AI is having a growing impact on many areas of life, including retail – both in what customers can see and what goes on behind the scenes. Ahold Delhaize is leveraging the technology to improve the customer experience, empower associates and fight food waste. We talked to Sjoerd Holleman, member of the Board of Directors of Albert Heijn, responsible for Product, AI and Specialty Brands, and head of the team leading the global AI focus areas across the Group, and Noortje van Genugten, VP Product Operations for Albert Heijn, about how it’s already changing the way we work and what the future holds for AI in retail. 

1. When implementing a new AI project, there’s a big difference between a successful pilot and something that can successfully scale. What have you learned about how to get that transition right? 

Sjoerd: “The most important thing is to start small but with the end goal in mind. If you have your prerequisites early on, you can steer in that direction. We start pilots in one or two stores, and as soon as they prove successful, we start adding to that and seeing how we can scale. We'd rather fail fast but also scale fast. 

“One thing we’ve built at Albert Heijn that has been incredibly helpful in translating business needs to successful projects is our Product Organization. It sits between tech and the business, acting as an ‘architect’ between the needs of the business and the talented engineers that actually build the projects to address them.” 

Noortje: “We always want to build things that deliver value to our P&L, help us meet sustainability targets or help improve the customer or associate experience. Our Product Organization helps us get the most return on value from our tech resources and budgets by translating business needs and challenges to technical applications that can actually be built. And then it manages how the tech teams deliver so that what they build really meets the needs of our colleagues or our customers.”
 

2. Over 80,000 colleagues are already using Albert Heijn’s recently launched AI assistant for associates – initiating more than 50,000 conversations a week. What did it take, organizationally, to reach that level of adoption?  

Noortje: “Before we build anything, we want to understand what associates are looking for and what problems they need to solve. So, before building the AI assistant, we rolled out a test app that used human power on the backend instead of AI. Associates could ask questions and our team answered them as quickly as possible. We found most questions had to do with products – their location in the store, in-stock level, price, promotions – so we focused on that as our use case and soon got 250,000 requests every month!  

“The road to success is really understanding what's going on in associates’ work and not making assumptions. I have some funny stories about that. While we trained the AI assistant extensively before launch, we didn’t realize how the youngest generation of colleagues – a large part of our store associate group – would talk in one-word sentences. This posed some challenges. For example, the Dutch word for onion is “ui” – which the AI translated to “user interface”! You can imagine what happened when they typed “Dubai” instead of “Where can I find Dubai chocolate?” Also – we thought associates would want a voice-activated app rather than having to type, but our young colleagues saw that as the most awkward thing ever. Luckily, we asked them before we built it!” 

3. Is it making a difference for associates? 

Sjoerd: “Yes, it’s had a positive effect so far. Associates feel empowered because they can actually answer questions themselves. Customers are happier because they’re served more quickly. And managers now have time to focus on other areas of their work. So, it's really been a win-win-win!”  

4. Sjoerd, you help to oversee AI for both the group and a local brand. How do you build shared infrastructure and knowledge across Ahold Delhaize without steamrolling the local context that makes each brand unique? 

Sjoerd: “When we work together across the group, our first priority is to get the right people together to share knowledge, so we don’t reinvent the wheel. While the brands are very different, we’re also similar – we deal with stores, products and people – so it’s helpful to share experiences about what enabled each brand to create the most value or save the most time or money.  

“The next step is to share infrastructure and platforms where possible because this doesn’t affect the local customer experience. If we have a platform that works, why not use it more broadly? To this end, we’re building an adaptive, LLM-agnostic platform where developers across Ahold Delhaize can work and run AI applications together. It is pretty industry leading and should give us a competitive advantage. 

“Our next step will be to move into creating domain visions – thinking about, for example, what merchandising will look like in the future, what will be the role of AI, what's our vision on that and how do we work towards it – and then share those domain visions with each other.” 

5. What is the AI application you're most proud of that people outside of the company probably don't know about? 

Sjoerd: “We always talk about our employee and customer assistants, which we’re very proud of. But there are other applications operating behind the scenes that really make an impact. One great example came out of our yearly hackathon at Albert Heijn, where all our technology people – product owners, data science & analytics and tech engineers – come together and spend 24 hours working and sleeping in the office, focused on solving difficult challenges. They often come up with ideas that we actually deploy.  

“Two years ago, the hackathon group created an AI layer that can sit between our systems and our customer app and automatically translate everything in the app to another language. With 1.2 million non-native Dutch speakers in the Netherlands, this is very helpful! Doing all these translations could have cost millions of euros, but our teams built the AI tool in 24 hours and could deploy it at hardly any cost. So now we offer our app in languages like Turkish, Polish, French and English – we keep adding more – which allows us to be inclusive and help many more customers. It really opened my mind about how AI can help us think out-of-the-box.” 
 

“Two years ago, the hackathon group created an AI layer that automatically translates everything in the app to another language. With 1.2 million non-native Dutch speakers in the Netherlands, this is very helpful!” 

6. Is it hard to convince people with a lot of retail experience to trust an AI model? And can you give me an example of how the AI replenishment forecasts are making a difference? 

Noortje: “We started with our first simple forecasts back in 2003 and then made the switch to automatic replenishment after that, which has reduced waste and increased product availability. 

“One thing we’ve learned is that it’s important to put as much effort into communication as developing the tools, to ensure that people understand the benefits and are willing to use them.  

“For example, we recently launched an app in our bakeries that tells associates exactly which bread to bake in which baking round. Our experienced employees were used to deciding this for themselves, so we knew we had to communicate well to explain to them that the tool would really help them work more effectively and reduce waste. To explain the tool’s benefits, we held information nights at every store and used other communication tools, such as movies – the implementation program was almost bigger than the project to develop the app. We also had to make sure that we had a strong feedback loop with the stores, listened to what people told us, and improved the tool to meet their needs. It took some weeks but, in the end, it was successful and people are happy with it.”
 

7. Noortje, you mentioned waste. Combating food waste is a big priority for Ahold Delhaize. Do you have any examples of how AI is helping? 

Noortje: “Yes, many! The first step in preventing food waste is always to stock the stores as closely as possible with what people want to buy. AI is helping us do that. We’re currently rolling out new algorithms that use AI assortment planning, to determine the correct product mix per store and assortment group.  

“Secondly, we use AI to forecast customer demand and algorithms to determine how much of a product we should deliver to a store and when – like the production algorithm we use in the bakery app. 

“Because we can never forecast perfectly, we use AI to dynamically mark down the cost of items on the shelves that are about to expire. These dynamic prices are automatically pushed to our Albert Heijn app and the electronic shelf label – the system reevaluates and updates every 15 minutes.”  

8. What role will AI play in the fight against food waste 10 years from now? 

Noortje: “My dream is that forecasting will someday be so precise that we will sell exactly what we bring to the store. When you think about it, food waste results from not having the insights needed to make the smartest decisions – and AI will continue to help us make better decisions.  

“One huge benefit to AI is that it enables us to build simulation environments to test our replenishment algorithms in different scenarios in a way that is much faster and less costly than doing it physically in the stores. Customers don’t want to see empty shelves, so there’s always a trade-off between availability and waste, but AI makes these decisions so much easier than in the past by giving us the right data to support our decision-making. 

“AI will also expand food waste reduction capabilities across the retail industry. While Albert Heijn is already a frontrunner in how we use technology to prevent food waste, generative AI will put these tools in reach for many other retailers.”  

9. A lot of AI in retail focuses on the customer experience. But do you think the operational side – supply chain, product flow, efficiency – deserves more attention? 

Noortje: “Yes, that's one of my favorite topics! Our supply chain is our most AI-intensive domain because it runs on optimization algorithms. I see it like a big Tetris puzzle – we know which articles to bring to a store, and we use optimization algorithms to fit them perfectly onto a load carrier in the distribution center, just like a Tetris game. 

“We use also optimization algorithms to design perfect walking paths for associates as they move product around our distribution centers and to make sure we pack trucks with as little air as possible. ‘Invisible’ innovations like these enable us to save millions of euros, not to mention environmental impact, by operating more efficiently.” 

10. I know when it comes to AI, it’s hard to look even two weeks ahead, but I'm going to ask you to look further than that. In the next two to three years, what's the shift in AI that you will matter most and that we're not talking about enough yet? 

