MONTVALE, NJ – October 29, 2002 – The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (NYSE: GAP) today announced a change in the structure and leadership of its retail organization. Effective immediately, the Company’s retail operations will be organized as two strategic business units, A&P U.S. and A&P Canada.

Brian Piwek has been named President & Chief Executive Officer of A&P U.S. Mr. Piwek was previously President & CEO of A&P Canada. Succeeding Mr. Piwek in that position is Eric Claus, who joins A&P from Co-op Atlantic, a leading retail and wholesale food company based in New Brunswick, Canada, where he was President & CEO.

Mr. Piwek and Mr. Claus will report directly to Christian Haub, Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer of A&P. As a result of the new organization structure, Elizabeth Culligan, formerly President & Chief Operating Officer, has decided to leave the Company to pursue other opportunities.

Commenting on the new structure, Mr. Haub said, “This change will enable us to drive improvement of the performance of our U.S. operations, maintain the excellent growth trend achieved by our Canadian Company, and better unify and leverage best practices and other synergies to benefit our Company as a whole. Most importantly, I am pleased that our two strategic business units will be led by outstanding food retailing executives, whose experience, knowledge and record of success in our industry speak for themselves.”

Mr. Piwek, who joined A&P’s Canadian Company in 1997, was instrumental in its turnaround, and has since led A&P Canada to record sales and earnings. Under his direction, the Company’s mainstream A&P and Dominion banners have flourished behind a focus on superior fresh foods and customer service, under the Canadian Company’s trademark “fresh obsessed” marketing umbrella. He also directed the development of the Company’s Food Basics banner into one of Canada’s leading discount food formats. That format is now being tested in the U.S.

Mr. Claus brings more than 25 years of supermarket, discount and general retail experience, and broad-based knowledge of the Canadian marketplace, to his new role as President & CEO of A&P Canada. He led the turnaround of Co-op Atlantic, and successfully positioned the company as one of the leading shopping destinations in the Atlantic Canadian grocery marketplace.

“Clearly, our U.S. and Canadian business units are at different stages of development. I am confident that Brian and Eric bring precisely the skills, leadership and management ability needed to drive progress in both. I look forward to working directly with them as we drive the profitable growth of our Company.”

Mr. Haub added, “At this time, I would like to thank Beth Culligan for her leadership and contribution to our Company, and wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

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 currently operates 692 stores in 15 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada under the following trade names: A&P, Waldbaum’s, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, Super Fresh, Farmer Jack, Kohl’s, Sav-A-Center, Dominion, The Barn Markets, Food Basics and Ultra Food & Drug. The Company also manufactures and distributes the Eight O’Clock line of whole bean coffees.

Contact:

Richard P. De Santa
Vice President, Corporate Affairs
(201) 571-4495

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