Natchix/Astral - Salient dates for implementation of the scheme of

arrangement in terms of section 311 of the Companies Act and
declaration of dividend

National Chick Limited          Astral Foods Limited

(Registration number            (Registration number
1980/008743/06)                 1978/003194/06)

(Share code:NCX, ISIN number    (Share code:ARL, ISIN number
ZAE000010591                    ZAE000029757)
("Natchix")                     ("Astral")

Salient dates for implementation of the scheme of arrangement in terms of
section 311 of the Companies Act and
declaration of dividend

On 4 April 2002, Natchix and Astral advised that the scheme of arrangement
in terms of section 311 of the Companies Act, No 61 of 1973, as amended,
proposed by Astral between Natchix and its shareholders ("the scheme") will
be implemented with immediate effect.
The scheme consideration

Astral Foods will pay Natchix shareholders 200 cents per minority share in
cash. In terms of the scheme, the amount of 200 cents per share bears
interest, with effect from 1 October 2001, at a rate equal to Nedcor Bank
Limited's overnight call rate from time to time. As a result, the interest
payable per Natchix share is 9.12 cents. The scheme consideration is thus
209.12 cents per Natchix share.
Declaration of dividend

Notice is hereby given that a final dividend of 10 cents per Natchix share
has been declared in respect of the year ended 30 September 2001.
Salient dates

The salient dates in respect of the scheme and the dividend are shown below:
Last day for shareholders of Natchix to        Thursday18 April
dematerialise their shares. Share
certificates may not be dematerialised or
rematerialised after this date

Last day to trade cum-dividend and for         Thursday 25 April
shareholders wishing to receive the dividend
and the scheme consideration

Suspension of listing at commencement of       Friday 26 April
trading on

Record date on which shareholders must be      Friday 3 May
registered to receive the scheme
consideration and dividend by close of
trading on

Termination of listing of the shares at the    Monday 6 May
JSE at the commencement of trading on

Operative date of the scheme at the            Monday 6 May
commencement of trading on

Payment of dividend and scheme consideration   Monday 6 May
cheques posted to Natchix certificated
shareholders (if documents of title are
received on or prior to the record date) on

Dematerialised shares will have their safe     Monday 6 May
custody account held by their Central
Securities Depository Participant or broker
credited on
Or, failing receipt of documents of title on
or before the record date, within five
business days of receipt thereof by the
transfer secretaries.

Umlaas Road                                            Pretoria
10 April 2002
RMB                             BoE

Adviser and transactional       Adviser to Natchix
sponsor to Astral Foods         BoE
Rand Merchant Bank Corporate
Finance
ING Investment Banking          BoE Securities

Sponsor to Astral Foods         Sponsor to Natchix
ING Investment Banking          BoE Securities
Corporate law adviser and
consultant to Astral
Edward Nathan & Friedland
(Proprietary) Limited