Ahold sells local unit to Hero

Ahold sells local unit to Hero

Dow Jones, Amsterdam

Amsterdam-based supermarket operator Koninklijke Ahold N.V.
(Ahold) said Tuesday that it has reached agreement for the sale
of its Indonesian operation to PT Hero Supermarket for
approximately 12 million euro (about US$ 10.90 million),
excluding proceeds from the sale of store inventory.

Ahold Indonesia operates the TOPS supermarket chain.

This asset purchase agreement is subject to the approval of
Hero's shareholders and is expected to be finalized in the third
quarter of 2003. Hero is a prominent food retail group listed on
the Jakarta stock exchange with 200 outlets throughout Indonesia.

The transaction involves 22 stores plus one under
construction, and two distribution centers. The actual transfer
of the stores and both distribution centers will take place
following the approval of Hero shareholders.

Staff at Ahold's Indonesian headquarters are not included in
the transaction, although Ahold is committed to meeting its
obligations to these associates.

The divestment of Ahold's activities in Indonesia is part of
the company's strategic plan to restructure its portfolio to
focus on high-performing businesses, to concentrate on its mature
and most stable markets and to reduce its debt.

Ahold first entered the Indonesian market through a technical
service agreement with the PSP group in 1996. That agreement
ended in 2002 and Ahold Tops Indonesia became a wholly-owned
subsidiary. Unaudited net sales in 2002 amounted to approximately
37 million euro. Ahold employs approximately 1,600 people in
Indonesia.