000464 Webvan-Atlanta Signs Agreements with Vendors

Suwanee, GA - Webvan Group, Inc. set a new standard for Internet retailing in the Greater Atlanta Area with the local launch of webvan.com. Webvan is the first Internet marketplace to seamlessly combine the convenience of online shopping with a personalized courier service that delivers products into customers' homes within a 30-minute window of their choosing.

“With its national reputation for leadership in technology and e-commerce, the Greater Atlanta Area is a perfect fit for Webvan. We are delighted to be in this dynamic market and look forward to being an active and involved member of the community,” said George T. Shaheen, president and CEO of Webvan Group, Inc. “Webvan is on its way toward creating a national presence. The Greater Atlanta Area is our second market, and we continue to work toward being online in 15 major metropolitan markets by the end of 2001.”

“Webvan will reinvent the way Atlanta shops,” added Shaheen. “Imagine never having to spend your valuable time running errands to the post office, pet store, bookstore, florist, and supermarket. Now, a friendly neighborhood Webvan courier will hand-deliver groceries and other items to Atlanta homes and offices within 30-minute delivery windows the customers choose. In Atlanta, where traffic congestion is a growing concern, Webvan also brings an added environmental benefit by eliminating the need for individuals to drive from store to store for routine errands.”

Webvan's operations will bring approximately 900 new jobs to the Greater Atlanta Area. The company's local headquarters and its automated distribution center, the hub of its Atlanta operations, are located in Suwanee, Georgia. Webvan's couriers and its tan-and-white delivery vans have already become familiar icons in Atlanta Area neighborhoods.

A recent Omnibus survey uncovered that nearly 54% of Atlantans consider “time” to be their most precious commodity, ranking it higher than their home, investments, car, or money. On a national basis, the amount of time consumers spend grocery shopping equals four full days each year. Webvan's mission is to give back to consumers these four valuable days to spend with their friends and family.

Webvan Signs Agreements With Top-Tier Atlanta Vendors

Webvan has signed agreements with two of Atlanta's premier suppliers with the objective of giving Webvan's customers the highest quality products. Webvan has an exclusive arrangement with FreshPoint, Inc., to provide Webvan customers with superior-quality produce. The produce, which comes direct from the grower to Webvan's distribution center and promptly to the customer, is handled far less than in a supermarket. FreshPoint is the largest foodservice distributor of produce with 28 distribution centers throughout the United States and Canada. The company specializes in produce with operations in sourcing, transportation, and wholesale and foodservice distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Webvan is also working with Buckhead Beef, the nation's leading meathouse purveyor. Buckhead Beef provides premium-quality, fresh-cut steaks to Atlanta's finest restaurants and hotels -- and now Webvan customers will have the benefit of enjoying a wide array of meats, cut to order especially for them.

“The relationships that Webvan has built and will continue to build with world-class Atlanta Area merchants, coupled with our technology, enable us to deliver local residents an unprecedented level of quality and convenience that they could not get before,” said Chris Ohlund, vice president and general manager for Webvan-Atlanta.

Webvan-Atlanta is Committed to the Community

Community involvement is an integral part of Webvan's business practices. The company seeks to be an active and responsible citizen through partnerships with local and national nonprofit organizations.

Through its exclusive partnership with Schoolpop.com, the largest Internet fundraiser for schools, customers shopping at Webvan can select the local Atlanta Area school of their choice, which will receive up to 4% of a shopper's total purchase.

Webvan has also pioneered an ongoing program with the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) to help feed thousands of families and individuals in need. Webvan customers can contribute to the ACFB by logging on to webvan.com and choosing a dollar amount of produce, meat, canned goods, and other grocery items they want to purchase and donate. The ACFB distributes millions of pounds of food every year to nonprofit agencies assisting hungry people in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

Webvan Group, Inc. is setting a new standard for Internet retailing, combining for the first time the convenience of online shopping with a personalized courier service that delivers products into customers' homes within a 30-minute window of their choosing. Through its Web site, http://www.webvan.com, Webvan offers a broad selection of quality products at competitive prices. The company's relentless focus on customer service, innovation, and value saves its customers time and money. Webvan's corporate headquarters are located in Foster City, CA.

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