
  exercised by the person or persons entitled to do so under a beneficiary
  designation in accordance with paragraph E of this Section 9 or, if none,
  under the Optionee's will or, if the Optionee shall have failed to
  designate a beneficiary or make testamentary disposition of such Options or
  shall have died intestate, by the Optionee's legal representative or
  representatives (such person, persons, representative or representatives
  are referred to herein as the "Successor" of an Optionee).
 
  (b) If an Optionee shall die while the Optionee is an Employee, the
  Successor may exercise the Optionee's Options at any time prior to the
  expiration date of such Options; whether or not such Options were
  exercisable on the date of the Optionee's death under the provisions of the
  applicable agreements relating thereto.
 
  (c) If the Optionee shall die within three months after the involuntary
  termination without cause of the Optionee's employment, the Optionee's
  Options may be exercised by the Successor at any time prior to the
  expiration date of such Options or within one year of the date of the
  Optionee's death, whichever is the shorter period, provided, however, that
  such Options were exercisable on the date of the Optionee's termination of
  employment under the provisions of the applicable agreements relating
  thereto or the Committee specifically waives the restrictions relating to
  exercisability, if any, contained in such agreements.
 
  (5) Other Termination. If the employment of an Optionee shall terminate for
  any reason other than as set forth in subparagraphs (1), (2), (3) or (4)
  above, his rights under any then outstanding Options shall terminate at the
  time of such termination of employment; provided, however, the Committee
  may, in its sole discretion, take such action as it considers appropriate
  to waive such automatic termination and/or the restrictions, if any,
  contained in the applicable agreements relating thereto.
 
  (6) Extension of Option Exercise Periods. Notwithstanding the Option
  termination provisions set forth above, at the request of an Optionee or
  his Successor, but in the Committee's sole discretion, the Committee may at
  any time prior to the termination of an Option, extend the period during
  which the Option may be exercised following the termination of an
  Optionee's employment for any period up to the remaining Option Period for
  the Option.
 
 E. Non-Transferability
 
 Unless otherwise designated by the Committee to the contrary, each Option
 granted under the Plan shall by its terms be non-transferable by the Optionee
 (except by will or the laws of descent and distribution), and each Option
 shall be exercisable during the Optionee's lifetime only by the Optionee, his
 or her guardian or legal representative or by such other means as the
 Committee may approve from time to time that is not inconsistent with or
 contrary to the provisions of either Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or
 Rule 16b-3, as either may be amended from time to time, or any law, rule,
 regulation or other provision that may hereafter replace such Rule. An
 optionee may also designate a beneficiary to exercise his or her Options
 after the Optionee's death. The Committee may amend outstanding Options to
 provide for transfer, without payment of consideration, to immediate family
 members of the Optionee or to trusts or partnerships for such family members.
 Any Limited Stock Appreciation Right issued in conjunction with an Incentive
 Option is transferable only when such Option is transferable and under the
 same conditions.
 
 F. Other Terms
 
 Options granted pursuant to the Plan shall contain such other terms,
 provisions and conditions (which need not be identical) not inconsistent
 herewith as shall be determined by the Committee.
 
 
                                      A-8
<PAGE>
 
10. Listing and Registration of Shares
 
If at any time the Board of Directors shall determine, in its discretion, that
the listing, registration or qualification of any of the shares subject to
Options under the Plan upon any securities exchange or under any state or
federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is
necessary or desirable as a condition of or in connection with the purchase or
issue of shares thereunder, no outstanding Options, the exercise of which would
result in the purchase or issuance of shares, may be exercised in whole or in
part unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval
shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to
the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may require any person
exercising an Option to make such representations and furnish such information
as it may consider appropriate in connection with the issuance or delivery of
the shares in compliance with applicable law and shall have the authority to
cause the Company at its expense to take any action related to the Plan which
may be required in connection with such listing, registration, qualification,
consent or approval.
 
