Safeway Announces Preparations for Blackhawk IPO

Safeway Inc.

today announced that it plans to file a registration statement in the United States for a potential initial public offering (IPO) of a minority ownership stake in Blackhawk Network Holdings, Inc. Depending on market conditions, the company anticipates executing a transaction in the first half of 2013. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, which will be made only by prospectus.