EXHIBIT 12.1
                             RICHFOOD HOLDINGS, INC.
                          COMPUTATION OF CERTAIN RATIOS



The following relates to the ratio computations in the portions of the Company's
fiscal 1997 Annual Report to Shareholders incorporated by reference herein.

Net earnings as a percent of sales = Net earnings divided by sales.

Book value per share = Total  shareholders'  equity  divided by the shares of
         common stock outstanding at fiscal year end.

Working capital = Current assets minus current liabilities.

Current ratio = Current assets divided by current liabilities.

Inventory turnover = Cost of goods sold divided by average  inventories. Average
         inventories  was computed by adding the inventories at the beginning of
         the fiscal  year to the  inventories  at the end of the fiscal year and
         dividing this sum by two.

Return on average  assets = Net  earnings  divided by  average  total  assets.
         Average  total  assets was  computed by adding the total  assets at the
         beginning  of the  fiscal  year to the  total  assets at the end of the
         fiscal year and dividing this sum by two.

Debt to equity  ratio = Total debt,  including  capital  lease  obligations  and
     current maturities, divided by total shareholders' equity.

Return on  average  shareholders'  equity = Net  earnings  divided  by average
         shareholders'  equity.  Average  shareholders'  equity was  computed by
         adding the shareholders'  equity at the beginning of the fiscal year to
         the  shareholders'  equity at the end of the fiscal  year and  dividing
         this sum by two.

Total debt  to  total   capitalization  =  Total  debt,   including   current
         maturities, divided by total debt plus shareholders' equity.