MONTVALE, NJ - February 12, 2002 - The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P, NYSE:GAP) announced today that John E. Metzger has been appointed Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer.

Reporting directly to Christian Haub, Chairman of the Board, President & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Metzger will be responsible for leading the Information Services organization in support of A&P's strategic initiatives and objectives. He succeeds Nicholas L. Ioli, Jr., who left the Company to pursue other opportunities.

Mr. Metzger joined A&P in 1999 as Vice President, Supply & Logistics. In 2001, he was promoted to Senior Vice President and Business Leader of the Company's supply chain and business process initiative. He will retain that role in addition to his new responsibility as CIO. Previously, Mr. Metzger was Senior Vice President of CS Integrated LLC, a unit of Security Capital Investment Trust (ProLogis), responsible for IS, strategic planning, marketing, transportation and engineering. Earlier, he held logistics and distribution management roles for RJR Nabisco and Standard Brands.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Haub said, "In the past year, John has spearheaded the development and integration of our new business process and systems solutions into our merchandising, store operations and distribution functions. I am pleased with our progress thus far in executing this initiative, and confident that John's leadership will ensure its successful completion."

Founded in 1859, A&P was one of the nation's first supermarket chains, and is today one of North America's 10 largest. The Company operates approximately 740 stores in 15 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada under the following trade names: A&P, Waldbaum's, Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, Super Fresh, Farmer Jack, Kohl's, Sav-A-Center, Dominion, The Barn Markets, Food Basics and Ultra Food & Drug.

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