IGA NAMES 2004 INTERNATIONAL RETAILERS OF THE YEAR

Troy Cochran to Receive Prestigious Global Award

CHICAGO, IL - IGA today announced Troy Cochran, owner of Valley IGA Plus in Waterford, Calif., has been named one of five 2004 IGA International Retailers of the Year. Cochran was chosen for the annual award from the 4,400 IGA Retailers worldwide. A committee of IGA executives and food industry experts based their decisions on performance of the retailers in areas ranging from leadership and innovation to hometown involvement and employee development. Cochran was honored at IGA's 2004 International Retailers of the Year Awards Dinner Ceremony held on Tuesday, March 16 at the Marriott’s Harbor Beach Resort & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

"IGA International Retailers of the Year Troy Cochran represent the very best the retail world has to offer," said Dr. Thomas Haggai, chairman and CEO of IGA. "In his nearly 20 years as an IGA Retailer, his dedication to the IGA System is virtually unmatched. Through good times and bad, Cochran has pledged to never loose his Hometown Proud identity. His father and mother-in-law, Calvin and Peggy Chu, who started Cochran’s business in 1960, have certainly taught him well."

“Our philosophy is simple: Whatever it takes, just do it!” Cochran said. “Without such a dedicated team, this award would never have been possible. I’m proud to have been a part of the IGA System for so many years and extremely proud to have been named International Retailer of the Year.”

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 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more the 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 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.