Sjoerd: “I think the agentic part is going to change a lot – both on consumer side and the organizational side. We're the last generation of leaders who will have only led humans. Upcoming generations will lead agents as well as humans. Agents will have an employee number, and will execute tasks around the clock together. I believe this will free up time for humans spend time on things that really add value. Humans will become more the orchestrators of these agents rather than executing all the work themselves. So, it's going to be very interesting.” 

Noortje: “We are already trying to determine what processes will look like with agents. Today, store managers still spend a lot of time on computers and email, managing information and results and then processing and translating them into tasks for their associates. This takes them away from the many things happening in the store, and from customers and their feedback. We believe that if we can help store managers by taking all this information and breaking it up to tasks that can be distributed – maybe even automatically – the store manager will have more time to coach associates and interact with customers.  

“We believe that AI will make our people more human – meaning that instead of doing repetitive but necessary tasks, they can actually spend time on things that humans are really good at.” 

This article is part of a 10-part series celebrating 10 years of Ahold Delhaize. For a decade, Ahold Delhaize brands have been trusted partners in millions of customers’ daily moments, operating at the heart of local communities. We’ve built a strong foundation in those 10 years – but this is only the beginning. In this series, we look back at where we came from and forward to the future, through the eyes of the people who are making it all happen.  

On 24 June 2015, Ahold and Delhaize Group announced their intention to merge. Just over a year later, Ahold Delhaize was born, bringing together two great companies with deep roots in local communities and a shared ambition to serve customers in the best possible way by building a stronger, more innovative food retail group.

Since then, the company has navigated a decade marked by unprecedented change, from a global pandemic and inflationary pressures to rapid advances in technology and evolving customer and stakeholder expectations. Throughout these often-challenging times, associates at Ahold Delhaize and its brands remained focused on what matters most: serving customers, supporting communities, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable food system and creating value for all stakeholders.

A family of local brands
What began as one of the world’s largest cross-border mergers in food retail has evolved into a company that combines local customer relevance with international scale, shared expertise and leading omnichannel capabilities. Today, Ahold Delhaize is a family of 17 local brands across the United States, Europe and Indonesia that employs 384,000 associates. It serves 77 million customers weekly, both online and in more than 9,500 stores, holds a number 1 or 2 position in all the markets in which it operates, and it has created substantial and sustainable value for shareholders.

Frans Muller, President & CEO of Ahold Delhaize, said: “When Ahold and Delhaize Group came together, we believed local brands would be stronger when supported by international scale. Ten years later, that belief has proven right. Our brands remain deeply connected to the customers and communities they serve, while benefiting from our scale, shared expertise, technology and innovation. Combined with the dedication of our associates, that is our secret sauce. It has enabled us to grow, adapt and create value over the past decade, and it gives me great confidence for the future.”

Ready for the future
Looking forward, food retail will continue to be shaped by technological innovation, greater personalization, continued growth in omnichannel shopping, and further increasing demand for affordable, healthier and more sustainable food choices. Ahold Delhaize’s model of strong local brands, supported by scale, innovation and high-quality own brand assortments, positions us well to navigate those changes. And the Growing Together strategy, started in 2025 with a four-year timespan, enables us to continue to build on those strengths.

Jolanda Poots-Bijl, CFO of Ahold Delhaize, said: "The next decade of food retail will bring profound change, and we are well positioned to seize the opportunities ahead. Our strong foundation is built on a relentless focus on customers, trusted local brands, talented associates, deep customer relationships and leading capabilities in digital and technology. By leveraging these strengths at scale, while remaining committed to affordability, health and sustainability, we will continue to create lasting value for all our stakeholders."

Today's gong ceremony marks the start of a new chapter. Ahold Delhaize is ready for its second decade.

Sustainable energy for a future-proof horticulture sector
Dutch greenhouse horticulture plays a crucial role in the year-round availability of fresh fruit and vegetables. To keep this sector strong for the future, greenhouse businesses need to continue moving toward electrification and more sustainable energy use.

At Albert Heijn’s request, Bakker Barendrecht and AgroEnergy, a subsidiary of Eneco, carried out research to explore what is possible. The results show that many growers can already take meaningful and financially sound steps toward sustainability in the short term. This helps keep locally grown products fresh, high-quality and affordable.

For Albert Heijn, this is an important step in achieving its target of a 45% CO₂e reduction by 2030 (compared to 2018) across the entire supply chain. 

Working together across the supply chain
Each partner brings valuable expertise to this shared effort. Bakker Barendrecht and Eneco have worked with nearly all participating growers to identify which sustainable solutions fit their greenhouse operations. Eneco offers the technical expertise and guidance to help growers optimize and improve their energy consumption, including in areas where grid congestion poses challenges.

Albert Heijn supports growers through long-term partnerships that strengthen the supply chain. Innovation, sustainability and transparency remain central to this approach, helping ensure that quality, affordability, availability and sustainability go hand in hand.


A clear roadmap for growers
The core of the approach is the AgroEnergy Green Plan, a step-by-step plan that provides growers how much energy they use and which sustainable solutions match their situation. By managing energy in smarter ways, sustainable horticulture becomes technically achievable.

Growers also receive support in making the best use of subsidy programs. This helps them modernize their operations without putting pressure on the affordability or availability of locally grown vegetables and fruits.

“Based on our mission, ‘together we make eating better the easy choice. For everyone’, Albert Heijn believes in the power of collaboration to make a positive impact, not only for our customers but also for our partners throughout the supply chain," says Rob Heesen, Director of Partnerships & Business Development at Albert Heijn. "We can be truly proud that together we're demonstrating that it's possible to make things more sustainable and guarantee food security."

"Eneco is deeply committed to greenhouse horticulture," says Dick Velings, Director of Strategic Growth at Eneco. “Through our subsidiary AgroEnergy, we've been passionately working with growers to make the sector more sustainable for over 15 years. This partnership with Albert Heijn allows us to radically accelerate this process and, together with Bakker Barendrecht and the growers, also embark on a path to carbon neutrality.”


Sector-wide movement 
The Dutch government also sees sustainable horticulture as an important opportunity. The cabinet is investing €200 million to help the sector become climate-neutral by 2040.

On Monday, November 24, Albert Heijn met with growers, industry organizations, NGOs, research institutes, businesses and government representatives during a stakeholder meeting hosted by cucumber and bell pepper grower Reijm & Zn. The discussion focused on both possibilities and challenges in the sector’s energy transition with a clear message: it can be done.

"Greenhouse horticulture is a vital sector, and one where there's much to be gained through sustainability. It's therefore wonderful to see Albert Heijn, Bakker Barendrecht, and Eneco committing to sustainable vegetable cultivation. Initiatives like this demonstrate that we're building the sustainable, prosperous economy of the future together," says Sophie Hermans, Minister of Climate and Green Growth. 

Claude Sarrailh, CEO of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “We are excited to bring Margaret’s deep retail experience to Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall. Margaret has successfully transformed bol from an online store to a leading retail tech platform in the Netherlands and Belgium. Her ability to drive innovation, growth and customer-centric solutions aligns well with the needs of Albert Heijn, Etos, and Gall & Gall. She is a purpose-driven leader with a strong focus on inclusivity and sustainability. Albert Heijn’s mission to make better food accessible for everyone fits her like a glove.”

About Margaret Versteden-van Duijn
Margaret has held various management positions within bol. She started 10 years ago as Chief Marketing Officer and later took on the role of Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Platform Officer, holding ultimate responsibility for bol’s platform activities. She became Brand President of bol in 2021. Before Margaret joined bol, she worked for Bain & Company, Nike and BCG. Originally from Australia, Margaret Versteden-van Duijn has double (Australian/Dutch) nationality and has lived and worked in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, France, Central Eastern Europe and the Netherlands. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Systems (Business and IT) from Monash University and an MBA from INSEAD.

On the announcement, Margaret said: “Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall are truly iconic Dutch brands, rooted in society. I am excited and humbled to become part of these organisations and to work together with colleagues, entrepreneurs, partners and suppliers. To create positive impact in the lives of our associates, customers and society. As a certified B Corp we can take big steps to build a society that is not only healthier, but also more social and sustainable. Together with the team, I aim to continue the great traditions of the past and create new opportunities for the future, both for our Dutch businesses and Ahold Delhaize as a whole.”

