EXHIBIT 99.1


MARCH 18, 2004               COMPANY PRESS RELEASE     FLOWERS FOODS (NYSE: FLO)


                         FLOWERS FOODS FILES FORM 10-K,
                      RECLASSIFIES CERTAIN INTEREST INCOME;
           CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE ON COMPANY WEBSITE


THOMASVILLE, GA-- Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) today filed its Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2004 on the date it was due with
the Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing includes a reclassification
of certain interest income on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Separately,
the company made its corporate governance documents available on the Flowers
Foods website.

The reclassification had no effect on amounts previously reported as sales or
income from continuing operations. The reclassification also had no effect on
fiscal years prior to fiscal 2001.

The Consolidated Statements of Income contained in the Form 10-K filed today for
the fiscal years ended January 3, 2004, December 28, 2002, and December 29, 2001
reflect the reclassification of interest income of $4.2 million, $4.0 million,
and $3.8 million, respectively. The reclassification was made to report all of
the interest income received by the company in connection with the notes
receivable from the independent distributors as interest income in the
Consolidated Statements of Income. Previously, the company had reported a
portion of the interest income received on the distributor notes as a servicing
fee which reduced administrative expenses because the company viewed such
portion as offsetting administrative costs incurred in servicing the distributor
notes.

The company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3,
2004 and its corporate governance documents, including charters for the
committees of the board of directors, corporate governance guidelines and code
of ethics, are available on the company's website at www.flowersfoods.com.

Company Information

Headquartered in Thomasville, Ga., Flowers Foods is one of the nation's leading
producers and marketers of packaged bakery foods for retail and foodservice
customers. Flowers operates 33 bakeries that produce a wide range of bakery
products marketed through the Sun Belt states via an extensive
direct-store-delivery network and nationwide through other delivery systems.
Among the company's top brands are



Nature's Own, Cobblestone Mill, Mrs. Freshley's, and European Bakers. For more
information on the company, visit www.flowersfoods.com.

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those
projected. Other factors that may cause actual results to differ from the
forward-looking statements contained in this release and that may affect the
company's prospects in general include, but are not limited to, (a) competitive
conditions in the baked foods industry, including promotional and price
competition, (b) changes in consumer demand for our products, (c) the success of
productivity improvements and new product introductions, (d) a significant
reduction in business with any of our major customers including a reduction from
adverse developments in any of our customer's business, (e) fluctuations in
commodity pricing and (f) our ability to achieve cash flow from capital
expenditures and acquisitions and the availability of new acquisitions that
build shareholder value. In addition, our results may also be affected by
general factors such as economic and business conditions (including the baked
foods markets), interest and inflation rates and such other factors as are
described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


CONTACT:   Marta Jones Turner
           VP Communications/IR
           229-227-2348

           Jimmy Woodward
           Senior VP and CFO
           229-227-2266