1. How has Ahold Delhaize’s approach to health evolved in recent years?

“Since Ahold Delhaize was formed ten years ago, health has been high on our agenda. Today, it’s an important strategic priority for us and integrated into our company’s purpose. Recent societal trends – from increasing attention to ultra-processed foods to the growing use of GLP-1 medications – are bringing conversations about diet and health further into the public discussion, and we believe there is an opportunity to accelerate progress, both within our own business and across the wider food system. 

“To this end, we recently took a major step up on health in our strategy. Our healthy sales target had been focused exclusively on own brands. This was a great first step, but we wanted to make it even more relevant. Starting this year, we’re measuring ‘total store healthy food sales’ – changing our target from a percentage of healthy own-brand products to a percentage of healthy food items across all product ranges. This new metric will help us encourage consumers to make better choices throughout our assortment. 

“As we strengthen our focus on health, we want to better understand the barriers that prevent people from eating healthier and identify where the greatest opportunities for impact exist. Through research and engagement with stakeholders across the food system, we have gained valuable insights that reinforced both the urgency of the challenge and the need for collective action.  

“Because we believe no single organization can solve these challenges alone, we are working to share our insights in a research paper in October. We hope it will support conversations across the industry and encourage collaboration among retailers, manufacturers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to help make healthier diets more accessible." 

2. What are some of the most interesting findings your research has uncovered so far? 

“Across markets, we see that healthy eating is relevant for almost all consumers, but most people are having a hard time reaching their goals. While 92% of people we’ve surveyed want to change their diets to be healthier, only 14% believe that their diets are ‘very healthy.’ And only 13% feel ‘very confident’ that they can identify healthy options. 

“Our research also highlights that motivations for healthier eating differ across countries and consumer groups. For example, in some markets, people are primarily motivated by weight management, while, in others, they are focused on gut health or driven by price. Understanding these differences is critical if we want to help people make healthier choices in ways that are relevant to their daily lives.” 

3. How is Ahold Delhaize making healthy eating more accessible and affordable?  

“For us, it comes down to making healthy choices easy and making healthy living a habit.  We have a healthy living framework that guides our approach and consists of three clear steps. First, make it easy. This is about making sure the right, healthy options are simply available. Our local brands are doing this in countless ways, and own-brand ranges are an important tool they use to do this in a way that is both relevant and affordable.  

“Second, make it a habit. This includes efforts like providing information, engaging dietitians and offering educational programs.  

“And third, make it a lifestyle. This is already reflected in some of our brands’ digital apps, which not only help people improve their nutrition but take a broad, holistic approach to healthy living – including in areas like getting enough sleep and reducing stress.”

4. Can you tell us about some of the barriers that people face when striving towards a healthier lifestyle?  

“As people try to eat – and live – healthier, they not only face personal challenges, but also obstacles that are built into our systems and environment and over which they have little control. Healthy living is not one-dimensional. Many aspects of lifestyle are connected – and food is an important part of it.  

“For example, if you sleep better and move more, you're also more likely to eat healthier. But as people try to be more active and eat better, the system is not necessarily built around making those choices easy. And it goes beyond food. Our cities and suburbs have largely been built around convenience and affordability. It’s not always easy to get around without a car, or to take the elevator instead of the stairs.   

“And even if retailers provide healthy food choices for parents to feed their families, the environment can make it challenging. There may be fewer nutritional snacks available at school or at sports practice, or snack bars nearby offering kids hard-to-resist food options like French fries. So, it’s not just a food retail issue, it’s a system-wide issue.  

“That's what makes health such a complex and difficult challenge.” 

‘’Healthy living is not one-dimensional. Many aspects of lifestyle are connected – and food is an important part of it.’’ 
 
 

5. While this is clearly a challenge that requires cooperation across the supply chain, what role can retailers play to help customers move toward healthier diets?  

“It’s true that because health is such a systemic challenge, we, as food retailers, absolutely cannot solve it on our own – the entire local ecosystem must change. If a customer walks out of the supermarket and immediately buys an unhealthy snack from a street vendor next door, we’re not making progress overall. However, food retail is well placed to help lead the change, having a direct connection to shoppers at the moment of choice.  

“To get to meaningful, practical change across the system, we need to align healthier outcomes with commercial outcomes. In our soon-to-be published research paper, we will outline three main barriers that stand in the way of people making healthier choices. For each of them, we will identify practical ways to help bring those barriers down that can inspire action across food retail.” 