About Maite Zubiaurre
Margaret will be succeeded at bol by Maite Zubiaurre. Maite has held multiple senior positions at bol, including Director of Strategy & Business development, Director of Marketing & Shopping Technologies and Chief Product Officer. She recently expanded her board position to encompass Technology and Data next to Product in 2024. Prior to her career at bol, she worked for BCG for 10 years in different countries, such as Spain, the Netherlands, United States and The United Kingdom. Maite has double nationality (Spanish/Dutch) and holds a degree in Business Administration from the Deusto University in Spain and the European Business School in Germany as well as an MBA from the University of Deusto.

Claude: “Maite’s expertise in strategy, product development, technology, data and marketing have been instrumental in driving bol’s growth and expanding the business. Maite's holistic view on the business and her passion for innovation make her well suited to take on the role of Brand President at bol. Maite is recognized for leading with head and heart, and I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the profound impact of her sharp intelligence and long-term vision. We’re proud of the strength of our internal succession bench to be able to fill these roles with in-house talent.”

Maite added: “I am honored to step into this new role and excited to lead bol into its next chapter. Our commitment to innovation, customer obsession, and sustainable growth will continue to drive our strategy, as we continue to adapt to the always evolving market. Together with the fantastic team at bol, I look forward to building on our strong foundation and embracing new opportunities to deliver growth and innovation to our customers and to the Ahold Delhaize family of great local brands."

Margaret will start at Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall on 1 September 2025 and Maite will assume her new role on the same date. Marit van Egmond, Albert Heijn’s current Brand President, will depart the organization per 1 May. In the interim period, the Albert Heijn management team will assume her responsibilities.

Building on years of experience in supporting healthier dietary choices and working with healthy sales targets, Ahold Delhaize is increasingly helping customers to make more sustainable choices. The brands’ strategies are tailored to their local markets and customer preferences. These include:

• Actively promoting plant-based product ranges and offering lower-carbon animal protein assortments.
• Working together with farmers and partners to reduce emissions of animal protein products.
• Leveraging loyalty programs and incentives to encourage customers to choose plant-based alternatives.
• Investing in inspiration and education, helping customers discover the benefits of healthier and more sustainable choices.

For more information and examples of our local brands’ approaches to healthier and more sustainable choices, please visit this webpage.
 

In 2022, Dutch brand Albert Heijn set its current protein split target of 60% plant-based sales by 2030.
 

-Ends-

Notes

• *Romanian food retailer Profi became part of the Ahold Delhaize family of brands in January 2025 and is not yet part of this target.
• The EAT Lancet Commission concluded in its report that a diet rich in plant-based foods and with fewer animal-derived foods confers both improved health and environmental benefits.
• Link to European Commission Farm to Fork strategy, including a section on protein transition.

The B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency. With B Corp Certification, Albert Heijn Netherlands joins a global network of more than 9,000 companies that prioritize positive impact and are committed to a more inclusive, regenerative, and equal economy.

Marit van Egmond, brand president of Albert Heijn: “As the largest supermarket in the Netherlands, we take steps – both large and small – every day to contribute to a healthy, sustainable, and social society based on our purpose. We do this together with all 125,000 colleagues, our partners and, of course, our customers. I’m proud of the recognition from B Lab, and I see the certification as a positive incentive to continue along our chosen path. I’m looking forward to that. Because the more you know and learn, the more you realize what’s still possible.”

Tessa van Soest, Director B Lab Benelux: “Albert Heijn Netherlands has reached an important milestone by achieving B Corp Certification. B Lab strives for economic system change, where companies create value for all their stakeholders. We warmly welcome Albert Heijn Netherlands to the B Corp community and, as B Corp Certification is all about continuous improvement, we look forward to the next steps in their sustainability journey.”
 

B Corp Certification: how does it work? 

To achieve B Corp Certification, an organization must score at least 80 out of a maximum of 200 points in an assessment conducted by B Lab. This process evaluates the impact of a company across five key areas: governance, environment, workers, customers, and community. Albert Heijn Netherlands scored 97.9 points, as noted in its public B Corp profile. Furthermore, every B Corp must embed a commitment to considering the impact of its actions on all stakeholders in its articles of association. To maintain certification, B Corps must recertify every three years. 

On an annual basis, Albert Heijn reports its progress in its sustainability report. You can read the 2023 report here. We’re very proud of this step forward and encourage Albert Heijn to continue on this path.

At our great local Dutch brand, Albert Heijn, we were able to learn more about Jordy through their recently released documentary: More than a supermarket ("Meer dan super"). It provides a unique look at what goes on behind the shelves and how Jordy – a committed and hard-working stock replenisher at the Albert Heijn XL in Maastricht – was told at the age of thirteen, that he was not cut out for the regular labor market. Today, he has an important role at one of Albert Heijn's major and busiest stores. Without Jordy, customers would not be able to count on Albert Heijn.  

Jordy tells his story, “I attended a special education school. Back then, the prospect seemed that I would never be able to have paid employment and that I would only be able to do so much. Eventually, I was able to prove the opposite. I showed that I have more potential. That I could achieve more. And my supermarket manager, Ron, has been a great help to me since I started working here." 

Watch the video below to learn more about Jordy. 

Albert Heijn is a part of everyday life for its customers, and it is committed to making eating better the easy choice for everyone.  

The sustainability report, which complies with Global Reporting Initiative Standards, provides an overview of Albert Heijn's achievements last year towards a healthy, social and sustainable society. See some of the key highlights listed below:  

• The ambition to reduce CO2 emissions in the supply chain was tightened from 15% to 45% by 2030 (scope 3) and the vegetarian, vegan and plant-based range was further expanded to over 1,000 products. 
• In 2022, Albert Heijn sold over 132 million fewer sugar cubes, over 44,000 kilograms less salt and over 270,000 kilograms less saturated fat compared to 2021.  
• Introduction of dynamic markdowns and AH Overblijvers. AH Overblijvers' are packs filled with products that are approaching their sell-by date, are left over at the end of the day or are being removed from the range. Both initiatives were introduced with the aim of further reducing food waste and giving customers the opportunity to shop at a lower price. 
• Free plastic bags for fruit and vegetables were discontinued, saving 243,000 kilos of plastic per year.  
• A total of over €7 million was donated to social organizations.  

Learn more inside Albert Heijn’s full sustainability report. 

Making the world a better place

Albert Heijn is committed to contributing to a more sustainable food system throughout the value chain in a way that touches on all five pillars of B Corp certification: governance, environment, employees, customers and community. This includes sustainability initiatives like wasting less food, packaging differently and including more vegetarian and plant-based products in the assortment. But also, through more sustainable transportation, less greenhouse gas emissions, better protection of human rights and the development of production methods that are better for animals, nature and people. Marit van Egmond explains: "The B Corp framework gives us insight into where we can further improve our social and environmental performance. As Albert Heijn, we are always looking for ways to make a difference and impact in a positive way. The independent assessment from B Lab, which can lead to B Corp certification, reinforces this."

About B Corp

B Corp is a certification for for-profit companies that are evaluated for their social and environmental impact. Companies undergo a rigorous assessment that focuses on their impact on five pillars: governance, environment, employees, customers, and community. The B Corp community currently includes more than 6,500 B Corps across 89 countries.

True pricing

Albert Heijn also announced today that it is starting a pilot project with True Pricing. In three Albert Heijn stores, customers will be able to buy coffee at the true price. The true price is the normal retail price plus social and environmental costs throughout the entire value chain. With this experiment, Albert Heijn wants to raise awareness of social and environmental costs, help customers make more sustainable decisions and get to know the customers' opinion. In this experiment, Albert Heijn is working together with the independent organization True Price. Albert Heijn invests the proceeds of the additional amount in improvement projects in the coffee chain in cooperation with the Rainforest Alliance.

Albert Heijn is a connecting link between customers, suppliers, farmers and growers in the Dutch food chain. The Better for Nature & Farmer program began in 2017. The program and its content have been developed in close collaboration with farmers and growers, specifically for each type of chain, such as dairy, poultry, and pig farmers and growers. To date, a total of 1,100 farmers and growers have been involved with these programs, where together with Albert Heijn, the aim is to improve animal welfare, nature and the earning capacity of the farmer.  

