DELHAIZE GROUP ANNOUNCES THE ELECTION OF FIVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Brussels, Belgium - , May 23, 2001 - Delhaize Group (Euronext Brussels: DELB, NYSE: DEG), the Belgian international food retailer, at its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held today in Brussels, has elected five new Directors, enlarging the Board of Directors from 10 to 15 members. This enlargement follows the share exchange with Delhaize America that was finalized on April 25, 2001. Four of the five new Directors are Americans and three of the five are outside Directors.

'The election of the new Board members is the last step in the transformation of Delhaize Group during the last months', said Gui de Vaucleroy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Delhaize Group. 'I welcome the new members who will reinforce our Board and make that the new Board better reflects the international shareholder base of Delhaize Group.'

The speech of Gui de Vaucleroy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Delhaize Group, and of Pierre-Olivier Beckers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delhaize Group, at the General Meeting of Shareholders are available on the Delhaize Group web site at www.delhaizegroup.com.


Hugh G. Farrington (56) is since 1992 Chief Executive Officer of Hannaford Bros., Co. and since 2000 Vice Chairman of Delhaize America, Inc. Mr. Farrington joined Hannaford Bros. in 1968. Over the next several years, he served as Assistant Store Manager, Store Manager, Regional Supervisor and General Manager and Vice President. Mr. Farrington was promoted in 1980 to Executive Vice President of Retail Operations. In 1984, Mr. Farrington became President and Chief Operating Officer of Hannaford Bros. In 1992, Mr. Farrington assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Hannaford Bros. Mr. Farrington received a Bachelor's degree from Dartmourth College, Hanover, New Hampshire and a Master of Education from the University of New Hampshire. Mr. Farrington serves on the Board of Trustees of Maine Medical Center and Maine Health, and also serves on the Maine Medical Assessment Foundation Board of Directors.

William G. Ferguson (73) has been a member of the Board of Directors of Delhaize America since 1993. Mr. Ferguson is a member of the Delhaize America Audit and Stock Option Committees and is Chairperson of the Delhaize America Senior Management Compensation Committee. Mr. Ferguson has been a director of Snow Aviation International, Inc. since 1988 and the Executive Vice President since 1989. Mr. Ferguson was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TTI Systems, Inc. from 1977 through the sale of TTI Systems, Inc. to Transco Energy Company in 1986 and until he retired from Transco in 1989. From 1988 to 1997, Mr. Ferguson was Director of Jamestown Foundation, Washington D.C. Mr. Ferguson also served as President of Ashland Chemical Co., a division of Ashland Oil from 1969-1972. Mr. Ferguson holds a Bachelor's degree in biological sciences and chemistry from Washington University, St. Louis.

Richard Goblet d'Alviella (52) has been Chief Executive Officer of Sofina S.A., a Belgian financial holding company, since 1989. Mr. Goblet d'Alviella is a member of the Board of Directors of Sofina as well as a number of the companies in which Sofina has ownership interests or is affiliated, such as Tractebel, Azeo, Danone Asia, Société Européenne des Satellites and ADSB Communications (the holding company of Belgacom). Prior to joining Sofina, Mr. Goblet d'Alviella was a Managing Director of the Paine Webber Group and he has a 15-year-background in international investment banking in London and New York. Mr. Goblet d'Alviella holds a Commercial Engineer's degree from Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, and a Master's degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

Bill McCanless (43) is President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Delhaize America since August 1999 and Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Food Lion since April 1999. From 1995 to 1999, Mr. McCanless was Senior Vice President of Administration and Chief Administrative Officer of Food Lion. Mr. McCanless received a Juris Doctorate degree from Wake Forest University School of Law and a Bachelor's degree in accounting from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Mr. McCanless is a member of the North Carolina State Bar and serves on the Board of Trustees of The University of North Carolina, Charlotte.

Robert J. Murray (59) has been Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer of New England Business Service, Inc. since 1995. Mr. Murray has been a director of New England Business Service, Inc. since 1991. From 1997 to 2001, Mr. Murray was a member of the Board of Directors of Hannaford Bros. Co. Mr. Murray retired from The Gillette Company in 1995, having been with Gillette for more than 34 years. From 1991 until his retirement in 1995, Mr. Murray was Executive Vice President, North Atlantic Group of Gillette. Mr. Murray is a director of LoJack Corporation and Allmerica Financial Corporation. Mr. Murray is a graduate of Boston College and holds a Master's degree in business administration from Northeastern University.

About Delhaize Group

Delhaize Group is a food retailer headquartered in Belgium and listed on Euronext Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange. At the end of the first quarter of 2001, Delhaize Group's sales network consisted of 2,402 stores in ten countries on three continents. In 2000, Delhaize Group achieved sales of EUR 18.2 billion (USD 16.8 billion) and net earnings of EUR 160.7 million (USD 148.1 million). Delhaize Group employs approximately 152,000 persons.

This press release is available in English, French and Dutch. For more information, visit the Delhaize Group web site at www.delhaizegroup.com. Questions can be e-mailed to investor@delhaizegroup.com.