11. Adjustments
 
In the event that a dividend shall be declared upon the Common Stock payable in
shares (other than treasury shares) of Common Stock, the number of shares of
Common Stock then subject to any Option outstanding under the Plan and the
number of shares reserved for the grant of Options pursuant to the Plan but not
yet subject to an Option shall be adjusted by adding to each such share the
number of shares which would be distributable in respect thereof if such shares
had been outstanding on the date fixed for determining the shareholders of the
Company entitled to receive such stock dividend. In the event that the
outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be changed into or exchanged for a
different number or kind of shares of stock or other securities of the Company
or of another corporation, whether through reorganization, recapitalization,
stock split-up, combination of shares, merger or consolidation, then there
shall be substituted for each share of Common Stock subject to any such Option
and for each share of Common Stock reserved for the grant of Options pursuant
to the Plan but not yet subject to an Option, the number and kind of shares of
stock or other securities into which each outstanding share of Common Stock
shall have been so changed or for which each such share shall have been
exchanged. In the event there shall be any change, other than as specified
above in this Section 11, in the number or kind of outstanding shares of Common
Stock or of any stock or other securities into which such Common Stock shall
have been changed or for which it shall have been exchanged, then if the Board
of Directors shall in its sole discretion determine that such change equitably
requires an adjustment in the number or kind of shares theretofore reserved for
the grant of Options pursuant to the Plan but not yet subject to an Option and
of the shares then subject to an Option or Options, such adjustment shall be
made by the Board of Directors and shall be effective and binding for all
purposes of the Plan and of each Option outstanding thereunder. In the case of
any such substitution or adjustment as provided for in this Section 11, the
Option Price for each share of stock or other security which shall have been
substituted for each share of Common Stock covered by an outstanding Option
shall be adjusted appropriately to reflect such substitution or adjustment. No
adjustment or substitution provided for in this Section 11 shall require the
Company to sell a fractional share of Common Stock, and the total substitution
or adjustment with respect to each outstanding Option shall be limited
accordingly.
 
Upon any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 11 the Company will, upon
request, deliver to the Optionee or to his Successors a certificate of its
Secretary setting forth the Option Price thereafter in effect and the number
and kind of shares or other securities thereafter purchasable on the exercise
of such Option.
 
12. Withholding Taxes
 
The Company unilaterally or by arrangement with the Optionee shall make
appropriate provision for satisfaction of withholding taxes in the case of any
grant, award, exercise or other transaction
 
                                      A-9
<PAGE>
 
which gives rise to a withholding requirement. An Optionee or other person
receiving shares issued upon exercise of a Non-Statutory Option shall be
required to pay the Company or any subsidiary in cash the amount of any taxes
which the Company or subsidiary is required to withhold.
 
Notwithstanding the preceding sentence and subject to such rules as the
Committee may adopt, Optionees who are subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange
Act, and, if determined by the Committee, other Optionees, may satisfy the
obligation, in whole or in part, by election on or before the date that the
amount of tax required to be withheld is determined, to have the number of
shares received upon exercise of the Non-Statutory Option reduced by a number
of shares having a fair market value equal to the amount of the required
withholding to be so satisfied or to surrender to the Company previously held
shares of Common Stock having an equivalent fair market value.
 
13. Interpretation, Amendments and Termination
 
All actions taken by the Board of Directors pursuant to this Section 13 shall
be taken only in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee. The Board
of Directors may make such rules and regulations and establish such procedures
for the administration of the Plan as it deems appropriate. In the event of any
dispute or disagreement as to the interpretation of this Plan or of any rule,
regulation or procedure, or as to any question, right or obligation arising
from or related to the Plan, the decision of the Board of Directors shall be
final and binding upon all persons. The Board of Directors may amend this Plan
as it shall deem advisable, except that the Board of Directors may not, without
further approval of the shareholders of the Company, (a) increase the total
number of shares of Common Stock which may be granted under the Plan, (b)
change the manner of determining the Option Price set forth in Section 9A
hereof, (c) permit any Option to be exercised more than ten years after the
date it was granted or increase the number of shares that may be received by
any one individual pursuant to Section 5 hereof, (d) amend any provision of
this Section 13 or (e) withdraw the administration of the Plan from a committee
of directors meeting the requirements of Section 4 hereof. The Board of
Directors may, in its discretion, terminate this Plan at any time. Termination
of the Plan shall not affect the rights of Optionees or their Successors under
any Options outstanding and not exercised in full on the date of termination.
 
Subject to the foregoing and the requirements of Section 162(m), the Board of
Directors may without further action on the part of the shareholders of the
Company or the consent of participants, amend the Plan, (a) to permit or
facilitate qualification of Options thereafter granted under the Plan as
Incentive Options, and (b) to preserve the employer deduction under Section
162(m).
 
14. Foreign Jurisdictions
 
The Committee may, from time to time, adopt, amend, and terminate under the
Plan, such arrangements, not inconsistent with the intent of the Plan, as it
may deem necessary or desirable to make available tax or other benefits of laws
of any foreign jurisdiction, to key employees of the Company who are subject to
such laws and who receive grants under the Plan.
 
