DeSPAR Improves Supply Chain With Retek Solutions.

Business Editors & High-Tech Writers

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 2003

$1 Billion (USD) Italian Grocer Streamlines Warehouse Operations

and Improves Pick Accuracy to 99.8%

Retek Inc. (Nasdaq:RETK) today announced that DeSPAR, Italy's market leading grocery retailer and wholesaler, has realized significant improvements in its supply chain operations with Retek solutions. DeSPAR's previous retail and wholesale operations were on multiple systems and methodologies that were not integrated. Working with Retek and systems integrator, Enabler, DeSPAR has deployed Retek Supply Chain and Merchandising Operations solutions to integrate and improve the performance of its retail operations and its four Italian distribution centers (supplying 620 grocery stores across Italy).

"We are very impressed with the improved operating performance we have achieved with Retek solutions," said Giancarlo Pelarin, IT Director at DeSPAR. "The Retek Distribution Management solution has enabled DeSPAR to operate our four warehouses with one less shift per day, taking 2240 man-hours out of the daily supply chain. With the Retek solution our pick accuracy to stores has improved to 99.8 percent from 80 percent. We selected Retek because they offered the greatest functional depth to support retail and wholesale grocery operations. The implementation team of DeSPAR, Retek and Enabler did an excellent job to ensure a successful deployment."

In addition to Retek(R) Distribution Management(TM), DeSPAR has deployed several other Retek solutions, including Retek(R) Merchandising System(TM) and Retek(R) Warehouse Management(TM). Retek Distribution Management is a warehouse management system that provides all the tools necessary to help retailers improve service levels, reduce inventory and lead-times, increase productivity and reduce labor costs in their distribution centers. The Retek Merchandising System provides retailers a flexible, proven and scalable foundation from which to profitability and efficiently execute core merchandising activities in a global environment across multiple retail channels. Retek Data Warehouse, a web-based strategic performance analysis solution, melds massive amounts of data from different systems into user-friendly reporting that provides a single version of the truth.

"As both a retailer and wholesaler, DeSPAR, has excellent supply chain processes and operating execution in the demanding grocery industry, said Olivier Faugere, general manager of Retek Central and Southern Europe. "I am delighted and impressed with the great improvements that DeSPAR has accomplished with its supply chain. DeSPAR is another example of how leading retailers in Central and Southern Europe are achieving improved performance with Retek enterprise point solutions."

About DeSPAR

DeSPAR is above all a vision: an association between wholesalers and retailers to offer the best products and services to their customers. Established in 1932 in Holland, today International SPAR boasts more than 17,500 shops in 30 countries in 5 different continents. At a national and regional level, the DeSPAR brand and its activity are run by 11 autonomous companies.

In the north east area of Italy, DeSPAR is currently Gruppo Aspiag. Gruppo Aspiag, member of SPAR Austria, has been working in Italy since the beginning of 1990. It quickly bought the DeSPAR Distribution Centres located in Bolzano, Padova and Udine together with their sub-branches and their wide number of associate retailers. In the north east area of Italy, the Group is currently one of the market leaders, with its 10.6% market share. To date, the net turnover is about 1 billion Euro. They own 125 branches and distribute to around 500 franchised stores. Thanks to these numbers the Gruppo Aspiag is currently the biggest among the companies that constitute the consortium DeSPAR Italia.

About Enabler

Enabler offers solutions development, systems integration, implementation and support for retailers in Europe and worldwide. Founded in 1998, Enabler is focused on serving major European retailers. With four offices in the UK, Portugal, Germany and Brazil, Enabler has over 250 employees, 90% of whom with software engineering background and an extensive experience with retail processes, technology and development tools and project management. Enabler is skilled in the planning, implementation and support of a broad spectrum of IT solutions, including retail-focused enterprise resource planning; data warehousing; business intelligence; business-to-business; business to consumer and hub & spoke integration.

About Retek Inc.

Retek Inc. (Nasdaq:RETK) is the leading provider of mission-critical software and services to the retail industry. Retek 10 integrates collaborative software with patented predictive technologies, consulting services, and the best practices of customers and partners to help retailers create, manage and fulfill consumer demand. Leading global retailers including A&P, Fast Retailing, Tesco, Best Buy, Family Dollar Stores, Gap Inc., Sainsbury's, Eckerd Corp. and Kohl's Department Stores use Retek solutions. On the net: Retek at http://www.retek.com.

Retek is a trademark of Retek Inc. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made under the Safe Harbor Provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such factors are described from time to time in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.