These programs are independently audited annually by certification institutes and tested for ambition, reliability and transparency by Milieu Centraal. 

Marit van Egmond, CEO Albert Heijn commented on the decision "Working together in a closed supply chain from land to customer is essential to take steps towards better animal welfare, a better climate and a healthy income model for farmers and growers. We have been working towards this for some time through Beter voor Natuur & Boer. By opening up these programs to other parties, we are actively contributing to the aim to building a new food system, building a more sustainable future, and together, making the world a better place.”  

The program 

Together with 450 dairy farmers, 100 pig farmers, 200 poultry farmers and 360 fruit and vegetable growers in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn is working to improve animal welfare, sustainability and climate.  This specifically includes the earning power of farmers and growers. Albert Heijn establishes long-term agreements with the farmers and growers through joint consultation. The goal is a healthy price for every farmer and grower, in every season. Additional investments by farmers [in sustainability or improving animal welfare are intended to be compensated for by Albert Heijn. The supermarket chain has been working with many farmers and growers for a number of generations. They supply potatoes, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, cheese, pork and chicken meat and meat products. 

Creating a positive movement 

The Better For program is a good example of how Ahold Delhaize's brands are working towards a more sustainable food system. Encouraging and supporting suppliers to set their own emissions-reduction targets in line with the latest scientific evidence, and signing up to the Science Based Targets initiative is a key element of Ahold Delhaize's decarbonization efforts. We aim to play a leading role in this. We are proactively engaging with our brands’ supplier base and are using our position in the world of food retail to contribute to creating a positive movement towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.  

Other news

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The vast majority of current (63) stores will remain part of Jan Linders’ new franchise organization and be converted into Albert Heijn franchise supermarkets. Employees working at these stores will continue to work there. Some supermarkets of Jan Linders will not be joining the new franchise organization. In addition, Jan Linders will be acquiring ten supermarkets from Albert Heijn in the south of the Netherlands. Employees working at these stores will also continue to work there, with Jan Linders becoming their employer.

The distribution center (DC) of Jan Linders in Nieuw Bergen will be acquired by Albert Heijn, while preserving the function of DC. All DC employees will keep their jobs, thus ensuring employment in this region. Jan Linders’ headquarters will continue to exist in a new and compact setup as Service Office of the franchise organization.

According to Ferry Moolenschot, CEO at Jan Linders, the step is a daring, yet sensible one given the current circumstances of extensive digitisation and rapidly changing customer expectations, which require major structural investments and a high rate of innovation to remain competitive. Sustainably healthy business operations will therefore come under pressure in the long run. After careful consideration of various scenarios, Jan Linders has found a way to maintain sustainable entrepreneurship through its agreement with Albert Heijn.

Ferry Moolenschot, “I understand the decision brings a significant amount of change for our colleagues, customers, and business relations alike. Particularly for employees of the Service Office, where jobs will disappear. For them, together with the works council, a generous social plan will be drafted, and they will be guided from job to job. For those supermarkets that will not be joining the new franchise organization a future-proof new owner is sought, with a commitment to job security being paramount. In joining hands with Albert Heijn, we will be working together with a strong and innovative player with which we can continue to build and grow. Our customers will benefit from the very best Jan Linders has to offer, the familiar faces in our supermarkets and soon also all the good things this market leader brings to the table. We are glad that we can reinforce our family business with ten wonderful stores where great teams work. I confidently look forward to a successful cooperation”, Moolenschot said.

Marit van Egmond, CEO at Albert Heijn, “I am grateful to the Linders family for the trust they have placed in us, and I very much look forward to working together. For us, this step means a strengthening of our store base in the south of the Netherlands, which makes me very happy. I am also delighted with the acquisition of the distribution center in Nieuw Bergen that will move over to Albert Heijn, while retaining the current team. I know Jan Linders as a service-oriented supermarket that always goes the extra mile for customers. That drive, combined with the passion for delicious foods and drinks means we are a perfect match. As for those stores that will be transferred to Jan Linders’ franchise organization, we will ensure a smooth guidance of our colleagues. Nothing will change as far as our customers are concerned, with familiar Albert Heijn stores and familiar Albert Heijn-faces.”

Co-owner and Unit Manager Fresh Food at Jan Linders, Ruth Linders, “Of course it hurts to see Jan Linders disappearing after almost 60 years as an independent supermarket formula. However, the intention from generation to generation has been to have sustainable and future-oriented business. This has never changed, and we are convinced that by joining forces with Albert Heijn, we will successfully continue our organisation. We have spent a lot of time and effort getting to know each other well. As a result, we are taking this step with full confidence.”

Jonas Linders, co-owner and Strategy and Business Development Manager at Jan Linders Supermarkten, adds, “At Jan Linders, it is no secret that we have been exploring options to secure a healthy future for our company. For us as a family, it is paramount that we want to continue doing business in this industry and that we want to take our employees along on this journey. This way, that can be done. We are investing deliberately in a new chapter for the family business.”

Personal attention

In its new setup, Jan Linders will continue to focus on the company's customer-oriented service while holding on to its regional roots.

Ferry Moolenschot emphasises how employees have mattered to the organisation, “Jan Linders was able to flourish in 60 years thanks to the unrelenting efforts and dedication of our colleagues. And for that, the Linders family and I are very grateful. Their input allows us to make this decision under financially solid circumstances. Cooperation with Albert Heijn will ensure room for our employees to do what Jan Linders does best, dedicating personal attention to customers. Our employees and customers will all benefit.”

Conditions and process

Today, all Jan Linders employees were informed about the intended cooperation. The same goes for employees working at Albert Heijn stores that will be transferred to the new franchise organisation Jan Linders. Jan Linders will leave the purchasing organization Superunie, being very grateful to Superunie. Jan Linders has respected the interests of Superunie throughout the process and has fully safeguarded the confidential nature of the procurement conditions known to it.

The cooperation agreements are subject to the advice of both works councils and approval of the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) for those supermarkets that will be transferred from Albert Heijn to Jan Linders. The aim is to have converted all stores involved by the end of 2023.

Reducing CO2 emissions throughout poultry and pork chains

Albert Heijn has long-term partnerships with more than 1,100 farmers and growers in the fresh produce chain within their Better for Nature & Farmer programs. Within these programs, CO2 reduction is explicitly included, as well as transparent long-term agreements about climate, sustainability, animal welfare and appropriate earning capacity.

In late 2020, Albert Heijn began working with supply chain partners to precisely calculate greenhouse gas emissions in poultry and pork chains. Here, they were able to  calculate using the primary data from the value chains, what the CO2 impact is for these products where they can now take targeted action to reduce CO2 emissions. In the pork chain for example, animal feed is responsible for 50% of total emissions and in the case of poultry, 77%. Therefore, Albert Heijn is already encouraging the use of circular feed and deforestation-free soy in its animal feed chains. To gain further insight into other chains, Albert Heijn is also collecting primary exact data for beef, salmon, eggs, meat substitutes and fruits and vegetables, among other categories.

On the road to better food

In addition to Albert Heijn reducing CO2 emissions throughout its value chains, the following initiatives are also part of Albert Heijn’s sustainability approach:

• Albert Heijn is helping customers transition to a plant-based diet by ensuring 60% of proteins consumed come from vegetable sources by 2030. This can be achieved, for example, by offering a wide range of vegetarian and vegetable products, including an affordable range of vegan Price Favorite products, making the customer aware of the positive impact of eating less meat, providing inspiration for vegetarian recipes and offering vegetarian substitutes in the online shop. Albert Heijn’s meat substitutes product range has also already doubled to more than 300 products.
  
  
• Albert Heijn has already significantly reduced emissions in its own business operations – shops, distribution centers and offices – by 92.3% compared to 2018. This was mainly due to the switch to 100% Dutch wind energy at the beginning of 2021. The remaining emissions in its own operations are compensated for by contributing to VCS-certified climate projects. This makes Albert Heijn’s business operations climate neutral.
  
  
• By mid-2022, all large own-brand suppliers mapped their full carbon footprint for the first time – including a reduction plan and reduction targets. Albert Heijn is also planning CO2 reductions in the supply chains of well-known brand suppliers. This contributes to the ambition of a 45% reduction by 2030.
  
