EXHIBIT 99.1

CONTACT:                                                        RELEASE:
KAREN M. L. WHELAN                                              IMMEDIATELY
(804)359-9311

             UNIVERSAL LEAF NORTH AMERICA TO CONSOLIDATE OPERATIONS

         RICHMOND,VA  APRIL  27,   1999/PRNEWSWIRE/----   Universal  Leaf  North
America,  a subsidiary of Universal Leaf Tobacco Company,  Inc., today announced
that it would take  several  actions to  rationalize  and  consolidate  its U.S.
operations. These actions, which management considers necessary in order for the
company to remain a strong competitor in the marketplace,  are to close the leaf
stemming  operations in the K. R. Edwards plant in Smithfield,  North  Carolina,
consolidate  those  processing  activities into the Thorpe  Greenville  plant in
Rocky  Mount,  North  Carolina,  close  its  extruder  activities  in  Danville,
Virginia,  and  Greeneville,  Tennessee,  and reduce  the number of leaf  buying
personnel  for the  upcoming  season due to a reduction in the sets of buyers by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

         R.E. Foy, Jr.,  President of Universal Leaf North America,  noted, "The
tobacco industry in the United States has faced  significant  challenges  during
the last few years, including a decline in U.S. cigarette consumption and a drop
in exports of U.S.  tobacco.  These  reductions and a build-up of inventories in
the stabilization  cooperatives  have resulted in substantial  reductions in the
amount of U.S. flue-cured and burley tobaccos that can be produced and marketed,
and we do not expect a near-term reversal in these trends."

            Foy further  stated,  "We regret that today's actions are necessary.
Our  processing,  extruder,  and leaf personnel in the affected  operations have
long been loyal,  dedicated and supportive employees,  and thus, these decisions
have been extremely difficult."

         In order to minimize the effect of these actions on the company's  work
force,  management  intends to maintain as many  operations in Smithfield as are
feasible,  including tobacco storage and special  projects.  The company further
hopes  that  much of the  necessary  reduction  in  salaried  personnel  will be
accomplished  through a voluntary early  retirement  plan. The total cost of the
consolidation is expected to be between $3 million and $4 million, before taxes,
with at least equivalent annual savings beginning in fiscal year 2000.

         Universal  Leaf  Tobacco  Company,  Inc. is a  subsidiary  of Universal
Corporation  (NYSE-UVV),  a  diversified  company  with  operations  in tobacco,
lumber, and agri-products. Universal Corporation's gross revenues for the fiscal
year that ended on June 30, 1998,  were  approximately  $4.3  billion.  For more
information    on    Universal    Corporation,    visit    its   web   site   at
www.universalcorp.com.
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