15. Compliance with Rule 16b-3 and Section 162(m)
 
With respect to employees subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or
Section 162(m), transactions under the Plan are intended to comply with all
applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 and avoid loss of the deduction referred to
in paragraph (1) of Section 162(m). Anything in the Plan or elsewhere to the
contrary notwithstanding, to the extent any provision of the Plan or action by
the Committee fails to so comply or avoid the loss of such deduction, it shall
be deemed null and void, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by
the Committee concerned with matters relating to employees subject to Section
16(b) of the Exchange Act and Section 162(m) respectively.
 
                                      A-10
<PAGE>
 
16. Notices
 
All notices under the Plan shall be in writing, and if to the Company, shall be
delivered to the Secretary of the Company or mailed to its principal office,
Post Office Box 57, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230, addressed to the attention
of the Secretary; and if to the Optionee, shall be delivered personally or
mailed to the Optionee at the address appearing in the payroll records of the
Company or a Subsidiary. Such addresses may be changed at any time by written
notice to the other party.
 
                                      A-11
<PAGE>
 
                                                                      APPENDIX B
 
                H. J. Heinz Company Incentive Compensation Plan
 
 
Article 1. Establishment and Purpose
 
  1.1 Establishment of the Plan. H.J. Heinz Company (the "Company"), hereby
establishes an annual incentive compensation plan to be known as the "H. J.
Heinz Company Incentive Compensation Plan" (the "Plan"). The Plan permits the
awarding of annual cash incentive awards to certain salaried employees of the
Company, its subsidiaries, and affiliates based on the achievement of
preestablished performance goals.
 
  An award period under the Plan shall be the fiscal year of the Company;
provided, however, that the Committee (as defined in Section 2.1) may establish
any shorter or longer period as it deems appropriate under the circumstances
(hereinafter, an "Award Period").
 
  The effective date of the Plan* is April 28, 1994 (the "Effective Date"). The
Plan shall remain in effect until terminated by the Board of Directors of the
Company (the "Board").
 
  1.2 Purpose. The primary purposes of the Plan are to motivate Participants
toward achieving annual goals that are within business unit and/or individual
control; encourage teamwork in various segments of the Company; and reward
performance with pay that varies in relation to the achievement of
preestablished goals. The Plan is intended to apply to salaried employees of
the Company, its subsidiaries, and affiliates in the United States and
throughout the world, as determined and selected by the Committee.
 
Article 2. Administration
 
  2.1 The Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Management
Development and Compensation Committee of the Board or any other successor
Committee appointed by the Board (the "Committee"). The members of the
Committee shall be appointed by, and shall serve at the discretion of, the
Board.
 
  2.2 Authority of the Committee. Except as limited by law or by the Company's
Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, and subject to the provisions herein, the
Committee shall have authority to select Participants (as defined in Section
3.2) in the Plan; determine the size and types of awards; determine the terms
and conditions of earning awards; interpret the Plan; establish, amend, or
waive rules and regulations for the Plan's administration; and, subject to
Articles 7 and 10, amend the terms and conditions of the Plan, including
outstanding Award Opportunities (as defined in Section 4.1). Further, the
Committee shall make all other determinations which may be necessary or
advisable for the administration of the Plan. As permitted by law, the
Committee may delegate any of its authority granted under the Plan to such
other person or entity it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to,
senior management of the Company.
 
  2.3 Guidelines. Subject to the provisions herein, the Committee may adopt
written guidelines for the implementation and administration of the Plan.
 
  2.4 Decisions Binding. All determinations and decisions of the Committee
arising under the Plan shall be final, binding, and conclusive upon all
parties.
 
Article 3. Eligibility and Participation
 
  3.1 Eligibility. Full-time, salaried employees of the Company, its
subsidiaries, and affiliates shall be eligible to be selected to participate in
the Plan in any Award Period.
 
  3.2 Participation. No later than the earlier of ninety (90) days after the
commencement of the applicable Award Period or the completion of twenty-five
percent (25%) of such Award Period, the
- --------
* Subject to shareholder approval.
 
                                      B-1
<PAGE>
 
Committee shall, in its discretion, determine the eligible employees who shall
participate in the Plan (collectively, the "Participants") during such Award
Period.
 
  3.3 Partial Award Period Participation. Except as provided in Article 7
herein, an employee who becomes eligible after the beginning of an Award Period
may participate in the Plan for that Award Period. Such situations may include,
but are not limited to, (a) new hires; (b) promotions from a position which did
not previously meet the eligibility criteria; or (c) transfers from an
affiliate which does not participate in the Plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, an employee must have been eligible to participate in the Plan for
at least three (3) months during the applicable Award Period to receive an
award under the Plan.
 
