RNS Number:8541K
AGA Foodservice Group PLC
08 May 2003




8th May 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AGA FOODSERVICE GROUP PLC
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT


At the Annual General Meeting of Aga Foodservice Group plc today, the Chairman,
Mr Christopher Farrow, said:


"In 2002 we made excellent progress in our objective to create a strong
international business in our chosen consumer and foodservice markets, first set
out after the Pipe Systems sale in early 2001.  The Group's trading performance
showed the benefits of the systematic approach to our development plans.
Turnover, operating profit before tax and earnings per share along with the
dividend were all well up in 2002.  Further, our transactions of recent years
were well timed and our financial position remains robust and we retain a strong
net cash position.


We now have a well-balanced range of consumer and foodservice businesses and a
distribution structure in place to expand our sales in both North America and
Continental Europe.  We have created the framework we envisaged when the Group
disposed of its Pipe Systems operations and from this base we now look forward
to achieving long-term growth.


Our task in 2003 will be to show consistency in implementing our strategy, both
organically and through our investment programmes.  Aga Foodservice has, I feel,
a good reputation for carrying out clearly stated plans.


As we move forward the team naturally evolves and I should like to touch on
recent Board changes.


Beverley Nielsen's enthusiasm for the plans and prospects for the Group saw her
take up an executive role at Fired Earth and relinquish her non-executive
position.  Joining the Board, and standing for re-election today, we are
delighted to have Helen Mahy and John Lovering whose wide experience, drawn from
the engineering and retailing sectors respectively, will add to your Board's
debates.  In addition, in July, Judy George, the founder of Domain, will join
the Board as Head of US Retail Operations.  It is perhaps noteworthy that in its
62 year history, the company has had 3 women directors - 3 of the last 4
appointments.


We are, as you all appreciate, operating in uncertain times.  Against that
background, we were pleased with the results for 2002 as you will have seen from
the accounts.


Moving on to current trading, I should like to reiterate comments made in the
annual accounts.  There are clear reasons for concern about consumer markets,
perhaps most particularly in the US, but we have a distinctive approach which is
winning new customers.  Pleasingly both Aga and Rangemaster have started 2003
well. In foodservice, the political and economic uncertainties may affect us
materially -  we do indeed have strong links with the travel and hotel markets,
for example. However, we have our own initiatives in place which mean that there
are grounds for optimism for other parts of our business in 2003."



-         ENDS -



Further enquiries to:

Kit Farrow, Chairman, Aga Foodservice Group plc                    0121 711 6000
Jonathan Glass/Simon Sporborg, Brunswick Group Ltd                 0207 404 5959










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