APPENDIX I

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
BEFORE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

In the Matter of

ALBERTSON’S, INC., a corporation;
LOCOMOTIVE ACQUISITION CORPORATION, a corporation;
BUTTREY FOOD AND DRUG STORE COMPANY, a corporation; and
FS EQUITY PARTNERS II, L.P., a limited partnership.

File No. 981-0134

ASSET MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT

This Asset Maintenance Agreement ("Agreement") is by and between Albertson’s, Inc. ("Albertson’s"), a corporation organized, existing, and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, with its office and principal place of business located at 250 East Parkcenter Boulevard, Boise, Idaho 83726; Locomotive Acquisition Corporation ("Locomotive"), a corporation organized, existing, and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, with its office and principal place of business located at c/o Albertson’s, Inc., 250 East Parkcenter Boulevard, Boise, Idaho 83726; Buttrey Food and Drug Store Company ("Buttrey"), a corporation organized, existing, and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware, with its office and principal place of business located at 601 6th Street, S.W., Great Falls, Montana 59404; FS Equity Partners II, L.P. ("FS Equity Partners"), a limited partnership organized, existing, and doing business under and by virtue of the laws of the State of California, with its office and principal place of business located at 11100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 1900, Los Angeles, California 90025 (collectively "Proposed Respondents"); and the Federal Trade Commission ("Commission"), an independent agency of the United States Government, established under the Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914, 15 U.S.C. § 41, et seq. (collectively "the Parties").

PREMISES

WHEREAS, Albertson’s and Locomotive, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Albertson’s, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated January 19, 1998, agreed to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Buttrey, of which a majority of the voting securities are owned by FS Equity Partners (hereinafter "the proposed Acquisition"); and

WHEREAS, the Commission is now investigating the proposed Acquisition to determine if it would violate any of the statutes the Commission enforces; and

WHEREAS, if the Commission accepts the attached Agreement Containing Consent Order ("Consent Order"), the Commission is required to place it on the public record for a period of sixty (60) days for public comment and may subsequently either withdraw such acceptance or issue and serve its Complaint and its Decision and final Order in disposition of the proceeding pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.34 of the Commission's Rules; and

WHEREAS, the Commission is concerned that if an agreement is not reached preserving the status quo ante of the Assets To Be Divested as defined in the attached Consent Order (hereinafter referred to as "Assets" or "Supermarket(s)") during the period prior to their divestiture, any divestiture resulting from the Consent Order or from any other administrative proceeding challenging the legality of the Acquisition might not be possible, or might produce a less than effective remedy; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of this Agreement and of the Consent Order is to preserve the Assets pending their divestiture pursuant to the terms of the Consent Order, in order to remedy any anticompetitive effects of the proposed Acquisition; and

WHEREAS, Proposed Respondents’ entering into this Agreement shall in no way be construed as an admission by Proposed Respondents that the proposed Acquisition is illegal; and

WHEREAS, Proposed Respondents understand that no act or transaction contemplated by this Agreement shall be deemed immune or exempt from the provisions of the antitrust laws or the Federal Trade Commission Act by reason of anything contained in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the Commission's agreement that at the time it accepts the Consent Order for public comment it will grant early termination of the Hart-Scott- Rodino waiting period, the Parties agree as follows:

TERMS OF AGREEMENT

1. Proposed Respondents agree to execute, and upon its issuance to be bound by, the attached Consent Order. The Parties further agree that each term defined in the attached Consent Order shall have the same meaning in this Agreement.

2. Proposed Respondents agree that from the date Proposed Respondents sign this Agreement until the earlier of the dates listed in subparagraphs 2.a. and 2.b., Proposed Respondents will comply with the provisions of this Agreement:

a. three (3) business days after the Commission withdraws its acceptance of the Consent Order pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.34 of the Commission's Rules; or

b. the date all of the divestitures required by the Consent Order have been completed.

