DALLAS, May 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — On May 7, 2007, the staff of the
SEC notified Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF) that the informal inquiry regarding
its historical stock option granting practices and related accounting was
completed without any recommended enforcement action.

ABOUT DEAN FOODS

Dean Foods Company is one of the leading food and beverage companies in
the United States. Its Dairy Group division is the largest processor and
distributor of milk and other dairy products in the country, with products
sold under more than 50 familiar local and regional brands and a wide array of
private labels. The Company’s WhiteWave Foods subsidiary markets and sells a
variety of well-known dairy and dairy-related products, such as Silk(R)
soymilk, Horizon Organic(R) milk and other dairy products and International
Delight(R) coffee creamers. WhiteWave Foods’ Rachel’s Organic(R) brand is the
largest organic milk brand and third largest organic yogurt brand in the
United Kingdom.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some of the statements in this press release are “forward-looking” and are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. These “forward-looking” statements include statements relating
to, among other things, expectations of management and the potential impact on
the Company’s financial statements. These statements involve risks and
uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from the statements
set forth in this press release. The forward-looking statements in this press
release speak only as of the date of this release. The Company expressly
disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or
revisions to such statements to reflect any change in its expectations with
regard thereto or any changes in the events, conditions or circumstances on
which any such statement is based.

     Contact:
     Marguerite Copel
     Vice President, Corporate Communications
     214-721-1273

     Barry Sievert
     Senior Director, Investor Relations
     214-303-3437

SOURCE  Dean Foods Company
    -0-                             05/10/2007
    /CONTACT:  Marguerite Copel, Vice President, Corporate Communications,
+1-214-721-1273, or Barry Sievert, Senior Director, Investor Relations,
+1-214-303-3437, both of Dean Foods Company/
    /Web site:  http://www.deanfoods.com /
    (DF)

CO:  Dean Foods Company
ST:  Texas
IN:  FOD REA
SU:

GN
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