6. What role do manufacturers, NGOs and policymakers play?  

“Manufacturers can make a positive impact through efforts like creating healthier assortments and reformulating products to contain healthier ingredients – for example, cutting sugar and salt. For policymakers, it's about helping to change the environment more broadly and create a level playing field and working towards policies that support stronger health outcomes. This goes beyond supermarkets – it involves the wider food environment and the systems that influence consumer choices.” 

7. You mentioned your research has found that motivations vary by market. How does having strong local brands help?  

“Our local brands are very close to their customers and communities – this enables them to understand those differences in motivations and behaviors and meet consumer needs with the most relevant product offering and support. This is the exact reason why our local-brand model is so important, and such a differentiator for Ahold Delhaize.” 

8. How do sustainability and health intersect in your strategy?  

“Even in times when sustainability might not be top of mind for consumers, we know from our research that health is. For this reason, health can actually be used as the lens through which sustainability efforts are understood. 

“A good example is the protein shift. Moving from animal-based proteins to plant-based proteins is a major sustainability opportunity, but it's also a health opportunity because it encourages people to eat more vegetables, legumes and plant-based alternatives. 

“Health and sustainability are often connected through those kinds of choices.” 

9. Looking ahead five to ten years, what innovation or collaborative initiative is most important for creating a healthier future?  

“I don't think it's one thing. It's the total system. 

“Creating a healthier future is such a complex challenge. It will require a combination of initiatives and innovations: reformulation, affordability, pricing, promotion, regulation – all working together. We need to move away from thinking it's about one product. It's about the full shopping experience and the full basket, with a health lens overlaid across everything. 

“That doesn't mean people can't buy anything unhealthy. It means that, in the broader picture, the balance should be more healthy than unhealthy. Today, that balance is often not where it should be.” 

‘’Creating a healthier future requires a combination of initiatives and innovations: reformulation, affordability, pricing, promotion.’’ 

10. What role can technology and data play?  

“All kinds of technology can help, particularly if they make healthier choices easier. 

“For example, in the online shopping journey, we can propose healthier alternatives when people click on a product. Loyalty programs can help guide people in a healthier direction. Personalization is also important, allowing people to receive personally relevant information based on the type of diet or lifestyle they're interested in. 

“One thing we do know is that the more personal and relevant the information becomes, the more useful it can be. As retailers – but also across the industry – new technologies give us so many opportunities to get closer to our customers and help them make choices that lead to real, lasting healthy lifestyle changes.” 


 

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.  

As Manager of Food Lion Feeds, Kevin Durkee helps lead the Food Lion brand’s hunger-relief efforts across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic United States. We ask him about the evolution of their Food Lion Feeds program, the growing challenges facing customers and communities, and the partnerships that are helping the brand work toward its goal of donating three billion meals by 2032.

1. If you look back on the past 10 years, how has being part of the combined company strengthened your ability to serve customers and communities?

“I've been with Food Lion for more than 20 years and was with Hannaford for 16 years before that, so I've seen firsthand the commitment of the brands to their local communities. I’ve also seen the amazing impact that we can have. As a part of the ADUSA family of brands, I am inspired by the passion of each brand and the change that they are able to create. At Food Lion, we have the opportunity to see what other brands are doing and leverage great ideas to maximize the impact that we have. The ability to borrow a great idea means we are able to move faster to find meaningful solutions to the challenges that exist within the communities that we each are a part of.

“It’s fun to hear what other folks are doing, and ‘steal’ ideas that are working for them to strengthen our own programs. For example, we got the idea to sell reusable bags to benefit hunger relief from another brand. Ultimately this cooperation helps us serve our communities more effectively and make a greater impact.”

2. Can you tell me a little bit about the Food Lion Feeds program and your role in it?

“Food Lion Feeds was launched in 2014 after we asked customers what community issue they felt was most important to them and most relevant for a grocery retailer to address. The answer was overwhelmingly clear: food insecurity. Streamlining our philanthropic efforts with a focus on reducing hunger and helping people access food just made sense. It enables us to engage associates and rally them around a cause that is important to everyone. We believe that no one should have to choose between dinner and rent, or gas and groceries.

“As manager of Food Lion Feeds, I help lead the strategy behind these efforts. That includes helping shape what the program looks like and how we go out into the community, supporting our meal donation goals, tracking and reporting our impact, and helping tell the stories behind the work. A big part of my role is making sure we're continually evolving our approach to meet the changing needs of our neighbors.”

