FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2001

JOHN B. SANFILIPPO ANNOUNCES RECORD NET INCOME FOR FISCAL 2001
Fiscal 2001 Net Sales Increase 3% Over the Prior Year
Fiscal 2001 EPS Increases 12% Over the Prior Year;
Total Debt at the End of Fiscal 2001 Decreases 10% from the Prior Year End

Elk Grove Village, IL, August 20, 2001 -- John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (Nasdaq: JBSS) today announced operating results for its fiscal 2001 fourth quarter and year ended June 28, 2001. Net income for the fourth quarter remained unchanged at approximately $1.4 million, and earnings per share decreased 1 cent to 15 cents per share from 16 cents per share for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000. The fiscal 2001 fourth quarter was a 13-week quarter in comparison to the 14-week fourth quarter of fiscal 2000. Fiscal 2001 net income increased to approximately $7.6 million, or 83 cents per share, from $6.8 million, or 74 cents per share, for fiscal 2000. Fiscal 2001 net income was the highest net income recorded in the Company's history.

As a result of the shorter quarter, fiscal 2001 fourth quarter net sales decreased to $76.5 million from $77.5 million in the fiscal 2000 fourth quarter. The gross profit margin, as a percentage of net sales, for the fiscal 2001 fourth quarter was 17.2 percent compared with 18.8 percent for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2000. Net sales for fiscal 2001 were approximately $341.4 million versus net sales of approximately $331.0 for fiscal 2000. The gross profit margin for fiscal 2001 decreased to 17.0 percent of net sales from 17.8 percent of net sales for fiscal 2000. The decreases in the gross profit margins for both the quarter and the year-end were primarily attributable to the increase in the sales of private label products as a percentage of the total sales mix.

Selling and administrative expenses as a percentage of net sales were 11.8 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001 compared with 13.0 percent in the fiscal 2000 fourth quarter. For fiscal 2001, selling and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales fell to 11.1 percent from 12.2 percent in fiscal 2000. The decrease was due to a reduction in spending for promotional activity resulting from a change in the sales mix. Operating income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2001 was approximately $4.1 million versus approximately $4.5 million in the fourth quarter of the prior year. Operating income for fiscal 2001 increased to $20.4 from $18.6 for fiscal 2000. As a consequence of the reduction in debt in the fourth quarter of 2001, interest expense for that quarter decreased to $1.9 million from approximately $2.3 million for the fourth quarter of 2000. For fiscal 2001, interest expense was approximately $8.4 million versus approximately $8.0 million for fiscal 2000.

"Fiscal 2001 was another record year in both sales and earnings, " stated Jasper B. Sanfilippo, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "We are now realizing returns from previous years' efforts in consolidation and cost-cutting coupled with this year's execution of innovative sales and marketing programs," added Mr. Sanfilippo.

John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. is a processor, packager, marketer and distributor of shelled and in-shell nuts and sesame sticks that are sold under a variety of private labels and under the company's Evon's^®, Fisher^®, Snack 'N Serve Nut Bowl^™, Sunshine Country^®, Flavor Tree^® and Texas Pride^™ brand names. The company also markets and distributes a diverse product line of other food and snack items.