Flowers Foods, Inc., the second-largest producer and marketer of packaged bakery foods in the United States, today announced that George E. Deese, executive chairman, has exercised stock options for approximately 529,000 shares in a transaction with the company. He intends to hold for the foreseeable future the shares of Flowers Foods common stock obtained through this option exercise, net of those shares necessary to cover the exercise price and related tax liability.

The options were granted to Mr. Deese in 2008 under the company's Equity and Performance Incentive Plan and will expire in February 2015. Following the completion of this exercise, Mr. Deese will hold approximately 2.2 million shares of Flowers Foods common stock, well in excess of the company's stock ownership guidelines.