3. Have you seen the impact of a challenging economic environment over the past several years on the needs of people in your communities?

“Absolutely. We recently did a survey with our food bank partners on the most challenging aspects of their work, and they told us that while they see that need is increasing, the resources and donations to support that need are on the decline.

“Rising costs are putting pressure on households across our communities. When families are paying more for rent, utilities, transportation and other necessities, there is less money available for groceries. At the same time, we’re seeing changes in public assistance programs, such as SNAP benefits, and foundations and nonprofits are raising less money. This means there are fewer resources to go around for feeding agencies, food banks and other partners, which makes our role in the fight against hunger even more important.”

4. This takes us back to your comment that "no one should have to choose between dinner and rent, or gas and groceries." How does that philosophy guide the daily operations and strategy at Food Lion Feeds?

“That belief has been part of our mission statement since the beginning of Food Lion Feeds. People with limited resources have to make impossible choices: should I use my paycheck to pay the rent, buy gas or feed my family? Unfortunately, food is often the item that gets pushed to the end of the list when budgets become stretched."

“That reality is always in the forefront of our minds – we feel like people shouldn’t have to make those decisions, and we’re working hard to make sure our neighbors have reliable access to food. It drives everything we do.”

5. Food Lion Feeds has already provided over 1.5 billion meals or meal equivalents since 2014. What’s the biggest shift in how you’ve approached food insecurity during that time?

“Over the years, we’ve learned that food donations are essential, but they are only one part of addressing hunger, so we started focusing on how to set people up for success in life. We expanded our work to support nutritional education and workforce development programs that help people build long-term stability and success.

“However, over the last couple of years, economic pressures have forced us to shift back and focus on access to food. It’s important for us to remain flexible and responsive.’’

"The key is meeting people where they are, understanding what's happening in our communities and adapting our approach to fulfill the most pressing needs.”

6. Food Lion has long been recognized for its food rescue work, aiming to keep edible food entirely out of landfills and get it to neighbors in need. What are some of the ways that you have achieved this – and what are some of the biggest hurdles you’ve faced?

“Food rescue is a collaborative effort – our community relations team can’t do it alone. We partner closely with Retail Operations to ensure there are standard processes and practices, and training aids in place. We work with our feeding partners to make sure they can pick up items at our stores regularly. And we work with our sustainability team on programs to keep as much surplus product out of landfills as possible.

“One of the biggest challenges is maintaining food safety and product quality throughout the process, especially when it comes to produce and other perishable items. In recent years, we've expanded donations of frozen foods and started freezing milk and other dairy products to ensure these nutritious items can reach families in need. We are collaborating to make sure our partners have the transportation, refrigeration and storage capabilities needed to collect and distribute food quickly and safely. Our focus is not only on donating food, but on making sure the full chain works well. ”

7. The “Holidays Without Hunger” campaign and your register round-up initiatives have seen historic success. Why do you think they’ve been so successful? How do you cultivate that deep sense of trust and generosity between Food Lion and your everyday customers?

“Through our Holidays without Hunger program, customers buy boxes filled with food which are then distributed by our food rescue partners to clients in the neighborhood. It takes a lot of people to execute – from the category teams that make sure we have the right items and get them packed into boxes all the way to the logistics, supply chain and Feeding America teams that make sure those products get where they need to go.

“The success of the program comes from engaging everybody in it. Our store teams build amazing displays to encourage customers to participate. We cultivate trust with customers through transparency – we tell customers their donations will stay in their communities to help their neighbors, and we stay true to that. We’ve worked to put healthy and nutritious food in the boxes and put a picture of the contents on the packaging, so customers know what’s inside. And then we communicate about the impact their donations are having, with a focus on tangible examples that show how the money is doing good."

“I think we've been successful in building trust over time, and our customers have been incredibly generous, both through Holidays without Hunger and our register round-up project.”

8. Through the annual Feedys Awards, Food Lion Feeds celebrates local hunger-relief heroes. Why is it so important for a major retailer to shine a spotlight on these grassroots advocates and volunteers?

“As I mentioned before, fighting hunger is a collaborative effort that requires the dedication of vendor partners, feeding partners, food banks, associates, customers and volunteers. The Feedys Awards give us an opportunity to show that this is a group effort and recognize the people who go above and beyond to do great work in their communities. Their stories inspire others to join us in these efforts.

