<TABLE> <S> <C>

<PAGE>
<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>                     <C>                     <C>                     <C>
<C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR                   YEAR                   3-MOS                   6-MOS
9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-28-1996             JAN-03-1998             JAN-03-1998             JAN-03-1998
             JAN-03-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             DEC-31-1995             DEC-29-1996             DEC-29-1996             DEC-29-1996
             DEC-29-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-28-1998             JAN-03-1998             MAR-22-1997             JUN-14-1997
             OCT-04-1997
<CASH>                                             921                     933                     886                     909
                     891
<SECURITIES>                                         0                       0                       0                       0
                       0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  226,584                 193,963                 216,610                 241,653
                 228,268
<ALLOWANCES>                                    20,522                  20,001                  19,655                  22,522
                  19,066
<INVENTORY>                                    293,458                 287,801                 291,207                 297,904
                 323,329
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               525,596                 494,350                 522,678                 546,920
                 560,856
<PP&E>                                         565,700                 589,172                 569,680                 577,274
                 586,787
<DEPRECIATION>                                 293,845                 312,939                 300,515                 306,340
                 323,061
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 945,477                 904,883                 935,806                 964,903
                 971,796
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          297,088                 294,419                 275,284                 292,728
                 318,063
<BONDS>                                        361,819                 325,489                 374,793                 377,171
                 376,058
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
                       0
<PREFERRED>                                          0                       0                       0                       0
                       0
<COMMON>                                        19,290                  19,292                  19,290                  19,292
                  19,292
<OTHER-SE>                                     215,688                 208,241                 215,276                 219,860
                 202,614
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   945,477                 904,883                 935,806                 964,903
                 971,796
<SALES>                                      3,300,935               4,293,555                 931,827               1,881,720
               3,185,270
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             3,323,970               4,341,095                 943,662               1,908,405
               3,237,271
<CGS>                                        2,996,596               3,936,813                 830,770               1,703,360
               2,930,754
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  279,562                 368,947                  97,891                 170,465
                 285,181
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0                       0                       0                       0
                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                 1,893                   5,055                   1,293                   2,139
                   2,771
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              13,408                  29,034                   7,321                  14,820
                  24,591
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 32,511                   1,246                   6,387                  17,621
                 (6,026)
<INCOME-TAX>                                    13,174                   2,320                   2,433                   7,107
                   (251)
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             19,337                 (1,074)                   3,954                  10,514
                 (5,775)
<DISCONTINUED>                                     695<F1>               (154)<F1>                (898)<F1>              (994)<F1>
                 (1,162)<F1>
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0                       0                       0                       0
                       0                                                                     
<CHANGES>                                            0                       0                       0                       0
                       0
<NET-INCOME>                                    20,032                 (1,228)                   3,056                   9,520
                 (6,937)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.83                   (.11)                     .27                     .84
                   (.61)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.81                   (.11)                     .27                     .84
                   (.61)
<FN>
<F1>IN OCTOBER 1998, THE COMPANY ADOPTED A PLAN TO SELL NASH DECAMP COMPANY, ITS
PRODUCE GROWING AND MARKETING SUBSIDIARY.
</FN>
        

</TABLE>