A&P to Offer Online Ordering From Local Stores; Soon Consumers Will be Able Log On to Their Local Grocery Store Web Site to Order Party Trays or Roast Chicken for Dinner.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 1998--Zipping past the competition and heading into the twenty-first century, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, (A&P, NYSE:GAP) will be the first grocery chain in the world to offer online ordering of prepared meals from their delis and bakeries. A&P has signed a multi-year, technology partnership with cybermeals, the world's largest online meal ordering system.

Under the terms of the agreement, cybermeals, the company which pioneered online meal ordering for take-out and delivery, will create individual custom Web sites for 700 units of A&P's U.S chain operations: A&P, Farmer Jack, Food Emporium, Super Fresh, Kohl's and Waldbaum's.

Consumers can log on to any of the customized A&P sites or the cybermeals Web site and find the store closest to them using cybermeals' large-scale geo-positioning software combined with A&P's store directory. With 24-hour operations, hungry Web surfers can order online from their local stores everything from rotisserie chicken to potato salad and view full menus, hours of operation, in-store specials and directions to the store at any time of day.

"Consumers are spending less time cooking meals at home, turning to convenience meal solutions. Home Meal Replacement (HMR) options provide meals they can take home and serve for dinner," said Tim Glass, co-founder and president of cybermeals. "By partnering with A&P, an innovator in the grocery industry, we are continuing in our quest to offer time constrained consumers the most convenient and comprehensive source to order high-quality, ready-made meals."

George Graham, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer of A&P said, "Supermarket sales of HMR foods totaled $12.4 billion in 1996 and is expected to reach $21.9 billion in 2002 (Find/SVP 1997). At the same time, the Internet has recently surpassed 62 million users in the U.S. (Intelliquest). Since the growth of HMR will help drive the growth of comparable store sales, our partnership with cybermeals is an important strategic move for the growth of A&P. This partnership creates an expanded consumer base, increased visibility for our stores and reinforces our position as an innovator in the grocery store industry."

cybermeals, the world's largest online meal ordering system, offers consumers the opportunity to order takeout or delivery from supermarkets and restaurants in their neighborhood free of charge. Since its December 1996 launch in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle, the service has become available nationwide, with more than 13,000 locations under contract. cybermeals has been named the exclusive online ordering service for America Online, Excite, Yahoo! and Lycos.

The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, Inc. operates 936 conventional supermarkets and larger superstores in 18 US states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada, under the A&P, Waldbaums, Food Emporium, Farmer Jack, Super Fresh, Kohl's, Dominion and Food Basics trade names. Through its Compass Foods Division, the Company also manufactures and distributes a line of coffees under the Eight O'clock, Bokar and Royale labels for sale through its own stores and by other companies outside of A&P's trading area.

CONTACT: Cybermeals, Inc.

Greg Eckstrom, 415/981-5505

or

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company

Michael Rourke, 201/930-4326

or

Ketchum Public Relations 

Kendra Gourvitz, 415/984-6127

[e-mail]

Kathleen Wilson, 415/984-2252

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