11/16/2009

Best Cellars at A&P Opens in Ledgewood, N.J., Bringing a New Way to Shop for Wine and Spirits

New Store Highlighted by Expanded Selection, Affordable Prices,Special Events & Frequent Wine Tastings

MONTVALE, N.J. - November 16, 2009 … A fun, innovative and value-priced wine, beer and spirits store has arrived in Ledgewood, NJ, with the grand opening of the new Best Cellars at A&P Wine & Spirits Warehouse located at 1103 Howard Boulevard in the Ledgewood Plaza shopping center. The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P) (NYSE:GAP) today debuted the smartly designed store, which incorporates key elements of Best Cellars' consumer-friendly, taste-based approach to marketing wine, beer and spirits

The Ledgewood Best Cellars at A&P replaces the existing A&P Wine & Spirits store, keeping the same friendly service customers have come to know, while adding an expanded selection of top quality values in wine, beer and spirits at even better prices than before.

With the opening of its next-generation store in Ledgewood, Best Cellars at A&P takes shopping for wine, beer and spirits to a higher level. The store organizes many of its 1,500 wine bottles by taste using instantly understandable words, icons and colors. Best Cellars at A&P selections are profiled stylistically (e.g. "SOFT" for medium-bodied white wines; "SMOOTH" for medium-bodied red wines), rather than by place-of-origin or grapetype. These distinct profiles separate white and red wines according to flavor, texture, and body, with categories like Big, Luscious, Fizzy, Fresh, Soft, Juicy, Smooth and Sweet. With its uniquely entertaining and informative approach to merchandising, Best Cellars at A&P makes shopping for wine, beer and spirits almost as much fun as drinking them.

Founded in 1996, Best Cellars was acquired by The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company in 2007 to complement the Company's ongoing fresh food marketing strategy. Placing an emphasis on pairing wine, beer and spirits with food, Best Cellars at A&P has been very well received by shoppers.

Joshua Wesson, the co-founder of Best Cellars, is now part of the A&P team and serves as the Company's corporate "sommelier." Mr. Wesson's vast experience in the food and wine industry, both nationally and internationally, has enabled Best Cellars to achieve success by turning an ordinary shopping experience into a taste-based culinary adventure. Today's food shoppers know they don't have to go out to a four-star restaurant to enjoy a great meal. They can custom-match their food with wine, beer and spirits right in their own home.

About The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc.
Founded in 1859, A&P is one of the nation's first supermarket chains. The Company operates 435 stores in 8 states and the District of Columbia under the following trade names: A&P, Waldbaum's, Pathmark, Best Cellars, The Food Emporium, Super Foodmart, Super Fresh and Food Basics.

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Investor Contact:
Krystyna Lack
Vice President, Treasury Services
(201) 571-4320

Press contact:
Lauren La Bruno
Senior Director, Public Relations
(201) 571-4453