Exhibit 99

                                  NEWS RELEASE
                                                                Contact:
                                                                Bea Slizewski
                                                                716-264-3189

             AGRIFROZEN TO CLOSE FACILITIES IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON


     Salem, Oregon. January 22,  2001...AgriFrozen Foods announced today that it
is closing its frozen  vegetable  business  facilities  in Woodburn,  Oregon and
Walla Walla and  Grandview,  Washington.  This  announcement  follows the recent
decision  by  AgriFrozen's  board  not to plant or  process  crops  for the 2001
growing season.

     "This was a very  difficult  decision to make," said  AgriFrozen  president
Dennis M. Mullen.  "Employees,  growers and management have all worked extremely
hard for the  past two  years  to try and  turn  AgriFrozen's  business  around.
Unfortunately,  the combination of current industry  trends,  which have shown a
steady  decline in  private  label and  industrial  frozen  vegetable  sales and
pricing, and the highly competitive nature of our business,  demand that we take
this action.  We want to thank the  AgriFrozen  employees  and growers for their
commitment  and hard work and we regret  that these  efforts  did not  produce a
positive result."

     AgriFrozen, a subsidiary of Pro-Fac Cooperative,  Inc. (Nasdaq: PFACP), has
operated at a loss since its  inception in February of 1999,  and its lender has
indicated  that it will not  continue to fund  AgriFrozen's  operations.  At the
request of AgriFrozen's  lenders,  Agrilink Foods, a wholly owned  subsidiary of
Pro-Fac,  submitted a proposal to  purchase  the  inventory  of  AgriFrozen.

     In connection with these facility closings, AgriFrozen and its lenders have
reached an agreement in principle on this transaction, which is dependent upon a
number of conditions, including the final approval of Pro-Fac's, Agrilink Foods'
and  AgriFrozen's   respective  lenders,  and  the  approval  and  execution  of
definitive agreements. If the conditions precedent are satisfied, it is expected
that the  acquisition  of the  AgriFrozen  inventory will close on February 1st,
2001.

     AgriFrozen's  management met today with AgriFrozen employees and growers to
announce  the closures  and discuss the impact on both  groups.  Employees  were
informed  that  there  will be no  further  production,  but that the  repacking
operations at the Woodburn facility are expected to continue through

                                     -more-



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AgriFrozen p. 2

April 2001 and that  warehousing  operations  at the  Woodburn  and Walla  Walla
facilities  are expected to continue  through June,  2001. In addition,  certain
administrative functions will continue through the transition period.

     AgriFrozen employees will be provided with more information,  as it becomes
available.  AgriFrozen  employs  approximately  600 full time  employees  at its
various  locations.  There are about 150 growers who have historically  supplied
AgriFrozen and today's special membership meeting in Keizer, Oregon reviewed the
impact on this group.

     The  sale of  AgriFrozen's  inventory  to  Agrilink  Foods  should  make it
possible  for  AgriFrozen's  customers to have their  ongoing  needs met without
interruption during the wind down of AgriFrozen's operations.  Agrilink Foods is
expected to work closely with  AgriFrozen's  customers  throughout the wind down
period to insure  that  customer  needs are met.  "We want to assure  AgriFrozen
customers  that,  as we go forward in this  transition,  we remain  committed to
supplying them with the high quality  product and service they expect," said Ben
Frega,  executive vice president of sales and marketing,  Agrilink  Foods. It is
expected  that  AgriFrozen  will  continue to meet its  supplier  and  remaining
operating obligations during the transition period.