“One recent example of a hero who deserved to be highlighted is a student leader at North Carolina State University who manages a campus food pantry while pursuing her degree. She has a huge passion around feeding people and is helping fellow students and faculty members access food while also inspiring others to get involved. Being able to celebrate her and people like her is really special – it helps elevate awareness and encourages even more community engagement.”

9. Initiatives like the Collegiate Hunger Challenge focus heavily on mobilizing college students. Why do you believe empowering the next generation of student leaders is key to solving campus food insecurity?

“I don’t think people really understand how widespread food insecurity is on and around college campuses. Raising awareness is an important first step, but empowering students to be part of the solution is what creates lasting impact.

“We've seen purpose-driven, passionate, innovative students take on these hunger-relief challenges and do some really cool work. Their ability to use social media and engage fellow students is inspiring to see. Programs like the Collegiate Hunger Challenge give students opportunities to further develop their leadership skills while engaging their communities around an issue that matters. In many ways, they are helping build the next generation of hunger-relief advocates and community leaders.”

10. Food Lion Feeds has set an ambitious goal to donate three billion meals by 2032. What is the next major milestone or innovation your team is focusing on to keep the momentum going toward that target?

“Our focus is on staying in tune with the needs of our communities and evolving our strategy to make sure we’re meeting those needs. Right now, that means continuing to prioritize access to food while also helping our hunger-relief partners build their capacity and capabilities to serve a broader client base sustainably over the long term.

“We're constantly evaluating and improving our programs and building stronger partnerships with colleges and other organizations. Our associates are passionate about serving their communities, and we want to continue to provide them with opportunities to do that.

“As we work towards our three-billion meal goal, the biggest challenge is balancing our ability to serve the needs that exist today while making sure our feeding partners are able to sustainably meet community needs in the long term. By strengthening the organizations on the front lines of hunger relief today while helping them build for the future, we can continue making meaningful progress.”

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. 

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.  

Our brands across Ahold Delhaize work hard every day to create a brighter future for their local communities. In the U.S., Stop & Shop has created a program that exemplifies this commitment. The Stop & Shop School Food Pantry program teams up with schools to address food insecurity within the brand’s local communities. Through the program, Stop & Shop works with partners across its footprint to create accessible food pantries for local families.

We spoke with Shannon Karafian, School Food Pantry Program Manager at Stop & Shop, to find out how this program has developed and how they make sure it fits the needs of each local community and school to maximize impact.

1. The program was built on early local success

In 2019, schools in Fall River, Massachusetts, faced a problem. They had hundreds of students in temporary housing who were facing ongoing food insecurity. The nearby Stop & Shop distribution center responded by helping to create an in-school pantry at the local high school, which then shipped bags of food to all eighteen schools across the city. The success of this outreach inspired a movement within the brand to expand the program to other communities. “Our program is meant to bridge the gaps where students and families don’t have consistent access to food."

2. It addresses a growing problem of food insecurity

The School Food Pantry program is addressing a growing problem across Stop & Shop’s footprint in the northeast U.S. Today, one in five American children are facing food insecurity, which is an even higher proportion than when the program launched in 2019. Moreover, 40% of college students are facing hunger.

3. School pantries are designed to decrease stigma

“Stigma around food assistance is widespread,” Shannon noted, “so we work with school partners to create comfortable and welcoming spaces. It’s one of the things we’re most proud of.” Two successful approaches the team has taken are branding the pantries using school colors, logos, or even fun mascots – and designing them to look like bodegas or traditional markets. Overall, program participants have reported an 87% decrease in stigma associated with asking for food assistance since the opening of their pantries.

4. School-based pantries help reduce barriers to food access

Another key to the pantries’ success lies in alleviating barriers families may face when seeking support. “Traditional food pantries play an important role in our communities, but logistical barriers, like transportation and hours of operation, can make them difficult for some families to access. Because school is already part of the daily routine for many families, school pantries provide a convenient way to get groceries home. Parents can pick up food when they drop off their student, or the student can bring the items home on the bus.” Shannon said.

“Schools are a trusted space in the community, which alleviates logistical and emotional barriers. We offer this resource in a space that is safe, convenient, and free of judgment.”

