EXHIBIT 99.1


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           SYMBOL:  LANC
Wednesday, August 24, 2005                                      TRADED:  Nasdaq

                LANCASTER COLONY CONTINUES HIGHER CASH DIVIDEND;
                  DR. NEELI BENDAPUDI JOINS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

      COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 24 -- Lancaster Colony Corporation (Nasdaq: LANC)
announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash
dividend of 25 cents per share on the company's common stock, payable September
30, 2005, to shareholders of record on September 9, 2005. The board voted to
continue the cash dividend at the higher level set nine months ago. At that
time, the company marked 42 consecutive years of increasing cash dividends each
year.

      John B. Gerlach, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Lancaster
Colony, said, "The dividend reflects the company's continued strong financial
position and will be the 169th consecutive quarterly cash dividend paid by the
company since September 1963." He noted that this dividend brings the indicated
annual payout for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, to $1.00 per
share, up from the 98 cents per share paid in the fiscal year ended June 30,
2005. Currently, the company has approximately 34,236,000 common shares
outstanding.

The company also announced that Dr. Neeli Bendapudi, 41, has been elected to the
Board of Directors effective August 24. Dr. Bendapudi is a distinguished
associate professor of marketing at The Ohio State University's Fisher College
of Business and a marketing consultant. Mr. Gerlach said, "We are very fortunate
to have Dr. Bendapudi join our Board of Directors. She has received many
teaching honors, including Fisher College awards for teaching at the
undergraduate, MBA and Executive MBA levels, and a national Outstanding
Marketing Teacher award from The Academy of Marketing Science." Dr. Bendapudi
replaces Kerrii B. Anderson, who resigned due to other business time
commitments.

      This news release contains forward-looking statements related to future
growth and earnings opportunities. Such statements are based upon certain
assumptions and assessments made by management of the company in light of its
experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected
future developments and other factors it believes to be appropriate. Actual
results may differ as a result of factors over which the company has no, or
limited, control including the strength of the economy, slower than anticipated
sales growth, the extent of operational efficiencies achieved, the success of
new product introductions, price and product competition, and increases in raw
materials costs. Management believes these forward-looking statements to be
reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements,
which are based on current expectations. The company undertakes no obligation to
publicly update such forward-looking statements. More detailed statements
regarding significant events which could affect the company's financial results
are included in the company's Forms 10-K and 10-Q filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.

                                      ####

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:     John B. Gerlach, Jr., Chairman and CEO
                             Lancaster Colony Corporation
                             Phone: 614/224-7141
                             -or-
                             Investor Relations Consultants, Inc.
                             Phone: 727/781-5577 or E-mail: lanc@mindspring.com