Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd. Announces Midroog Ltd. Rating of "A1" for Potential Future Issuances of up to NIS 500 Million (Approximately US$ 132.7 Million) of Debentures

ROSH HAAYIN, Israel, August 10, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd. (NYSE: BSI) (the "Company") announced today that Midroog Ltd. an Israeli rating agency, a 51% subsidiary of Moody's ("Midroog"), announced that it had assigned an "A1" rating to any new debentures in the aggregate amount of up to NIS 500 Million (approximately US$132.7 million) nominal value, which may be issued in the future by the Company.

A translation of Midroog's report provided by Midroog can be found in the company's Form 6-k report filed with the SEC at the following link : http://www.sec.gov under the Company's filings. The official report published by Midroog is in Hebrew

The Company has not yet made any decision as to the offering of any securities, nor as to the scope, terms or timing of any such offering, nor is there any certainty that such an offering will be made. A public offering of debentures, if made, will be made in Israel only.

Securities, if offered, will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirements.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.

Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd. (hereinafter: "Alon Holdings") operates in three reporting segments: In its Supermarkets segment, Alon Holdings is the second largest food retailer in the State of Israel. A pioneer of modern food retailing in the region, Alon Holdings currently operates 207 supermarkets under different formats, each offering varying levels of service and pricing. In its "Non-Food" segment, Alon Holdings sells "Non-Food" items both in supermarkets and in stand alone retail outlets, through its 85% subsidiary Bee Group Retail Ltd. In its Real Estate segment, Alon Holdings, through its TASE traded 78.35% subsidiary Blue Square Real Estate Ltd., owns, leases, and develops yield-generating commercial properties.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, plans or projections about our business and our future revenues, expenses and profitability. Forward-looking statements may be, but are not necessarily, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," and words and terms of similar substance. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events, results, performance, circumstance and achievements to be materially different from any future events, results, performance, circumstance and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to compete effectively against low-priced supermarkets and other competitors; the effect of the recession in Israel on the sales in our stores and on our profitability; quarterly fluctuations in our operating results that may cause volatility of our ADS and share price; risks associated with our dependence on a limited number of key suppliers for products that we sell in our stores; the effect of an increase in minimum wage in Israel on our operating results; the effect of any actions taken by the Israeli Antitrust Authority on our ability to execute our business strategy and on our profitability; the effect of increases in oil, raw material and product prices in recent years; the effects of damage to our reputation or to the reputation to our store brands due to reports in the media or otherwise; and other risks, uncertainties and factors disclosed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including, but not limited to, risks, uncertainties and factors identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2009. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except for our ongoing obligations to disclose material information under the applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

    Contact:
    Alon Holdings Blue Square - Israel Ltd.
    Elli Levinson-Sela
    General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
    Telephone: +972-3-9282670
    Fax:       +972-3-9282498
    Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Alon Holdings Blue Square Israel Ltd

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