5. Participating schools report educational and social benefits

The School Food Pantry program surveys participating schools, both to keep a pulse on need and to share the impact of their work. Recent results show that 79% of the schools reported an improved culture and morale as a result of the program, while 68% have seen increased family engagement, and 46% have seen increased student attendance. “When you’re viewing the student as a whole and giving them what they need to thrive, many positive impacts come with that,” Shannon said.

6. Pantry supplies are tailored to individual community needs

Rather than imposing a pantry list or delivering what’s convenient for the local store, the pantry is stocked by teachers and other school staff. That way, the items in the pantry are high impact for their specific student body. This helps ensure there is no food waste at the pantry and that students have access to food that is culturally appropriate. Meanwhile, some partners will also consistently pick up food rescue donations. As Shannon said, “food rescue is incredibly important, too, as food insecurity continues to grow.”

7. Broad collaboration with local institutions is vital

Given the enormity of the problem, as more and more families face food insecurity, it’s important to work with a wide ranges of partners: from nonprofits to government entities to community organizations. Shannon explained, “We often say it takes a village, and we encourage our schools to build additional community partnerships that can complement our support. The more resources and partners we can bring together, the greater the impact these school pantries can have for students and families.”

8. Local Stop & Shop stores are critical to operations

The school pantry program doesn’t just rely on local partners – Stop & Shop stores are key to making it work. “We added many new schools to our program last year,” Shannon remembered, “and when I went to visit one particular pantry, I invited a manager from our local store to join me. As soon as she walked in, the life skills students running the pantry all screamed her name because she is a friend to them. It’s her community, so she worked with these students to start the pantry."

9. Store associates drive the deepest community connections

It’s not just about donations; associates are also volunteering to help their communities. “We recently opened a new school food pantry and hosted a produce distribution for about a hundred families,” Shannon recalled. “We sent out a note to our local districts to get some volunteers to help run it. One of our associates immediately responded that his son went to that school, and he knows there’s a tremendous amount of need in that community. He said he would love to help out in any way that he can. These are truly our communities. It’s where our associates live, where they raise their families, and where their kids go to school.”

10. Each school is its own milestone

The goal for the future is to add even more schools to the program. “For our team, our next big milestone is to reach 300 schools by the end of the year,” said Shannon. The program leaders are focusing on communities where at least half of the students are economically disadvantaged. Despite the additional responsibility for the school administration that comes with running a pantry, there is a steady stream of schools applying. Shannon and her team are working on getting them onboarded and connected with local store partners.

The Stop & Shop School Food Pantry program is an important way to address a growing problem in the U.S. It also serves to bind local communities together, as everyone – from associates and schools to nonprofits and government officials – work together to make sure every student is fed and has the opportunity to succeed, in school and beyond.

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. 

For decades, Ahold Delhaize brands have developed own-brand product lines that are central to the customer experience. Today, own-brand products play an even greater role by helping customers find trusted quality, relevant choices and everyday value, at a time when expectations for affordability, convenience and differentiation matter most.  

In the United States, the Ahold Delhaize USA local brands offer a wide range of own-brand products across various price points to meet – and evolve with – customer needs and expectations, all with a focus on quality. We spoke with Abby Cook, U.S. Senior Vice President of Own Brands, at Ahold Delhaize USA about how the portfolio has changed, what customers value most and where own brands are headed next. 

1. At Ahold Delhaize USA’s local brands, what own-brand offering is most important for building trust and creating a strong first impression with customers?

“Trust starts with fresh products. In each of the U.S. brands local stores, produce is the first thing customers see and it’s a great introduction to own brands because quality and freshness are immediately clear. Produce gives us a meaningful way to show how own brands can respond to what customers want and need. One example is our Nature’s Promise greenhouse-grown lettuce, which was introduced in response to customers’ growing focus on sustainability and health.” 

2. What is one misconception people still have about private labels or own brands? 

“In the past, there was a common misconception that higher quality had to come with a premium price. That perception is changing. Customers have discovered the value of own brands, especially when they see that these products from the local brands can meet their lifestyle needs. The consumer trends we see today center on health, sustainability, convenience and emotional connection, and at Ahold Delhaize USA,  our own-brand focus reaches across all of them.” 

3. When customers first try own brands during tougher economic times, what convinces them to stay?  

“No one is looking to spend more than they need to, especially when they find a product that delivers on quality and fits into their daily lives. We’ve found that while customers may first try own brands because of economic pressure, they often continue buying them after that pressure has passed. Some may even move from an opening price point to a more premium own-brand tier over time. That means we continually adapt our focus and investment across the portfolio in response to both customer needs and broader economic trends.” 