  
• Albert Heijn also has climate-neutral products including Perla coffee which has been part of the range for more than four years. And since the beginning of 2022, all own-brand bananas have been climate neutral, from the plantation to the store.
  
  
• As less food waste also contributes to reducing CO2 emissions, Albert Heijn aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030. Some initiatives that are already helping Albert Heijn reach this target include their recently rolled out AH Overblijvers (Albert Heijn Leftovers) and dynamic discount rates across all stores.

Awards
Several  Prijsfavorieten items have also been recognized with awards in the past year. For example, the AH lemon flavored sparkling mineral water has been voted product of the year and AH dishwasher tablets have been awarded as 'best buy' by the Consumers' Association. 

Inspiration and tips 
To provide customers with inspiration, Allerhande – Albert Heijn’s recipe magazine – shows what recipes can be created with Prijsfavorieten products. The most popular is the broccoli macaroni dish. There are also plenty of tips on ah.nl about what you can do to save on groceries. In addition, via the app, customers have the option to exchange their selected groceries for a  Prijsfavorieten item. 

Competition prize  
Over the next two weeks, Albert Heijn will pay extra attention to the  Prijsfavorieten products and customers in 750 stores will have a chance to win a shopping cart full of these own-brand products. Customers can win by estimating the value of the contents of the shopping cart. 

• Inner city of The Hague (city center ring) 100% electric by the end of 2022 
• Inner city of Rotterdam (city center ring) 100% electric in the first quarter of 2023 
• City center Utrecht (center) 100% electric in the second half of 2023 
• Inner city of Amsterdam (city center ring) 100% electric in the second half of 2023 

Constantijn Ninck Blok, Director of Logistics & Chain at Albert Heijn: "The demand for transport is growing, partly due to the popularity of home delivery. At the same time, we want to take major steps to reduce CO₂ emissions as quickly as possible – we see this as our responsibility. This can only be achieved through good cooperation, so it is fantastic that we are now doing this together with our transport partners in the four major inner cities in the Netherlands. And we are not finished yet -- our ambition goes further: ever quieter and cleaner delivery, of course, focused on convenience, with sufficient availability and always on time for our customers."

By expanding the number of electric trucks and electric delivery cars used and properly planning trips, charging moments and locations, Albert Heijn and its transport partners will ensure that fully electrical deliveries can be made in these city centers.

Albert Heijn is focusing early on the “zero-emission zones” that are expected to be introduced by Dutch cities from 2025 to improve air quality. By 2030, only completely emission-free delivery cars and trucks will be allowed to drive in these zones.

As much biofuel as possible
Until 100% emission-free delivery and supply is possible in the Netherlands, Albert Heijn will reduce CO₂ by switching completely to biofuels and renewable diesel by 2024. The brand started switching over to biofuels in 2021, and now has 240 trucks that run on more environmentally friendly LNG fuel. The goal is to expand this to 270 before the end of 2022.

Charging stations
While many customers can cycle and walk to its stores, Albert Heijn also wants to make other forms of sustainable transport as easy as possible. Together with Eneco eMobility, the brand will install 240 electric car charging stations at stores this year.

CO₂ reduction
Albert Heijn wants to “Make better food accessible together. For everyone.” To achieve this mission, the company is taking more and more steps to leave the world a better place and has significantly reduced emissions in its own business operations – shops, distribution centers, home delivery and offices. In its own stores, Albert Heijn reduced CO₂ emissions by 92.3% compared to 2018, mainly by switching to 100% Dutch wind energy at the beginning of 2021.

Albert Heijn compensates for the remaining emissions in its own operations by contributing to VCS-certified climate projects, making its own business operations climate neutral, and continues to work on further reduction across the supply chain.

Convenience and sustainability  

Customers are increasingly embracing self-service and the possibilities that technology offers for this. For example, the use of self-scan and apps has grown enormously in recent years. Customers are increasingly looking for convenience: it needs to be simple, and it needs to be right. Therefore Albert Heijn, bol.com and Budbee combine their expertise and will introduce parcel lockers where customers can pick up and return their ordered parcels at their convenience without having to stand in line. This gives customers more flexibility to organize their time as they see fit. The parcel lockers will replace the bol.com pick-up points that have been found in almost all Albert Heijn stores since 2013.   

Deliveries to Budbee's parcel lockers are made in the Netherlands using fossil-free and renewable fuels. A Budbee parcel locker also accommodates 37 to 258 parcels, so the courier can deliver dozens to hundreds of parcels at a time during a single delivery. This makes the parcel lockers both a convenient and more sustainable option for consumers shopping online.   

The parcel always fits  

The first parcel lockers can be found in fifteen Albert Heijn stores in the Netherlands and Belgium starting this week. Over the next two years, this number will be expanded to 700 stores. The parcel lockers are located in or directly outside the Albert Heijn stores and consist of lockers of different sizes. In this way the parcel always fits. Customers who choose to pick up their package at an Albert Heijn store will receive a message after ordering when the package has been delivered. The message contains a code to open the safe.  

Marit van Egmond, CEO Albert Heijn: "Customers are increasingly experiencing the convenience of digitalization. We see this in the use of self-scan and the AH app, which brings everything together digitally. The introduction of parcel lockers makes it even easier for customers to pick up or return a parcel. I am proud of the cooperation with bol.com and Budbee, together we create synergy and further implement our omnichannel strategy."    

Jørgen Höppener, General Manager Benelux at Budbee: "At Budbee we are continuously looking for new opportunities to make the e-commerce sector greener and more customer friendly. Therefore, we are very proud to launch this in-store solution with such great Dutch partners. In combination with our technology, we are making sustainable online shopping available to an even larger group of people."  

Vincent Weijers - COO bol.com: "Every day customers order many items from bol.com. Of course, we want to deliver those tens of thousands of orders per day to our customers quickly, efficiently and as sustainably as possible. With this flexible, smart and scalable innovation, we have the ambition to increase the convenience and service for our customers and to further make the delivery of our parcels sustainable." 

Marit van Egmond, CEO Albert Heijn says: “This title is an important recognition from consumers for our efforts to make better food – healthier and more sustainable – available to everyone. Sustainability is a journey in which you gradually make the world a better place. All steps together make a big leap. For example, we have recently launched great initiatives to combat food waste and we have made some of our packaging circular.” 

Annemarije Tillema, Country Director Sustainable Brand Index Netherlands: “Albert Heijn has again succeeded in gaining more appreciation from Dutch consumers for their sustainability work this year, compared to previous years. An important motive behind this appreciation is the range of organic, fair trade, vegetarian and vegan products on offer. Consumers also see that Albert Heijn is taking responsibility for themes such as food waste and chain transparency. Plastic reduction, animal welfare and sustainable packaging are topics for the increasingly aware Dutch person where Albert Heijn can show even more efforts and impact. Continuous improvement is expected.” 

Learn more about Albert Heijn's recognition in their press release here (only available in Dutch).  
 

Bol.com 

Bol.com has been recognized as the most sustainable e-commerce brand for the second year in a row according to the Sustainable Brand Index™ (SBI) 2022. Last year, for the first time, e-commerce was included as a separate category in the survey where bol.com was also considered the most sustainable e-commerce brand by consumers.

Bol.com aims to achieve climate-neutral shopping by 2025, which means that bol.com wants to reduce its CO2 emissions per package as much as possible and help customers make a conscious choice with its sustainable assortment. Jori Ebskamp, lead CSR & sustainability at bol.com said: “In recent years, bol.com has put a lot of effort into reducing its CO2 emissions. And we will continue to do so by making our buildings, packaging, deliveries and returns even more sustainable. We are not only looking critically at our own emissions, but we also want to help our partners to become more sustainable. The outcome of the SBI survey shows that our efforts are appreciated by Dutch consumers, who appreciate that we are on the right track.” 

Bol.com is continuously working on reducing its CO2 emissions. For example, all bol.com buildings in the Netherlands and Belgium run entirely on solar and wind energy. And through the use of smart packing machines that customize packages, bol.com uses less packaging material and can also transport more packages by van or cargo bike. Bol.com also offers a more sustainable alternative in more and more product groups. This already applies to 60 percent of the product groups. This includes second hand items and items made from at least 50 percent recycled materials. 

Learn more about bol.com's recognition in their press release here (only available in Dutch). 