  The Committee, in its sole discretion, retains the right to prohibit or allow
participation in the initial Award Period of eligibility for any of the
aforementioned employees.
 
  3.4 No Right to Participate. No Participant or other employee shall, at any
time, have a right to be selected for participation in the Plan for any Award
Period, despite having previously participated in the Plan.
 
Article 4. Award Determination
 
  4.1 Performance Measures and Performance Goals. Subject to Article 7 herein,
prior to the beginning of each Award Period, or as soon as practicable
thereafter the Committee shall select performance measures and shall establish
performance goals for that Award Period. Such performance measures need not be
the same for all Participants.
 
  Participants shall be grouped into categories ("Participant Categories"), as
determined by the Committee based on level of responsibility. With respect to
each Participant Category, the Committee shall establish ranges of performance
goals which correspond to various levels of incentive award payment amounts
("Award Opportunities") for the Award Period. Each range of performance goals
shall include a level of performance at which one hundred percent (100%) of the
targeted incentive award ("Target Incentive Award") may be earned. In addition,
each range of performance goals shall include levels of performance above and
below the one hundred percent (100%) performance level.
 
  After the performance goals are established, the Committee will align the
achievement of the performance goals with Award Opportunities (as described in
Section 4.2 herein), such that the level of achievement of the preestablished
performance goals at the end of the Award Period will determine the actual
annual award amount ("Final Awards"). Except as provided in Article 7 herein,
the Committee shall have the authority to exercise subjective discretion in the
determination of Final Awards with respect to any or all Participants, as well
as the authority to delegate the ability to exercise subjective discretion in
this respect.
 
  4.2 Award Opportunities. Prior to the beginning of each Award Period or as
soon as practicable thereafter, the Committee shall establish, in writing,
Award Opportunities which correspond to various levels of achievement of the
preestablished performance goals. The established Award Opportunities shall
vary in relation to the Participant Categories and may vary among affiliates
and business units of the Company. Except as provided in Article 7 herein, in
the event a Participant changes Participant Categories during an Award Period,
the Participant's Award Opportunity may be adjusted to reflect the amount of
time in each Participant Category during the Award Period.
 
  4.3 Adjustment of Performance Goals and Award Opportunities. Once
established, performance goals normally may not be changed during the Award
Period. However, except as provided in Article 7 herein, if the Committee
determines that external changes or other unanticipated business conditions
have materially affected the fairness of the goals, then the
 
                                      B-2
<PAGE>
 
Committee may approve appropriate adjustments to the performance goals (either
upward or downward) during the Award Period as such goals apply to the Award
Opportunities of specified Participants.
 
  Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of any change
in corporate capitalization, such as a stock split, or a corporate transaction,
such as any merger, consolidation, separation, including a spin-off, or other
distribution of stock or property of the Company, any reorganization (whether
or not such reorganization comes within the definition of such term in Code
Section 368), or any partial or complete liquidation of the Company, such
adjustment shall be made in the Award Opportunities and/or the performance
measures or performance goals related to the then-current Award Period as may
be determined to be appropriate and equitable by the Committee, in its sole
discretion, to prevent dilution or enlargement of rights; provided, however,
that subject to Article 7 herein, any such adjustment shall not be made with
respect to Named Executive Officers (as defined in Article 7) if it would
eliminate the ability of Award Opportunities held by Named Executive Officers
to qualify for the "performance-based" exemption under Section 162(m) of the
Internal Revenue Code (the "Code").
 
  4.4 Final Award Determinations. At the end of each Award Period, Final Awards
shall be computed for each Participant as determined by the Committee. Subject
to Article 7 herein, Final Awards may vary above or below the Target Incentive
Award, based on the level of achievement of the preestablished Company-wide,
business unit or affiliate, and/or individual performance goals, as applicable.
In addition, except as provided in Article 7 herein, the Committee shall have
the authority to reduce or eliminate Final Award determinations of any or all
Participants, based upon any objective or subjective criteria it deems
appropriate.
 
  4.5 Final Award Limit. The Committee may establish guidelines governing the
maximum Final Awards that may be earned by Participants (either in the
aggregate, by Participant Category, or among individual Participants) in each
Award Period. The guidelines may be expressed as a percentage of Company-wide,
business unit or affiliate goals or financial measures, or such other measures
as the Committee shall determine; provided, however, that the maximum payout
with respect to a Final Award payable to any one Participant in connection with
performance in any one (1) Award Period shall be four million dollars
($4,000,000).
 