4. What does it take to build own brands that customers actively seek out, not just trade into?

“Historically, own-brand products were often viewed as an opening price point with acceptable quality. Today, Ahold Delhaize USA’s own brands play a much broader role. They span multiple tiers while maintaining a consistent commitment to quality. Premium offerings have grown especially quickly in recent years in response to customer trends, offering interesting culinary experiences as well as organic and free-from options. A strong quality foundation across every level of the own-brand portfolio is one of the most powerful ways a retailer can influence the customer experience.” 

5. Over the past five to 10 years, how has the role of own brands evolved from a value alternative to a strategic growth driver for Ahold Delhaize USA? 

“Compared with 10 years ago, own brands now play a much wider range of roles across the Ahold Delhaize USA brands. Our local brands offer a broad and varied selection of products and experiences, which has helped create a much larger customer base for own brands. The exciting thing is that many of these products have continued to improve over time, so what comes to market is even more consistent, relevant and trusted by customers.” 

6. Can you share a recent own-brand innovation that reflects changing customer needs?  

“Over the past decade, customer needs have evolved significantly, driven by different diets, greater awareness of allergies, more attention to ingredients and an underlying focus on health. Our U.S. brands have responded by adapting own-brand products to meet those needs. One recent example is the Taste of Inspirations snacking tomatoes sold at the local Ahold Delhaize USA brands’ stores. They offer a delicious, healthy alternative to traditional snacking options.” 

7. In today’s environment, affordability is critical. How do own brands help customers manage their grocery budgets without feeling like they are compromising? 

“After a shopping trip, customers want to feel they made the most of both their money and their time in-store. One way to meet that need is by offering different product tiers and choices, from simple commodities and meal builders to more premium options, all at accessible price points. Offering choice, including an opening price point option, tells customers that you have their best interests in mind.” 

“Offering choice, including an opening price point option, tells customers that you have their best interests in mind.”

8. How does trust in own brands contribute to customer loyalty?  

“Retailer trust and own-brand trust are tightly connected. The quality of one product can influence how customers view other products offered by the same retailer. For example, if a customer discovers that a non-food item is durable and dependable, they may be more likely to explore a food item from the same brand. When customers believe they have a variety of good options, it builds trust in the own brand and strengthens their trust in, and loyalty to, the retailer.”  

9. Looking ahead, what will distinguish successful own brands – and where do you see the biggest opportunities?  

“The next generation of own brands in the U.S. will be defined by speed to market, innovation and storytelling. Own brands will need to keep pace with trends, which means retailers will need to innovate more quickly and use faster iteration cycles. The more innovative products you have, the more important it becomes to tell a compelling story, both about the brand and about the product, so customers understand what is available and why it is relevant to them."

10. How do you see the importance of own brands evolving in the years ahead, particularly as digital and AI shape shopping?  

“Own brands have been a priority for many years in the U.S., and we still have tremendous opportunities to keep growing. In fact, with generative AI and more agentic shopping, own brands become an even more important lever, because they can only be purchased at each of Ahold Delhaize USA local brands’ stores. As purchasing channels evolve, own brands will become even more crucial to customer retention. This provides us with exciting growth opportunities for the future." 

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.  

Ahold Delhaize operates in a world where grocery affordability is under real pressure, from global supply chain shifts to persistent inflation. Keeping food accessible for millions of families while maintaining a healthy, low-margin business is a daily reality.

At the heart of how Ahold Delhaize manages this is Save for Our Customers; a group-wide cost savings program that finds efficiencies across the business and reinvests savings back into customer value. We sat down with André Blesing, Senior Vice President of Business Planning & Performance, to find out how.

1. How is this more than a savings target? 

“Save for Our Customers is not just about cutting costs. It is about creating a mindset across the organization: every euro we save can help us invest in better value for customers. It should constantly challenge you to ask: can this be done better, simpler, or more efficiently? Not just to make things cheaper, but to create room to invest where it truly adds value for the customer. It has three clear elements: 

• Buy better It starts with making sharp, well-considered choices in what and how we purchase. It’s not only about price, but also about quality, supplier partnerships, and long-term value.
• Operate smarter How do we organize our work? Can processes be simplified, automated, or can we eliminate duplication? There is often a lot of untapped potential here to become more efficient without compromising quality.
• Waste less This can relate to time, resources, energy, or physical goods. Everything we don’t waste can be used for something that truly matters.” 

