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Leading Brands Launches Distribution of TREK Optimized Performance Beverage in New York City, the World's Largest Beverage Market: Becomes 38th Market Opened in USA This Year

VANCOUVER, CANADA - November 5, 2002 -

Leading Brands, Inc. LBIX (TSX:LBI), Canada's largest independent, premium beverage company, announces that it will today commence distribution of its TREK(TM) Optimized Performance Beverage(TM) in New York City, the World's largest beverage market.

The Company has recently entered into a distribution agreement with F&V Distribution Company, LLC, one of the largest independent beverage companies in the United States, to service the New York City and Long Island markets comprising approximately 12,000,000 people. This brings Leading Brands access to a universe of over 40,000 retail accounts in the New York/Long Island area for TREK(TM) Optimized Performance Beverage(TM). New York is the 38th market opened by the Company in the United States this year.

Leading Brands of America, Inc. President Bob Miller said: "We are excited about this new launch. F&V is very selective about the brands it represents. We are extremely fortunate to be able to deal with a distributor of this size and caliber in this key market at this early stage of our brand's development. We will be working closely with F&V over the ensuing weeks and months to ensure that TREK(TM) Optimized Performance Beverage(TM) becomes the performance drink of choice for New Yorkers."

The Company has already shipped considerable product to the market in advance of the launch, and expects it to be available in NYC and Long Island stores this week.

About Leading Brands, Inc.
Leading Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:LBIX) is North America’s only fully integrated premium beverage company. The Company’s unique Integrated Distribution System (IDS) ™ offers turnkey, one-stop shopping to food and beverage brand owners, including manufacturing, distribution, sales/marketing and licensing. In addition, Leading Brands produces their own line of beverages such as TrueBlue®, LiteBlue®, TREK® Natural Sports Drinks, NITRO® Energy Drinks, INFINITY® Health Water™, Country Harvest® Juices, and Caesar’s® Cocktails.

Forward Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this press release includes forward-looking statements. Words such as “believe”, “expect,” “will,” or comparable terms, are intended to identify forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, objectives, future events or performance and other developments. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Such statements speak only as of the date hereof. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s estimations and projections are disclosed in the Company’s securities filings and include, but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions, weather conditions, changing beverage consumption trends, pricing, availability of raw materials, economic uncertainties (including currency exchange rates), government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition and other risk factors described from time to time in securities reports filed by Leading Brands, Inc.

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