Electric car charging stations

Albert Heijn and Eneco eMobility have reached a partnership agreement to install electric charging poles at Albert Heijn stores. This year, 240 of these stations will be installed at stores, giving customers a convenient way to charge their cars and making it easier to make a conscious choice to come to the store by sustainable transport -- in addition to cycling or walking, of course. The energy powering the charging poles is fully sustainable and comes from Dutch wind energy.

In addition, the supermarket announced that all of Albert Heijn's own stores in the Netherlands and Belgium will stop using natural gas by 2023, enabling an additional CO2 reduction of 1.8%.

BREEAM certification

Albert Heijn has also taken important steps in making logistics and distribution more sustainable. By investing in the latest technical solutions, Albert Heijn has received a BREEAM [Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method] certificate for seven of its home shopping centers, five distribution centers and the Ahold Delhaize Zaandam Office.

Co2 emissions reduction

Albert Heijn has lowered its CO2 emissions by 92% through initiatives that include:

• Purchasing electricity generated by 100% Dutch wind energy since early 2021, sourced from Eneco’s “Hollandse Wind” (Dutch Wind).
• Building new stores that don’t run on natural gas since 2010; as a result, three-quarters of its stores already run without gas, and the brand will reach 100% by 2023.
• In total, more than 40 kilometers of wall refrigeration units in all stores are covered with refrigeration doors, and low refrigeration units are equipped with night cover.
• In almost half of the stores, heat pumps capture the heat from the coolers to heat the store.
• In 50% of stores, cooling is done with natural refrigerants, which pollute much less than chemical refrigerants.
• 310,000 LED lights have been installed in stores for a 50% energy savings.
• Solar panels are being installed on more and more roofs at Albert Heijn’s locations. For example, the distribution center in Zaandam has 11,063 of them, or the equivalent of 2.5 soccer fields.

Most vegan-friendly supermarket in Flanders and Brussels

Albert Heijn Belgium was named the most vegan friendly supermarket in Flanders and Brussels. The brand won this award for the first time in 2020, through a survey conducted by BE Vegan, EVA and Bite Back. According to these organizations, Albert Heijn Belgium particularly excels in vegan charcuterie and vegan cheeses – two areas where it leaves its competitors far behind. It also achieved top scores in all other dairy substitute segments (milk, cream, yogurt, butter and ice cream).

Raf Van den Heuvel, General Manager of Albert Heijn Belgium said, "We have been consciously focusing on vegan since the start of Albert Heijn Belgium. Recently, the demand for vegan products has grown strongly and you can see that in our wider range. We think it's important to continue to surprise our customers with popular vegan products and innovations. We do this by introducing many new products with a competitive price. It is our mission to make better eating accessible together for everyone. This award proves that we also keep that promise. We are particularly happy about that."

With Nutri-Score, consumers can see at a glance which products within a product group have a healthier composition. The food choice logo translates the nutritional value of products into a clear letter and color code. A is dark green and is shown on products that have the healthiest composition within a product group. Score E is red and is shown on products from the same product group with the least healthy composition.  

Comparing products

Each product is assigned a score based on a special algorithm. There are plus points for proteins, fibers, fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts. Energy content (kcal), sugars, saturated fat and salt push the score down. The logo compares the products in a certain product group with each other, for example: yoghurt with other types of yoghurt, and not with cheese. And when a fruit juice scores a C, that drink is a healthier choice than a juice with an E in the same product group.

Marit van Egmond, CEO of Albert Heijn says, "At Albert Heijn we want to make better food accessible. For everyone. And a healthy lifestyle is more important than ever. That is why we have been a strong supporter of the introduction of Nutri-Score. We are convinced that this food choice logo will help our customers make healthier choices. And not only for a product with an A or B rating, but also for a product with a D rating instead of an E rating. Every step counts!"

Supporters  

The independent food choice logo, Nutri-Score, was developed by French scientists and has now been introduced in Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium. The Dutch government also opted for Nutri-Score in 2019. It is expected that the food choice logo will be officially used nationwide in the first half of 2022 – after final approval by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.

Feeling good

Marit van Egmond: "Albert Heijn offers the most choice in products with an A or B score. That is because we have been structurally improving our own-brand products for years: we add extra fiber and use less sugar, salt and saturated fats.” Feeling good in your own skin starts with a healthier diet, but exercise, sleep and relaxation are also extremely important, says Marit. "Of course we want to inspire and support everyone to start 2022 in a good and healthy way. Nutri-Score helps and so does our FoodFirst Lifestyle Coach. This free app offers advice, inspiration, countless health challenges, videos and exercise, nutrition and meditation schedules. Experienced coaches advise on a lasting healthy lifestyle change."

Informing customers

In the coming weeks, Albert Heijn will inform customers in television commercials and advertisements about how Nutri-Score works. In addition, customers will find a lot of information on ah.nl, in the ‘Allerhande’ magazine, in the Better Food magazine (‘Beter Eten’) and in the bonus folder. Special brochures, showcase stickers and shelf maps can be found on the shop floor.   

With Mijn Albert Heijn Premium, customers increase their personal benefits in an effortless way. For €12 per year, as a Premium member, they can save up to more than a hundred euros. The subscription includes 10% discount on all organic products, double savings stamps, and My AH Miles, ten instead of five personal Bonus Box offers per week and a 10% discount on the Albert Heijn Delivery bundle.  

Marit van Egmond, CEO of Albert Heijn said: "The Bonus card has been around for over twenty years and has been embraced by millions of customers. With the Albert Heijn app, our Bonus program grew into a place where you can find inspiration, make shopping lists, order online and participate in our savings programs. Now we are taking another innovative step in the digitalization of our customer program. With this new subscription, we want to pamper customers even more. Whether you do your shopping in the store or order online, with My Albert Heijn Premium you get access to even more benefits and convenience." 

With Mijn Albert Heijn Premium, Albert Heijn is further fleshing out its cooperation with the other Ahold Delhaize brands in the Netherlands. Within the subscription, customers receive discounts on the Club Gall & Gall VIP membership and the Select membership from bol.com. 

Albert Heijn introduced the Bonus card in 1998 and the Albert Heijn app in 2009. Both are now part of a complete digital customer program that includes personal offers, personalized cooking inspiration, delivery bundles and savings. 

Watch the video below to learn more!

Cautionary notice

 This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as start, soon, will, look forward, remains or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements 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. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors 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.

Together with DEEN, Vomar Voordeelmarkt and DekaMarkt, Albert Heijn is working out the details of the transaction, after which it can be formally completed in the coming months. The conversion of the relevant DEEN stores will start thereafter.

Marit van Egmond, Brand President of Albert Heijn: “I am pleased that the ACM has approved the transaction today. This is an important step in the process of finalizing the transaction. With the acquisition of 38 DEEN stores, the distribution center in Hoorn and the flower center, Albert Heijn is further fulfilling its ambition to be there for our customers, anytime and anywhere. In the past period I have visited a large number of DEEN stores. Each and every one of them is a beautiful store with enthusiastic associates. I was also impressed by the flower center, which will be a nice addition to our current range. I look forward to giving all our new colleagues and customers a warm welcome at Albert Heijn.”

Leendert van Eck, general manager of DEEN supermarkets: “With the ACM's approval, another milestone has been reached. All preparations for the transition of the DEEN stores are progressing smoothly and in good consultation. I am convinced that we will leave our customers and employees in good hands.”

Aart van Haren, general manager of Vomar Voordeelmarkt: “With today's approval from ACM, we can now continue to work with all parties involved on completing the transaction. The 23 DEEN stores that will be acquired by Vomar will significantly strengthen our position within the existing market area. We are confident to build on the success of these stores later this year together with our enthusiastic and knowledgeable new colleagues.”

Dirk Kat, director of DekaMarkt: “The approval of the ACM is an important moment in the acquisition of the 19 DEEN branches. With these 19 extra stores, DekaMarkt will grow to 100 stores and the formula's clout will be even greater. We are really looking forward to being able to surprise customers with our formula in even more places together with our new colleagues.”

The approval of the ACM follows on the February 16 announcement that Albert Heijn, together with Vomar and DekaMarkt intended to acquire DEEN.

Cautionary note

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as can now, after, can be, coming months, will, thereafter, step, further, soon, look(ing) forward, progressing, continue, strengthen, later this year, grow, being able or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements 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. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors 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.

