FLEMING COMPANIES, INC.
 
                               OFFER TO EXCHANGE
                                      ITS
             [10 1/2% SERIES B SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2004]
             [10 5/8% SERIES B SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2007]
                       FOR ANY AND ALL OF ITS OUTSTANDING
                  [10 1/2% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2004]
                  [10 5/8% SENIOR SUBORDINATED NOTES DUE 2007]
 
TO: BROKERS, DEALERS, COMMERCIAL BANKS,
    TRUST COMPANIES AND OTHER NOMINEES:
 
    Fleming Companies, Inc. (the "Company") is offering to exchange (the
"Exchange Offer"), upon and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the
Prospectus, dated            , 1997 (the "Prospectus"), and the enclosed Letter
of Transmittal (the "Letter of Transmittal"), its registered [10 1/2% Series B
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2004] [10 5/8% Series B Senior Subordinated Notes
due 2007] (the "New Notes") for any and all of its outstanding [10 1/2% Senior
Subordinated Notes Due 2004] [10 5/8% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007] (the
"Old Notes"). The Exchange Offer is being made in order to satisfy certain
obligations of the Company contained in the Registration Rights Agreement dated
as of July 25, 1997, among the Company and the other signatories thereto.
 
    We are requesting that you contact your clients for whom you hold Old Notes
regarding the Exchange Offer. For your information and for forwarding to your
clients for whom you hold Old Notes registered in your name or in the name of
your nominee, or who hold Old Notes registered in their own names, we are
enclosing the following documents:
 
    1.  Prospectus dated            , 1997;
 
    2.  The Letter of Transmittal for your use and for the information of your
clients;
 
    3.  A Notice of Guaranteed Delivery to be used to accept the Exchange Offer
if certificates for Old Notes are not immediately available or time will not
permit all required documents to reach the Exchange Agent prior to the
Expiration Date (as defined below) or if the procedure for book-entry transfer
cannot be completed on a timely basis;
 
    4.  A form of letter which may be sent to your clients for whose account you
hold Old Notes registered in your name or the name of your nominee, with space
provided for obtaining such clients' instructions with regard to the Exchange
Offer; and
 
    5.  Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number on
Substitute Form W-9.
 
    YOUR PROMPT ACTION IS REQUESTED. THE EXCHANGE OFFER WILL EXPIRE AT 5:00
P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON            , 1997 (THE "EXPIRATION DATE"), UNLESS
EXTENDED BY THE COMPANY. THE OLD NOTES TENDERED PURSUANT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER
MAY BE WITHDRAWN AT ANY TIME BEFORE 5:00 P.M., NEW YORK CITY TIME, ON THE
EXPIRATION DATE.
 
    To participate in the Exchange Offer, a duly executed and properly completed
Letter of Transmittal (or facsimile thereof), with any required signature
guarantees and any other required documents, should be sent to the Exchange
Agent and certificates representing the Old Notes should be delivered to the
Exchange Agent, all in accordance with the instructions set forth in the Letter
of Transmittal and Prospectus.
 
    If holders of Old Notes wish to tender, but it is impracticable for them to
forward their certificates for Old Notes prior to the expiration of the Exchange
Offer or to comply with the book-entry transfer procedures on a timely basis, a
tender may be effected by following the guaranteed delivery procedures described
in the Prospectus under "The Exchange Offer--Terms of the Exchange
Offer--Guaranteed Delivery Procedures."

    The Company will, upon request, reimburse brokers, dealers, commercial banks
and trust companies for reasonable and necessary costs and expenses incurred by
them in forwarding the Prospectus and the related documents to the beneficial
owners of Old Notes held by them as nominee or in a fiduciary capacity. The
Company will pay or cause to be paid all stock transfer taxes applicable to the
exchange of Old Notes pursuant to the Exchange Offer, except as set forth in
Instruction 4 of the Letter of Transmittal.
 
    Any inquiries you may have with respect to the Exchange Offer, or requests
for additional copies of the enclosed materials, should be directed to the
Exchange Agent for the Old Notes, at one of its addresses or its telephone
number set forth on the front of the Letter of Transmittal.
 
                                          Very truly yours,
 
                                          Fleming Companies, Inc.
 
    NOTHING HEREIN OR IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENTS SHALL CONSTITUTE YOU OR ANY
OTHER PERSON AS AN AGENT OF THE COMPANY OR THE EXCHANGE AGENT, OR AUTHORIZE YOU
OR ANY OTHER PERSON TO USE ANY DOCUMENT OR MAKE ANY STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF
EITHER OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO THE EXCHANGE OFFER, EXCEPT FOR STATEMENTS
EXPRESSLY MADE IN THE PROSPECTUS OR THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
 
Enclosures