3. Proposed Respondents shall maintain the viability, marketability, and competitiveness of the Assets, and shall not cause the wasting or deterioration of the Assets, nor shall they cause the Assets to be operated in a manner inconsistent with applicable laws, nor shall they sell, transfer, encumber or otherwise impair the marketability, viability, or competitiveness of the Assets. Proposed Respondents shall conduct or cause to be conducted the business of the Supermarkets in the regular and ordinary course and in accordance with past practice (including regular repair and maintenance efforts) and shall use their best efforts to preserve the existing relationships with each Supermarket's suppliers, customers, employees and others having business relations with the Supermarkets, in the ordinary course of the Supermarkets' business and in accordance with past practice. Proposed Respondents shall not terminate the operation of any Supermarket. Proposed Respondents shall continue to maintain the inventory of each Supermarket at levels and selections (e.g., stock-keeping units) consistent with those maintained by such Proposed Respondent(s) at such Supermarket in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice. Proposed Respondents shall use best efforts to keep the organization and properties of each of the Supermarkets intact, including current business operations, physical facilities, working conditions, and a work force of equivalent size, training, and expertise associated with each Supermarket. Included in the above obligations, Proposed Respondents shall, without limitation:

a. maintain operations and departments and not reduce hours at each Supermarket;

b. not transfer inventory from any Supermarket other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

c. make any payment required to be paid under any contract or lease when due, and otherwise pay all liabilities and satisfy all obligations, in each case in a manner consistent with past practice;

d. maintain each Supermarket's books and records;

e. not display any signs or conduct any advertising (including direct mailing, point-of-purchase coupons, etc.) that indicates that any Proposed Respondent is moving its operations to another location, or that indicates a Supermarket will close;

f. not conduct any "going out of business," "close-out," "liquidation" or similar sales or promotions at or relating to any Supermarket; and

g. not change or modify in any material respect the existing advertising practices, programs and policies for any Supermarket, other than changes in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice for supermarkets of the Proposed Respondents not being closed or relocated.

4. Should the Commission seek in any proceeding to compel Proposed Respondents to divest themselves of the Assets or to seek any other injunctive or equitable relief, Proposed Respondents shall not raise any objection based upon the expiration of the applicable Hart-Scott- Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act waiting period or the fact that the Commission has not sought to enjoin the Acquisition. Proposed Respondents also waive all rights to contest the validity of this Agreement.

5. For the purpose of determining or securing compliance with this Agreement, subject to any legally recognized privilege, and upon written request with five (5) days’ notice to Proposed Respondents and to their principal office(s), Proposed Respondents shall permit any duly authorized representative or representatives of the Commission:

a. access during the office hours of Proposed Respondents, in the presence of counsel, to inspect and copy all books, ledgers, accounts, correspondence, memoranda and other records and documents in the possession or under the control of Proposed Respondents relating to compliance with this Agreement; and

b. to interview officers or employees of Proposed Respondents, who may have counsel present, regarding any such matters.

6. Upon consummation of the Acquisition, the obligations of Proposed Respondent FS Equity Partners under this Agreement shall terminate.

7. This Agreement shall not be binding on the Commission until approved by the Commission.

Signed this _____ day of August, 1998.

ALBERTSON’S, INC., a corporation

By:
____________________________________
Michael F. Reuling
Executive Vice President

____________________________________
Christopher J. MacAvoy, Esq.
Collier, Shannon, Rill & Scott PLLC
Counsel for Albertson’s, Inc.

LOCOMOTIVE ACQUISITION CORPORATION

By:
____________________________________
Michael F. Reuling
Vice President

____________________________________
Christopher J. MacAvoy, Esq.
Collier, Shannon, Rill & Scott PLLC
Counsel for Locomotive Acquisition Corporation

BUTTREY FOOD AND DRUG STORE COMPANY, a corporation

By:
____________________________________
Joseph H. Fernandez
Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer

____________________________________
Henry C. Thumann, Esq.
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Counsel for Buttrey Food and Drug Store Company

FS EQUITY PARTNERS II, L.P., a partnership

By:
____________________________________
Freeman Spogli & Co., its general partner

By:
____________________________________
William M. Wardlaw
General Partner of Freeman Spogli & Co., a
partnership

____________________________________
Henry C. Thumann, Esq.
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Counsel for FS Equity Partners II, L.P.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

By:
_________________________
Debra A. Valentine
General Counsel