Heinz Selects Ariba Spend Management as Part of Global Cost Reduction Program

Ariba Solutions Will Assist Heinz in Managing the Company's Global Spend

SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 4, 2004 -- Ariba,(R) Inc. (Nasdaq:ARBA), the leading Enterprise Spend Management (ESM) solutions provider, announced that H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE: HNZ), a top supplier of branded products to customers in both the retail grocery and foodservice channels, selected Ariba Spend Management solutions as a key component of its enterprise-wide cost reduction program. Heinz will use Ariba Buyer(TM), Ariba Analysis(TM), Ariba Contracts(TM) and Ariba Invoice(TM) to better understand, plan and manage its global spend and to help achieve time and cost savings.

Heinz will use the Ariba solutions to help gain better visibility into a wide range of spend categories, including services, to improve contract management, ensure purchasing compliance against contracts, and streamline the reconciliation and payment process.

Earlier this year, Heinz's Chairman, President and CEO William R. Johnson launched Project Delta, which involved an in-depth review of the company's operations. Significant cost reduction opportunities were identified across every discipline, and procurement was identified as one of five key areas of focus under the project. Heinz hopes to reduce costs through increased purchasing efficiencies and economies of scale cost reductions.

"Heinz has always pursued continual improvements in operating efficiencies and processes, however Project Delta now sharpens our focus on seeking initiatives that will purge non-productive costs from the purchasing process," said George Chappelle, Global CIO, Heinz. "The Ariba Spend Management solutions and their integration to each other, and to our back-end systems, will enable us to manage spend across many categories and to capture valuable spend data for ongoing analysis, reporting and spend management planning."

Heinz will use Ariba Analysis for improved visibility into its current spending habits and to identify opportunities for cost savings. The company will also use the Ariba Buyer procurement solution to ensure buyers purchase from negotiated contracts, so identified savings are realized. Ariba Contracts is designed to automate and streamline Heinz's contract management processes, and Ariba Invoice is designed to increase payment efficiencies and accuracy, saving additional time and money.

"Heinz management have made a strategic investment in helping cement the ongoing leadership of this FORTUNE 500 company by selecting Ariba Spend Management solutions to transform their purchasing processes, and in turn, assist with their overall cost reduction efforts," said Kevin Costello, EVP Sales and Solutions, Ariba, Inc. "With the dedicated and focused Heinz team, and our proven solutions, and domain knowledge in the food manufacturing industry, we have the right combination for Enterprise Spend Management success at Heinz."

About Heinz

H.J. Heinz Company is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of branded foods in ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, seafood, snacks and infant foods. Heinz is a global family of leading brands, including Heinz Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing nearly one-third of total sales), Ore-Ida french fries, Boston Market and Smart Ones meals and Plasmon baby food. Heinz's 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by Heinz Ketchup, the world's favorite ketchup. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news

About Ariba, Inc.

Ariba, Inc. is the leading Enterprise Spend Management (ESM) solutions provider. Ariba helps companies develop and leverage spend management as a core competency to drive significant bottom line results. Ariba Spend Management software and services allow companies to align their organizations with a spend-centric focus and deploy closed-loop processes for increased efficiencies and sustainable savings. Ariba can be contacted in the U.S. at 650-390-1000 or at www.ariba.com.

Ariba and the Ariba logo are registered trademarks of Ariba, Inc. Ariba Spend Management, Ariba Analysis, Ariba Buyer, Ariba Category Management, Ariba Contracts, Ariba Travel & Expense, Ariba Workforce, Ariba Invoice, Ariba eForms, Ariba Enterprise Sourcing, Ariba Supplier Network, BPM Services, Power Sourcing, Total Spend Capture and PO-Flip are trademarks or service marks of Ariba, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Ariba Safe Harbor

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act 1995: Information and announcements in this release involve Ariba's expectations, beliefs, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future and are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Ariba as of the date of the release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to Ariba's operating and financial results to differ materially from its current expectations include, but are not limited to: delays in development or shipment of new versions of Ariba's products and services; lack of market acceptance of Ariba's existing or future products or services; inability to continue to develop competitive new products and services on a timely basis; introduction of new products or services by major competitors; the ability to attract and retain qualified employees; difficulties in assimilating acquired companies; the impact of recent workforce reductions on Ariba's operations; lengthening sales cycles and the deferrals of anticipated orders; declining economic conditions, including a recession; inability to control costs; changes in the company's pricing or compensation policies; inability to successfully manage a reduction in the company's workforce; significant fluctuations in our stock price; the outcome of legal proceedings relating to the restatement of our financial statements; the possibility that stockholders or regulatory authorities may initiate additional proceedings against Ariba and/or our officers and directors as a result of the restatements; the impact of acquiring Aliiente and entering into an agreement to acquire FreeMarkets, including the disruption or loss of customer, business partner, supplier or employee relationships; the level of costs and expenses incurred by Ariba as a result of such transactions; and the level of professional fees and expenses incurred by Ariba in connection with its previously disclosed accounting review and associated regulatory and litigation proceedings. Factors and risks associated with its business, including a number of the factors and risks described above, are discussed in Ariba's Form 10-K/A filed January 5, 2004.

  
Contacts  
 
   
Ariba, Inc.
Stacy Libby, 650-322-4777
slibby@vocecomm.com
Kevin Brooks, 650-390-4306
kbrooks@ariba.com