Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Opens First Store in San Diego County

CHULA VISTA, Calif., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market today opened the first San Diego County store in Chula Vista at East H and Tierra Del Rey. The company successfully opened 12 stores in Southern California and Las Vegas earlier this month.

Fresh & Easy has announced 122 store locations to date, with 50 scheduled to open by the end of February 2008, in Southern California, Phoenix and Las Vegas. The company plans to open 200 stores by the end of next year. Fresh & Easy's parent company, Tesco, is the third largest retail company in the world and is investing $2 billion dollars over five years in its U.S. debut.

"Opening our first store in San Diego County is very exciting," said Tim Mason, Fresh & Easy CEO. "The stores we have opened in other parts of Southern California have been extremely well-received, and we are eager to bring the same fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices to our new neighbors here."

Fresh & Easy's private brand has no artificial colors or flavors, no added trans fats, and only uses preservatives where absolutely necessary. The company also offers a range of national brands and authentic products. All food is delivered daily and date coded so customers know it is fresh.

As part of the company's promise to be a good neighbor and steward of the environment, Fresh & Easy has committed to build LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings, recycle or reuse all shipping and display materials and use environmentally friendly trailers to transport food. The company also invested in California's largest solar roof installation on its distribution center in Riverside.

Each Fresh & Easy store employs approximately 20 to 30 people. Entry-level positions start at $10 an hour in California, and all positions include a quarterly bonus of up to 10%. The company intends all store employees will work more than 20 hours a week and receive comprehensive and affordable healthcare with Fresh & Easy paying at least 75% of the cost.

Fresh & Easy will also open stores in Phoenix by the end of the year.

About Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market is a local, neighborhood store committed to providing customers with fresh, wholesome food at affordable prices.

Fresh & Easy is a company of Tesco, the UK's largest retailer and one of the world's leading international retailers. Tesco operates over 3,200 stores across 12 countries and employing more than 400,000 people.

Tesco's success is due in part to delivering a consistently strong customer offering on every visit and every transaction, and by focusing on the company's core purpose: to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty.

More information regarding Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market can be found at http://www.freshandeasy.com.

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

CONTACT: Brendan Wonnacott, +1-916-554-3466, cell, +1-310-384-3833, for
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market

Web site: http://www.freshandeasy.com/