DEEN reaches an agreement with Albert Heijn, Vomar Voordeelmarkt and DekaMarkt on the intention to sell all 80 DEEN Supermarket stores to these three parties. The intention is that of the 80 stores, 39 stores will get the Albert Heijn formula, 22 stores the Vomar Voordeelmarkt formula and 19 stores the DekaMarkt formula. The parties involved share their North Holland roots with DEEN and have a long track record.

To remain at the forefront of the rapidly changing and competitive food retail market will require significant effort in the coming years, according to DEEN’s management board. Looking to the future, the supermarket chain would have to invest considerably in the mechanization of logistics and e-commerce. The scale of the required investments has led the family, in close consultation with the management board, to decide to make another strategic choice and sell the company.

Social Plan and job retention

What exactly the acquisition will mean for DEEN’s associates, will be announced as soon as the social plan has been agreed with the trade unions and the work councils. All store employees will keep their job. If activities are discontinued by the buying parties, re-employment possibilities for the employees involved will be pursued. In line with the Deen family’s tradition, proper agreements with and arrangements for employees are key to this.

Logical step
According to CEO Leendert van Eck, who has been leading the company since 2016, the acquisition is a difficult but logical step. ‘We have built a fine company and thanks to the hard work of our employees and our loyal customer base, we can look back on wonderful years. To be future-proof, significant financial efforts are required, but the family has made a different choice,’ says van Eck.

He continues: ‘Together with the family we have conducted a careful orientation, over a longer period of time, concerning the future of DEEN. The most important criteria were continuity for the employees, keeping its value for customers, a careful transition process that is necessary in the event of an acquisition and securing the interests of Superunie, the purchasing organization of which we have been a loyal member for decades. With Albert Heijn, DekaMarkt and Vomar, all three of them parties with strong North Holland roots, DEEN will be in good hands.’

Marit van Egmond, CEO at Albert Heijn: ‘Together with the Deen family and the CEO of DEEN Supermarkets we have extensively and carefully explored the options. We are happy that together with them, Vomar and DekaMarkt, we have achieved this result today. For Albert Heijn, it is a unique addition to our store base in North Holland and an important strategic step. DEEN is a traditional Dutch family business, committed with heart and soul to their employees and customers. The expertise, the experience in the stores, and their strong commitment to the community, are a great fit with everything we also stand for. Together with DEEN’s employees, we look to the future with confidence.’

Aart van Haren, CEO, on behalf of Vomar Voordeelmarkt: ‘This acquisition provides Vomar Voordeelmarkt with a unique opportunity to strengthen its position in the existing market area. The entrepreneurship and drive with which the DEEN stores have been developed into successful supermarkets is impressive and Vomar Voordeelmarkt has every confidence to continue this path in the future. In the past period, all parties involved have worked together intensively and successfully to achieve this result. For this, we are very grateful to the Deen family, DEEN’s management, Albert Heijn and DekaMarkt.’

Albert Voogd, CEO, on behalf of DekaMarkt: We respect the decision by the Deen family and the way in which they ensure that this fine company that they have built, ends up well. The DEEN and DekaMarkt stores have much in common, such as the strong focus on fresh products. Also, the way in which we put the relation with our customers and associates central to what we do is similar. The ties between our family businesses go back a long way and we have the same North Holland common sense. We are delighted that we are able to further strengthen our DekaMarkt formula with the beautiful DEEN stores and are proud to welcome their employees onboard.

Conditions and process
The transactions are subject to the customary conditions, including approval of the Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), alignment with the trade unions and advice of the work councils involved. DEEN, Albert Heijn, Vomar Voordeelmarkt and DekaMarkt aim to obtain all the required approvals as soon as possible. It is expected that the transactions will be completed in the second half of 2021, provided that all conditions are met.

Cautionary notice

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as intends, intention, will, to ensure, remain, subject to, conditions, expected, will be, reaches, changing, coming years, look(ing) to the future, would, will mean, as soon as (possible), if, discontinued, pursued, future-proof, orientation, continuity, securing, strategic, step, committed, provides, strengthen, position, existing, drive, confidence, continue, ends up, aim, second half of 2021, provided or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements 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”), including any of its subsidiaries amongst others Albert Heijn, to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the Company’s public filings and other disclosures. Forward-looking statements reflect the current views of the Company’s and/or any of its subsidiaries management and assumptions based on information currently available to such management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and neither the Company nor its subsidiaries do assume any obligation to update such statements, except as required by law.

Customers will soon find an Albert Heijn ‘to go’ shop at selected BP retail sites nationwide where they can buy tasty, fresh food and drinks for on the road. The partnership brings together the long-standing expertise and experience of both BP and Albert Heijn to provide a unique convenience range that is fully tailored to drivers’ needs and the specific site location. BP’s existing shop offer will be expanded with the new range later this year, focused on its network of company-owned retail stations.

Expansion of the partnership follows a successful pilot phase, launched in 2016, with Albert Heijn ‘to go’ shops at eight BP retail sites. Customers will be able to choose from a wide range of freshly prepared food and drinks, including barista-quality coffee, sandwiches, salads, croissants and snacks, as well as fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Customers will still be able to buy their trusted car care products, such as Castrol engine oil and windscreen washer fluid.

Marit van Egmond, CEO Albert Heijn, said: “This cooperation with BP seamlessly fits with our growth strategy. We want to be there for our customers anywhere and everywhere. Around the corner, on the road and via ah.nl. Customers need tailor-made solutions, especially when it comes to food and drinks. Their choices may change from moment to moment. With our 130 years of experience we want to make tasty and varied food accessible to everyone and everywhere in the Netherlands and Flanders. In our supermarkets, but also on the road, for example in hospitals, at train stations, colleges and thus petrol stations.”

Ruben Beens, CEO BP Nederland, said: “With Albert Heijn ‘to go’ at our retail sites, we’re meeting a growing demand for convenience, offering a wide, innovative and high-quality range of food and drinks for on the road. Together with our BP Ultimate premium fuels, we offer motorists everything they need at easily accessible locations across the country, with extensive opening hours. The partnership with Albert Heijn underpins the delivery of our strategy to grow our convenience offer globally.“

The new HSC is in line with Ahold Delhaize’s ambition to grow our omnichannel offering. It provides more capacity, better distribution and room to grow home delivery in other regions, which is important for serving the increasing number of customers who want to order online. This growth is partly the result of Albert Heijn’s efforts to make it easier to order online, for example through the nationwide rollout of its delivery subscription option, and a lower minimum order amount in the middle of the week.  

The facility, which is large enough to hold the entire Albert Heijn assortment under one roof, has been completely renovated and provided with enough power that it will eventually be able to use only electric cars for delivery. The brand already delivers groceries by electric delivery car and bicycle to some customers in Amsterdam and aims to switch completely to electric transport in this area in the coming years. 

Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips announce Kickstart AI, a combination of actions to fuel AI education, talent and innovation in the Netherlands.

Zaandam, the Netherlands, October 10, 2019 – Five Dutch companies Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips aim to further boost the AI ecosystem in the Netherlands by accelerating and promoting the development of AI technology and nurturing AI talent in the country. This effort will add educational capacity, foster the development of the AI community in the Netherlands and reiterate the position of the Netherlands as a competitive and relevant global AI hub.

The goal of Kickstart AI, is to bridge the AI gap between the Netherlands and other countries, like the UK, the US and China, that have made notable progress in this area. In order to keep the country’s position as a pioneer and inventor of technologies, the Dutch government, companies, organizations and universities have ground to cover in terms of structural investments and availability of global AI talent. The five companies “kickstarting” AI are, for the first time, uniting forces in this kind of joint initiative and taking highly needed decisive action.

The five companies initiating Kickstart AI are calling for the critical expansion of local knowledge and talent in order to ethically implement AI that is focused not only on what is technically possible but also meeting the ethical and social standards the Dutch society may expect. Collaboration among these five companies, the government, industry and other tech providers will help address societal challenges, provide new opportunities for the youth and accelerate the introduction of AI in the Netherlands. For consumers, AI has untapped potential to help improve their daily lives by elevating their experience with personalized service, convenience and choices in many areas of life such as food, travel, health and finances.

