TODGE ARMATA NAMED IGA 2002 INTERNATIONAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO, IL – Todge Armata, owner of Ted's Foods IGA in Hebron, Conn., has been named one of seven IGA 2002 International Retailers of the Year.

Armata was chosen for the annual award from the more than 4,400 IGA Retailers worldwide. A committee of Food Industry experts selected Armata based on his exceptional performance in areas ranging from leadership and innovation to hometown involvement and employee development. He will honored at IGA's 2002 International Retailers of the Year Awards Dinner Ceremony, to be held on Saturday, May 4, during the Food Marketing Institute's Supermarket Industry Exposition in Chicago.

"Todge and his family are an invaluable addition to our IGA family," said Dr. Thomas Haggai, chairman and CEO of IGA. "Todge is an innovative grocer with strong community ties and we are proud to call him an IGA International Retailer of the Year."

A third generation owner of Ted's Foods, Armata joined the IGA family in 1992. Since that time Armata has been honored by IGA on several occasions for his innovative approach to IGA promotional events. In 2001, Ted's Foods IGA was given the Hometown Proud Spirit Award for exemplary performance in both the Hometown Kids Fest and Hometown Holidays promotions. During both promotions, Armata placed strong emphasis on charitable involvement, donating proceeds to the Connecticut Special Olympics during Hometown Kids, and food to a local food bank during Hometown Holidays.

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world's largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,400 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 37 distribution companies and more than 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 states and 41 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.