  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the aggregate of all payments of Final Awards
under the Plan for any Award Period shall not exceed, for each such Award
Period, the sum of (a) three percent (3%) of the net income of the Company and
its consolidated subsidiaries, before taxes and before giving effects to
extraordinary items, before taxes on income and before deductions for minority
interests and the amounts of payments of Final Awards under the Plan
("Consolidated Pre-tax Net Income") and (b) five percent (5%) of Consolidated
Pre-tax Net Income in excess of a twelve percent (12%) return on "Shareholders'
Equity" in the Company. For purposes of this Plan, "Shareholders' Equity" is
the consolidated capital and surplus of the Company and its consolidated
subsidiaries at the beginning of the Award Period to which the Final Award
payments relate.
 
  4.6 Threshold Levels of Performance. The Committee may establish minimum
levels of performance goal achievement, below which no payouts of Final Awards
shall be made to any Participant.
 
Article 5. Payment of Final Awards
 
  5.1 Form and Timing of Payment. Subject to the terms and conditions as
established by the Committee prior to the payment of Final Awards, Participants
shall have the election to choose from among the following three (3) methods of
payment of Final Awards under the Plan:
 
  (a) Receive payment in cash as soon as practicable following the
      determination of the Final Award;
 
                                      B-3
<PAGE>
 
  (b) Defer receipt of payment into the H. J. Heinz Company Executive
      Deferred Compensation Plan (the "Deferred Compensation Plan"), provided
      that the Participant is eligible and selected to participate in the
      Deferred Compensation Plan during the applicable Award Period; or
 
  (c) Defer receipt of payment into a tax-qualified retirement savings plan
      sponsored by the Company (as applicable, the "Savings Plan"); provided,
      however, that the Participant must be eligible to make deferrals under
      the Savings Plan, and provided further that the administrator of the
      Savings Plan may place such terms, conditions, or restrictions on any
      election made under this Section 5.1(c) as it deems appropriate,
      including, but not limited to, additional restrictions on or
      requirements for eligibility to make such deferrals.
 
  In its discretion, the Committee may establish terms and conditions which
permit each Participant to divide the total amount of his/her Final Award in
any Award Period among two (2) or more of the methods of payment described in
this Section 5.1.
 
  5.2 Unsecured Interest. No Participant or any other party claiming an
interest in amounts earned under the Plan shall have any interest whatsoever in
any specific asset of the Company. To the extent that any party acquires a
right to receive payments under the Plan, such right shall be equivalent to
that of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.
 
Article 6. Termination of Employment
 
  6.1 Termination of Employment Due to Death, Disability, or Retirement. In the
event a Participant's employment is terminated by reason of death, disability,
as determined in each case by the Committee or such other person designated
pursuant to Section 2.2, or retirement, as defined in the Company's Employees
Retirement and Savings Plan or under any other retirement plan of the Company
or of a subsidiary of the Company, the Final Award determined in accordance
with Article 4 herein shall be reduced to reflect participation prior to
employment termination only. The reduced award shall be determined by
multiplying said Final Award by a fraction; the numerator of which is the
number of full months of employment in the Award Period through the date of
employment termination, and the denominator of which is twelve (12). In the
case of a Participant's disability, the employment termination shall be deemed
to have occurred on the date all of the conditions of disability have been
satisfied, as determined by the Committee.
 
  Notwithstanding any election made by a Participant pursuant to Section 5.1
herein, the Final Award thus determined shall be paid in cash at the same time
as awards for active Participants are paid after the completion of the Award
Period.
 
  6.2 Termination of Employment for Other Reasons. Except as provided in
Article 9 herein, in the event that a Participant's employment is terminated
prior to completion of an Award Period for any reason other than death,
disability, or retirement, all of the Participant's rights to a Final Award for
such Award Period shall be forfeited. However, except in the event of an
involuntary employment termination for "Cause," the Committee (or such other
person designated pursuant to Section 2.2), in its sole discretion, may pay a
prorated award for the portion of the Award Period that the Participant was
employed by the Company, computed as determined by the Committee.
 
  For purposes of this Plan, "Cause" means (a) willful misconduct by a
Participant that is materially detrimental to the Company; or (b) the
conviction of a Participant for the commission of a felony or crime involving
moral turpitude; provided, however, that if the Participant has entered into an
employment agreement that defines "Cause," and is binding as of the date of
employment termination, such definition shall apply. "Cause" under either (a)
or (b) shall be determined in good faith by the Committee.
 
