Ahold Delhaize successfully prices its third Sustainability-Linked Bond
Zaandam, the Netherlands, March 3, 2025 – Ahold Delhaize today announces that it has successfully priced a €500 million 8-year Sustainability-Linked Bond, maturing on March 10, 2033. This is the third Sustainability-Linked Bond priced by Ahold Delhaize following issuances in 2021 and 2024 and complements other sustainable debt instruments issued in recent years, details of which can be found here.
All these ESG-labelled financings together reinforce the continued alignment of the company’s funding strategy to its healthy communities and planet strategic priority and overall ESG ambitions.
Jolanda Poots-Bijl, Chief Financial Officer said: “This is Ahold Delhaize’s sixth bond incorporating ESG elements in the structure, since our first back in 2019. We are proud of the track record we have established in this space, and we consider this issuance as a reflection of our long-standing commitment to sustainability.”
Sustainability-Linked Bond features
The bond was issued in accordance with Ahold Delhaize’s Sustainability-Linked Bond Framework (“the Framework”), updated in March, 2024 and structured in accordance with the 2023 ICMA Sustainability-Linked Bond Principles. The bond is linked to Ahold Delhaize achieving targets in 2030 on the following KPIs:
- Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Reduce absolute scope 3 FLAG and E&I (non-FLAG) GHG emissions
- Reduce food waste
Ahold Delhaize’s scope 1 and 2 2030 targets are validated by SBTi. The scope 3 FLAG and E&I (non-FLAG) targets are submitted to, but pending validation by SBTi. The KPIs and their relative targets highlight Ahold Delhaize’s commitment to address climate change by reducing GHG emissions from its own operations and its value chain. More information on Ahold Delhaize’s Healthy Communities and Planet strategic priority can be found here.
The Framework has been reviewed by the external reviewer Sustainalytics, which has provided a positive Second Party Opinion of full alignment with the ICMA Sustainability Linked Bond Principles 2023. Both the Framework and Second Party Opinion are available here.
Pricing of issuance
The bond was priced at 99.723 per cent and carries an annual coupon of 3.250 per cent. The bond will settle on March 10, 2025 and shall be listed on the Global Exchange Market of Euronext Dublin. BofA Securities, Deutsche Bank, ING, J.P. Morgan, and Société Générale acted as Joint Bookrunners.
This press release is not for release, distribution or publication, whether directly or indirectly and whether in whole or in part, into or in the United States, Australia, Canada or Japan or any (other) jurisdiction where any of such activities would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction.
The offer of bonds referred to in this press release was limited in the EEA and the United Kingdom to qualified investors only. The bonds have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “US Securities Act”) and will also not be registered with any authority competent with respect to securities in any state or other jurisdiction of the United States of America. The bonds may not be offered or sold in the United States of America without either registration of the securities or an exemption from registration under the US Securities Act being applicable.
This press release includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by certain words, such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “will” and similar references to future periods.
Forward-looking statements, including statements about the offering and the intended use of proceeds from the offering, are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may cause actual results of Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V. (the “Company”) to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a material difference include, but are not limited to, the factors affecting the Company's business set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s management and assumptions based on information currently available to the Company’s management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and the Company does not assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.