AHOLD TO USE TOPS BANNER IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

ZAANDAM, Netherlands -- Ahold here plans to use its Tops banner, from its Williamsville, N.Y.-based Tops Markets chain in the United States, in a new joint venture to operate supermarkets in Thailand.

hen Central Group's 30 supermarkets, now operating in the Bangkok area under the names Central and Robinson, are renamed. Ahold said the Tops logo will be used for all its current and future large supermarkets in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as for private-label products it plans to introduce.

Under the joint-venture deal, Central Group will transfer its 30 stores, with total annual sales of $500 million (U.S.), to a newly created company expected to be fully operational by mid-October. Ahold said it will hold 49% ownership of the company, and Central Group will own 51%. Wallaya Chirathivat, who oversees Central Group's supermarket division, will be the new company's chief executive officer, and Tom den Hertog, Ahold's country manager for Thailand, will be chief operating officer.

Ahold has opened a regional office in Singapore and has launched its first supermarket operations in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.