 
                                      B-4
<PAGE>
 
Article 7. Named Executive Officers
 
  7.1 Applicability of Article 7. The provisions of this Article 7 shall apply
only to those executive officers whose compensation is required to be reported
in the Company's proxy statement pursuant to Item 402(a)(3)(i) and (ii) of
Regulation S-K under the general rules and regulations under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Named Executive Officers"). In the event of
any inconsistencies between this Article 7 and the other Plan provisions as
they pertain to Named Executive Officers, the provisions of this Article 7
shall control.
 
  7.2 Establishment of Award Opportunities. Except as provided in Sections 7.8
or 7.9 herein, Award Opportunities for Named Executive Officers shall be
established as a function of each Named Executive Officer's "Base Salary." No
later than the earlier of ninety (90) days after the commencement of the
applicable Award Period or the completion of twenty-five percent (25%) of such
Award Period, the Committee shall establish, in writing, various levels of
Final Awards which will be paid with respect to specified levels of attainment
of the preestablished performance goals.
 
  For purposes of this Article 7, "Base Salary" shall mean, as to any specific
Award Period, a Participant's regular annual salary rate as of the first day of
the Award Period. Regular salary shall not be reduced by any salary reduction
contributions made to any qualified retirement plan or other deferred
compensation plans of the Company, but shall not include any payments under
this Plan or any other bonuses, incentive pay, or special awards.
 
  7.3 No Partial Award Period Participation. A Named Executive Officer who
becomes eligible after Award Opportunities have been established in an Award
Period pursuant to Section 7.2 may first participate in the Plan in the
succeeding Award Period.
 
  7.4 Components of Award Opportunities. Each Named Executive Officer's Award
Opportunity shall be based on: (a) the Named Executive Officer's Target
Incentive Award; (b) the potential Final Awards corresponding to various levels
of achievement of the preestablished performance goals, as established by the
Committee; and (c) World Headquarters, business unit or affiliate performance,
as applicable, in relation to the preestablished performance goals.
 
  Except as provided in Section 7.8 or 7.9 herein, performance measures which
may serve as determinants of Named Executive Officers' Award Opportunities
shall be limited to the following measures:
 
  (a)Earnings per share;
 
  (b)Return on assets;
 
  (c)Return on equity;
 
  (d)Return on capital;

  (e)Net profit after taxes;
 
  (f)Net profit before taxes; and
 
  (g)Economic value added.
 
  7.5 No Mid-Year Change in Award Opportunities. Except as provided in Section
7.8 or 7.9 herein, each Named Executive Officer's Final Award shall be based
exclusively on the Award Opportunity levels established by the Committee
pursuant to Section 7.2.
 
  7.6 Performance Goals. Except as provided in Section 7.8 or 7.9 herein,
performance goals shall not be changed following their establishment, and Named
Executive Officers shall not receive any payout when the minimum performance
goals are not met or exceeded.
 
                                      B-5
<PAGE>
 
  7.7 Individual Performance and Discretionary Adjustments. Except as provided
in Section 7.8 or 7.9 herein, subjective evaluations of individual performance
of Named Executive Officers shall not be reflected in their Final Awards.
However, the Committee shall have the discretion to decrease or eliminate the
amount of the Final Award otherwise payable to a Named Executive Officer.
 
  7.8 Amendments. Except as provided in Section 7.9 herein, unless the
Company's shareholders have first approved thereof, no amendment of the Plan
with respect to any Named Executive Officer may be made which would increase
the maximum amount that can be paid to any one Participant under the Plan,
change the specified performance goal for payment of Final Awards, or modify
the requirements as to eligibility for participation in the Plan.
 
  7.9 Possible Modifications. If, on the advice of the Company's tax counsel,
the Committee determines that Section 162(m) of the Code and the Regulations
thereunder will not adversely affect the deductibility for federal income tax
purposes of any amount paid under the Plan by permitting greater discretion
and/or flexibility with respect to Award Opportunities granted to Named
Executive Officers pursuant to this Article 7, then the Committee may, in its
sole discretion, apply such greater discretion and/or flexibility to such Award
Opportunities as is consistent with the terms of this Plan, and without regard
to the restrictive provisions of this Article 7.
 
  In the event the Committee determines that compliance with Code Section
162(m) is not desired, then compliance with Code Section 162(m) will not be
required (for example, if such a determination is made, the performance
measures specified in Section 7.4 herein, need not be the only determinants of
Final Awards, and subjective discretion may be applied to increase the Final
Awards of Named Executive Officers). Such determination may be made with
respect to any or all Award Periods. In addition, in the event that changes are
made to Code Section 162(m) to permit greater flexibility under the Plan, the
Committee may make any adjustments it deems appropriate.
 