Initiatives under Kickstart AI include:

• AI superchallenges: Competitions aimed at raising the Netherlands’ global profile by mobilizing global AI talent to address societal challenges for example in the areas of health and mobility.
• Joint appointments: Investing in private-public collaboration through joint appointments of academic staff, providing access for the next generation of AI talent to education, training and leading academics. First commitment is to create 5 joint appointments to academic institutions in the Netherlands by each of the frontrunner companies in Kickstart AI, adding up to 25 positions in total.
• Dutch national course for AI: As part of a wider effort to increase understanding and adoption of AI in the Netherlands, Kickstart AI companies will not only promote the national course for AI among the general public and their own workforces, but also offer the course in English, therewith aiming to secure sign-ups from a total of 170,000 people in the Netherlands by the end of 2020.

Introducing Kickstart AI at the World Summit AI today, Maarten de Rijke, Professor at the University of Amsterdam and Director of the Innovation Center for Artificial Intelligence, said: “The Netherlands has always been a technology pioneer, a frontrunner in AI development and innovation. The quality of our AI specialists is well-acknowledged worldwide. However, without a national AI strategy and swift action, the severe shortage of AI talent in our country remains one of the biggest roadblocks to realizing the full potential of AI talent and technology. The joint efforts between universities and companies, as part of Kickstart AI, underlines the urgency in accelerating AI education and talent retention and signals our commitment to collaboration and investments needed to accelerate AI innovation in the Netherlands.”

Ahold Delhaize, ING, KLM, NS and Philips are connected to the daily lives of millions of people through food, travel, health and finances. As organizations that are close to the lives of everyday Dutch society, they fully understand the game-changing potential for AI to improve everyday life in the Netherlands. This is why they have joined together in a call for action to their business and industry peers, to boost collaboration in creating a thriving AI ecosystem in the Netherlands for the benefit of end-consumers’ daily lives. The Strategic Action Plan AI (SAPAI) and the Netherlands’ AI Coalition, also announced this week, are complementary steps in the same direction and designed to collectively sustain the growth and competitiveness of the Dutch economy.

Watch the video here:

NOTES TO EDITORS

AI innovation projects currently underway at five partner companies

• Ahold Delhaize – Customer interaction and conversational intelligence
  Addresses developments in the field of digital Customer Interaction, especially in the field of conversational technologies such as search, chatbots or multimodal interactions relying on federated search.

• ING – AI for Know Your Customer Operations
  Protecting the consumers, business and the society against financial crime is at the core of ING’s business. Deploying smarter mechanisms by using advanced analytics techniques and AI is therefore of crucial importance.

• KLM - Integrated Optimization of Airline Operations
  In an increasingly complex and busy environment, the reliability of an airline’s operations is a growing competitive advantage. Advanced machine learning prediction tools will enable control on costs, operational performance, customer satisfaction and employee engagement.

• NS – Predictive Maintenance
  Safe and reliable service of the railway network is increasingly important, in particular in a time where transportation is undergoing a paradigm shift to “zero emission.”

• Philips – Artificial Intelligence in consumer health and professional healthcare
  Philips combines the power of AI and other technologies with clinical and operational domain knowledge to help its customers deliver on the quadruple aim in healthcare of improved patient experience, better health outcomes, improved staff experience, and lower cost of care. Philips’ products and solutions enhance healthcare providers, adapt to the context and they are seamlessly integrated in their workflows.

Dutch AI facts and figures

• The five Kickstart AI companies reach millions of customers in the Netherlands each week:
  • Ahold Delhaize employs around 100.000 employees in the Netherlands, through its Albert Heijn, Etos, Gall & Gall, and bol.com brands. Together these brands serve around 13 million consumers per week
  • ING employs over 13.800 employees in the Netherlands. ING’s customers are increasingly digital. ING has more than 38 million customers in 13 retail markets which results in 3 billion contact moments a year.
  • KLM employs over 26.800 employees in the Netherlands
  • NS employs over 21.000 employees and serves 1.3 million passengers per day in the Netherlands.
  • Philips employs around 11.600 employees in the Netherlands and improves the lives of 27 million people a year in the Benelux.

• The National AI Course was launched on 21 December 2018 and to date more than 42.000 people have taken the AI course.
• A recent report indicates that 340 PhD AI researchers work in the Netherlands, with 57 of them having presented at AI conferences versus the US with 9,010 researchers of which 3,017 are presented (Source: Global AI Talent Pool Report 2018).
• In 2018, 309 Dutch AI startups received €102M in investments compared to 1,052 AI startups in the UK with €1.2Bn investments. Of these investments into Dutch startups, 20% came from Dutch investors.
• With 309 AI startups, the Netherlands is home to 3% of the total number of AI startups worldwide. However, the Netherlands invests only 1% of the global total in AI, in comparison to 48% of China’s investment (Source: StartupDelta 2018).

Media contacts

https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/media/

https://www.ing.com/Newsroom/Media-relations-contacts.htm

https://news.klm.com/

https://nieuws.ns.nl/

https://www.philips.com/content/corporate/en_AA/about/news/contacts.html/

Cautionary notice

This press release is issued in the English and Dutch language. In case of conflict between the two press releases, the English version shall prevail.

This communication includes forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Words and expressions such as to further boost, aim, will, commitment, effort, by 2020, may, expect or other similar words or expressions are typically used to identify forward-looking statements. 

Forward-looking statements 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. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors 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.

Grab and go 

Under the roof of the small AH to go is an enormous amount of technology. This is how it works: the door opens automatically with a debit or credit card. In the store, customers grab the products they want. Cameras determine the position of customers (without facial recognition) and associate product items to their virtual baskets. In addition, in-store sensors keep track of products that are taken off or put back on the shelves. When the shopping is done, customers walk to the exit where the payment takes place automatically and the door opens. Customers do not have to register in advance or download an app, which makes the payment system innovative and very accessible. 

The store has been developed together with AiFi, a U.S.-based start-up. Dutch bank ING has developed the payment solution and takes care of payment processing.

Marit van Egmond, Brand President of Albert Heijn, said, “This latest concept not only makes shopping very easy; due to its autonomous nature, this ‘plug and play’ store can be placed at locations where there is a (temporary) need for a small store, from offices or university campuses to residential areas under construction that do not yet have shopping facilities. A second advantage is that the store can always be open, which is useful for people who are on the road very early or very late.”  

This initiative is the latest example of how Ahold Delhaize brands are experimenting with new payment solutions to help customers save time at the checkout. Albert Heijn last year opened its first checkout-free stores, where customers can pay right at the shelf with a  “tap to go” card or using a mobile app. Delhaize Belgium earlier this year launched a mobile payment application, called YesWeScan, which allows customers to scan product barcodes with their smartphone, add the items to an electronic shopping basket, and then pay. And in the U.S., Stop & Shop is offering frictionless checkout using the SCAN IT! mobile app.  

Check out the video!

Albert Heijn’s assortment consists of around 11,000 own-brand products and more than 46,000 products in total. Many are produced in the Netherlands, but others originate in different places around the world, according to their principle of sourcing products “as close as possible and as far as necessary.” Albert Heijn knows the composition and origin of all its own-brand products and wants to pass on this information to customers. 

The map shows the distribution of the production locations around the world at a glance and then enables a user to search further by country, product group and supplier. The information on the map will be expanded with data about the production process of fresh products such as vegetables, fruit, dairy, meat and fish. 

In the past year, Albert Heijn has developed several initiatives to make the international supply chains of its own-brand products more transparent. For example, it has introduced blockchain to track orange juice and egg production. In addition, the brand published its due diligence approach on ah.nl at the beginning of this year. This approach describes how the supermarket identifies and addresses potential and actual adverse consequences of the production of its products for people and the environment. The world map is a next step within this due diligence approach – you can find it here. 

Albert Heijn’s CEO Marit van Egmond said, “Led by Luc since 2014, Albert Heijn has grown to be a popular supermarket among Belgians. We thank him for building Albert Heijn Belgium’s strong foundation.”

Earlier this year, Ahold Delhaize announced that Albert Heijn, currently with 43 stores in Belgium, will open 30-50 stores in the country in the coming years. “We’re entering the next phase of growth and are confident that Raf is the right person to lead Albert Heijn Belgium forward; he has been involved from the start of the brand in Belgium and knows its customers, franchisers and associates like no other”, said Marit van Egmond.