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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                   BRIAN CAHILL NAMED CFO AT MGP INGREDIENTS;
             DAVE WILBUR PROMOTED TO GM OF COMPANY'S ILLINOIS PLANT



     ATCHISON,  Kan.,  October  16,  2002--Ladd  Seaberg,  president  and  chief
executive  officer of MGP  Ingredients,  Inc., has announced the  appointment of
Brian Cahill as vice president of finance and administration and chief financial
officer at the company.  Cahill  succeeds Bob Booe, who retired on Oct. 10 after
36 years with the company.

     For the  last 10  years,  Cahill  had  served  as  general  manager  of the
company's  operations in Pekin.,  Ill. That position is now held by Dave Wilbur,
who had been plant manager at the Illinois facility since July, 2000.

     "I am  completely  confident  that  Brian and Dave will make many  positive
contributions to the company in their new positions,"  Seaberg said.  "Brian has
been a great asset for our company since his arrival,  and his financial  acumen
and attention to detail will serve us well. Dave's  manufacturing  expertise and
management  experience  will help ensure  that our Pekin  facility is run with a
high degree of efficiency."

     Seaberg  also  praised the  efforts of Booe,  who began his career with the
company in 1966.  "Bob possesses a number of wonderful  qualities that proved to
be very  beneficial  to our company's  development,"  he said.  "His  integrity,
forthrightness  and  thoroughness  were  extremely  beneficial  in helping  this
company  establish an outstanding  fiscal position and a strong reputation among
members of the financial community."

     Having  begun his  career  with MGP  Ingredients  as office  manager at the
company's  Atchison,  Kan.,  headquarters,  Booe was  appointed  controller  and
treasurer  in  1968.   He  was  promoted  to  vice   president  of  finance  and
administration and CFO in 1989.

     Until his recent  relocation  to the  company's  headquarters  in Atchison,
Kan.,  Cahill had spent his entire  business  career at the Illinois  plant.  He
began as a tax  accountant  for the plant's  former owner,  American  Distilling
Company,  in 1975. He was promoted to plant controller in 1977, and continued in
that capacity when American Distilling was purchased by MGP Ingredients in 1980.
In 1984, Cahill was made manager of finance and administration. A year later, he
was elevated to vice  president,  and in 1992 was named  general  manager of the
Illinois plant.
                                     -more-

ADD 1--BRIAN CAHILL NAMED CFO

     A native of  Chicago,  Cahill  received  a bachelor  of  science  degree in
accounting from Bradley University,  Peoria, in 1975 and his CPA certification a
year  later.  He is a member  of the  American  Institute  of  Certified  Public
Accountants  and the Illinois  CPA  Society,  and has been active in United Way,
Chamber of Commerce board  functions,  the Bradley  University  Business  School
Board and youth  development  programs.  Cahill and his wife, Jan, have two sons
and one daughter.

     Prior to his  employment  at MGP  Ingredients,  Wilbur  served  as  general
manager of Minnesota Valley Alfalfa Producers,  Granite Falls,  Minn., from 1998
to 1999. He previously served in similar capacities with I-Rock,  Bradley, Ill.,
and  Incobrasa  Industries,  Gilman,  Ill.,  and  spent  a year as  director  of
engineering for Tyson Foods,  Inc.,  Springdale,  Ark. Prior to those positions,
Wilbur held  management and  engineering  posts at Central Soya Co., Inc.,  Fort
Wayne,  Ind.,  between  1977 and 1994,  and was  employed by Procter and Gamble,
Inc., Chicago, between 1971 and 1977.

     Wilbur is a native of  Roberts,  Wisc.,  and holds a  bachelor  of  science
degree in  chemical  engineering  from the  University  of  Wisconsin,  where he
graduated  in  1971.  He and his  wife,  Christine,  are the  parents  of  three
daughters.

     Formerly known as Midwest Grain Products, Inc., the company was renamed MGP
Ingredients,  Inc.  on Oct.  10 to  reflect  a  greatly  increased  focus on the
development,  production  and  marketing of specialty  ingredients  derived from
natural sources. The company is a pioneer in producing and marketing value-added
proteins and starches  derived  primarily from wheat.  In addition,  the company
produces  natural  food-grade  alcohol for use in beverage,  food and industrial
applications, and fuel grade alcohol, commonly known as ethanol.

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