Article 8. Rights of Participants
 
  8.1 Employment. Nothing in the Plan shall interfere with or limit in any way
the right of the Company to terminate any Participant's employment at any time,
nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ of the
Company.
 
  8.2 Nontransferability. No right or interest of any Participant in the Plan
shall be assignable or transferable, or subject to any lien, directly, by
operation of law or otherwise, including, but not limited to, execution, levy,
garnishment, attachment, pledge and bankruptcy.
 
Article 9. Change in Control
 
  In the event of a Change in Control, defined in Section 8 of the H.J.Heinz
Company 1994 Stock Option Plan ("Change in Control"), each Participant shall be
entitled to a pro rata payment of his or her Target Incentive Award for the
Award Period during which such Change in Control occurs. Such proration shall
be determined as a function of the number of days within the Award Period prior
to the effective date of the Change in Control, in relation to three hundred
sixty-five (365). Such amount shall be paid in cash to each Participant within
30 days after the effective date of the Change in Control.
 
Article 10. Amendments
 
  Subject to Articles 4.5 and 7 herein, the Committee may amend any or all of
the provisions of the Plan, or suspend or terminate it entirely; provided,
however, that no such action may adversely affect any rights or obligations
with respect to any awards theretofore made under the Plan without the prior
consent of the Participants affected.
 
                                      B-6
<PAGE>
 
Article 11. Miscellaneous
 
  11.1 Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
 
  11.2 Withholding Taxes. The Company shall have the right to require
Participants to remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy any
withholding tax requirements or to deduct from all payments made pursuant to
the Plan amounts sufficient to satisfy withholding tax requirements.
 
  11.3 Severability. In the event any provision of the Plan shall be held
illegal or invalid for any reason, the illegality or invalidity shall not
affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and
enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
 
  11.4 Costs of the Plan. All costs of implementing and administering the Plan
shall be borne by the Company.
 
  11.5 Successors. All obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of any successor to the Company, whether
the existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase,
merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the
business and/or assets of the Company.
 
                                      B-7
<PAGE>
 
                            (Cut along dotted line)
...............................................................................
 
 Ticket Request
 
 If you plan to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders at 2:00 P.M. on
 Tuesday, September 13, 1994 at Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts in
 Pittsburgh, this form should be used to request an admission ticket. Please
 complete the form by printing or typing your name and address. If your
 request is received by September 2, 1994, an admission ticket will be sent
 to you. All other admission tickets will be provided beginning at 1:00 P.M.
 at the check-in desk for the meeting (Doors to the meeting will not open
 before 1:00 P.M.). The envelope provided for return of your proxy card
 should also be used to return this form.
 
 Note: If your shares are not registered in your own name, please advise the
       shareholder of record (i.e., your bank, broker, trustee, etc.) that
       you wish to attend the meeting and request that the registered owner
       provide you with evidence of your stock ownership. This documentation
       will enable you to gain admittance to the meeting.
 
 I plan to attend the meeting.
 
 Name
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Street Address
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 City
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 State                                         Zip Code
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE
<PAGE>
 
                              H.J. HEINZ COMPANY
                              
         This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
                   
     ANTHONY J.F. O'REILLY, LAWRENCE J. McCABE and DAVID R. WILLIAMS are, and
each of them is, hereby appointed and authorized to represent the undersigned
at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of H.J. Heinz Company to be held at
Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, located at 600 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 13, 1994, at 2:00 P.M., and at any
adjournments thereof, and to vote the number of shares of Third Cumulative
Preferred Stock, $1.70 First Series, that the undersigned would be entitled to
vote if personally present on all proposals coming before the meeting, which
are more fully described in the Proxy Statement relating to such Annual
Meeting, in the manner specified and on any other business that may properly
come before the meeting.
     
Please Sign and Date on Reverse Side and Return the Proxy Card Promptly
Using the Enclosed Envelope.

................................................................................
                             FOLD AND DETACH HERE

<PAGE>
 
The Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" all nominees for Election as
Directors and Proposals 2, 3 and 4 and "AGAINST" Proposal 5.


1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 FOR all eighteen       WITHHOLD
  nominees unless       AUTHORITY
otherwise directed   to vote for all
   to the right.        nominees.
       [ ]                 [ ]

Nominees: A.J.F. O'Reilly, W.P. Snyder III, J.J. Bogdanovich, H.J. Schmidt,
A. Lippert, E.B. Sheldon, R.M Cyert, S.C. Johnson, D.W. Sculley, D.R. Keough, 
S.D. Wiley, L.J. McCabe, D.R. Williams, L. Ribolla, N.F. Brady, W.R. Johnson, 
W.C. Springer and E.E. Holiday

Instruction: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee write
that nominee's name on the line provided below.

