Leading Brands, Inc. (LBIX)

[PINKFISHERMAN]

VANCOUVER, CANADA - April 28, 2009 - Leading Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: LBIX), North America's only fully integrated healthy branded beverage company, has notified Nasdaq that, with the retirement of Mr. Douglas Carlson from the Company's Board of Directors and Audit Committee, the Company will temporarily be out of compliance with Nasdaq's audit committee requirements as set forth in Listing Rule 5605 which require that its Audit Committee have at least three independent members.

On April 24, 2009 the Company received a letter from Nasdaq confirming that it was not in compliance with Listing Rule 5605 and providing the Company a cure period to regain compliance through October 5, 2009.

During the cure period, the Company's common shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq, subject to the Company's continued compliance with other Nasdaq listing requirements. The Company has begun the process of identifying a third Audit Committee member and expects to regain compliance with Nasdaq's audit committee composition requirements within the cure period.