Zaandam, The Netherlands, January 23, 2004 - Ahold today confirmed that exclusive negotiations with joint prospective buyers, the investor Mr. Fransisco de Narváez and Casino Guichard Perrachon S.A., for the sale of Ahold's controlling stake in the Argentine supermarket chain Disco S.A. have ended. Both parties could not reach final agreement.
Discussions on the sale of Disco are continuing with interested parties but cannot be commented on in detail at this stage.
The intended divestment of Disco S.A. is part of Ahold's strategic plan to restructure its portfolio, to divest underperforming assets, and to concentrate on its mature and most stable markets. As of June 30, 2003, Disco S.A. operated 237 stores in Argentina.