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
2. Election of auditors. 
 
 FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN
 [ ]    [ ]      [ ]                  
                  
3. Approve the Company's 1994 Stock      4. Approve the Company's 
Option Plan.                             Incentive Compensation Plan. 

 FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN                      FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN
 [ ]    [ ]      [ ]                        [ ]    [ ]      [ ]

5. Shareholder proposal regarding        6. In their discretion, upon such
stock options.                           other matters as may properly come
                                         before the meeting.
 FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN                   
 [ ]    [ ]      [ ]                     


                                         Dated:__________________________, 1994
                                         _____________________________________
                                         _____________________________________

                                              Signature(s) of Shareholder(s)
 
                                         (This Proxy Must be Signed Exactly as
                                         Name(s) Appears Hereon)
                                          
                                         Executors, administrators, trustee,
                                         etc. should give full title as such.
                                         If the shareholder is a corporation,
                                         please give full corporate name and
                                         signature of a duly authorized officer.

"PLEASE MARK INSIDE BLUE BOXES SO THAT DATA
PROCESSING EQUIPMENT WILL RECORD YOUR VOTES"
                                           
................................................................................
                             FOLD AND DETACH HERE

                           [LOGO OF H.J. HEINZ CO.]

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT TO US. PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN THE ABOVE PROXY
CARD AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY IN THE ACCOMPANYING ENVELOPE.


<PAGE>
 
                              H.J. HEINZ COMPANY
                        
         This Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
             
     ANTHONY J.F. O'REILLY, LAWRENCE J. McCABE and DAVID R. WILLIAMS are, and
each of them is, hereby appointed and authorized to represent the undersigned
at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of H.J. Heinz Company to be held at
Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, located at 600 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 13, 1994, at 2:00 P.M., and at any
adjournments thereof, and to vote the number of shares of Common Stock, that
the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present on all
proposals coming before the meeting, which are more fully described in the
Proxy Statement relating to such Annual Meeting, in the manner specified and
on any other business that may properly come before the meeting.

     Please Sign and Date on Reverse Side and Return the Proxy Card Promptly
Using the Enclosed Envelope.

................................................................................
                             FOLD AND DETACH HERE

<PAGE>
 
The Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" all nominees for Election as
Directors and Proposals 2, 3 and 4 and "AGAINST" Proposal 5.


1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

 FOR all eighteen       WITHHOLD
  nominees unless       AUTHORITY
otherwise directed   to vote for all
   to the right.        nominees.
       [ ]                 [ ]

Nominees: A.J.F. O'Reilly, W.P. Snyder III, J.J. Bogdanovich, H.J. Schmidt,
A. Lippert, E.B. Sheldon, R.M Cyert, S.C. Johnson, D.W. Sculley, D.R. Keough, 
S.D. Wiley,  L.J. McCabe, D.R. Williams, L. Ribolla, N.F. Brady, W.R. Johnson, 
W.C. Springer and E.E. Holiday

Instruction: To withhold authority to vote for any individual nominee write
that nominee's name on the line provided below.
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
2. Election of auditors. 
 
 FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN
 [ ]    [ ]      [ ]                  
                  
3. Approve the Company's 1994 Stock      4. Approve the Company's
Option Plan.                             Incentive Compensation Plan. 

 FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN                      FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN
 [ ]    [ ]      [ ]                        [ ]    [ ]      [ ]

5. Shareholder proposal regarding        6. In their discretion, upon such
stock options.                           other matters as may properly come
                                         before the meeting.
 FOR  AGAINST  ABSTAIN                   
 [ ]    [ ]      [ ]                     


                                         Dated:__________________________, 1994
                                         _____________________________________
                                         _____________________________________

                                              Signature(s) of Shareholder(s)
 
                                         (This Proxy Must be Signed Exactly as
                                         Name(s) Appears Hereon)
                                          
                                         Executors, administrators, trustee,
                                         etc. should give full title as such.
                                         If the shareholder is a corporation,
                                         please give full corporate name and
                                         signature of a duly authorized officer

"PLEASE MARK INSIDE BLUE BOXES SO THAT DATA
PROCESSING EQUIPMENT WILL RECORD YOUR VOTES"
                                           
................................................................................
                             FOLD AND DETACH HERE

                           [LOGO OF H.J. HEINZ CO.]

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT TO US. PLEASE COMPLETE, DATE AND SIGN THE ABOVE PROXY
CARD AND RETURN IT PROMPTLY IN THE ACCOMPANYING ENVELOPE.




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