Blesing: “This efficiency strategy is backed by a highly successful, audited track record of execution. Ahold Delhaize is known for consistently delivering on its savings targets. Year after year, the Save for Our Customers initiative has successfully generated between €1.25 billion and €1.3 billion in annual savings, establishing the foundation required to navigate the macroeconomic environments for the company and its customers. It allows us to continue investing in better and healthier own-brand products, lower prices, and a stronger value proposition for our customers, while supporting our broader Healthy Communities & Planet ambitions” 

2. The ambition is growing  

“Scale remains one of Ahold Delhaize's greatest assets, and the company is continuously elevating its efficiency targets. Between 2025 and 2028, the group is aiming for €5 billion in cumulative savings. We will achieve this by stepping up joint sourcing, applying AI and automation in logistics, distribution, store operations, and back-office functions, and by simplifying and refining our operating model. This allows us to operate both more efficiently and more sustainably.” Blesing says.  

3. How cost savings help fuel growth.  

Blesing: “The Save for Our Customers program directly drives Ahold Delhaize’s broader growth model. By systematically eliminating operational waste, the company generates the necessary financial room to invest back into the business. This structural efficiency allows local brands to invest in their winning customer value proposition, including lower prices and fund innovations, which in turn drives higher sales volumes and market share, creating a cycle of growth.” 

“Every euro we save gives us more room to invest in what matters most: affordable groceries, better service and stronger local brands.” 

4. How AI helps to predict what customers need. 

Technology is fundamentally reshaping inventory management, enabling local brands to move to highly predictive models. What makes this shift possible is our ability to reinvest savings into advanced capabilities like AI. 

As Blesing explains: “We deliberately use the funds generated through Save for Our Customers to invest in technologies that drive further innovation and efficiency. Advanced AI systems allow teams to analyze store operations end-to-end. By leveraging historical data, we create hindsight, generate real-time insights into shelf movement, and build predictive foresight.” 

By incorporating variables such as weather patterns and seasonal demand, these systems can forecast with higher precision. This is clearly illustrated by Albert Heijn’s dynamic markdown capability, where products approaching their expiration date are automatically offered at reduced prices in-store to help prevent food waste. The result is a triple win: reducing food waste while offering better value to customers and protecting margins. 

Ultimately, this shows how savings are not an end in themselves - they are a means to fund smarter, more future-proof ways of working.”  

5. How local brands benefit from a shared scale.  

Blesing: “Ahold Delhaize operates a decentralized family of local brands and utilizes global and regional scale to provide  competitive edge. For example, European brands are increasingly aligning product specifications to source high-volume items collectively. By consolidating purchasing volumes and harmonizing requirements, such as shared ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) certification standards, the group drives major procurement efficiencies without compromising quality. It even improves quality and service for customers.”  

6. How cost savings also improve the workday.

Blesing: “By structurally reducing costs, Ahold Delhaize frees up resources to focus on what truly matters for our customers. It’s not about saving for the sake of saving, it’s about creating the capacity to invest in a better customer experience and supporting our teams where they add the most value. These efficiencies allow us to redirect time, attention, and investment away from routine or low-value activities, and toward areas where we can genuinely make a difference for shoppers, whether that’s improving service, enhancing assortment, or making shopping more seamless and convenient.  A good example is how we invest in technology to support our people. Albert Heijn’s AI assistant, which is used daily by 80,000 colleagues across the organization, exemplifies this approach. The tool provides store associates with instant access to operational and product information, reducing complexity in their daily work. As a result, customers can receive accurate answers immediately, without associates having to search for information or consult another colleague.” 

7.  How the program funds a $1 billion commitment to lower everyday shelf prices in the United States 

“The true power of organizational efficiency is realized when it directly alters the price tags on the shelves. A prime example of this is Ahold Delhaize’s commitment to invest $1 billion directly into lowering grocery prices across its U.S. brands between 2025 and 2028. The Save for Our Customers program acts as the funding mechanism for this initiative. By driving cost savings, including procurement, automation and simplification, the company can structurally lower the everyday cost, turning savings into a sustainable, long-term price promise at the register.” 

8. Efficiency helps absorb rising costs. The program serves as a vital financial shock absorber against escalating upstream supply chain costs 

“Before a product reaches a grocery bag, it navigates a complex, volatile and increasingly expensive global supply chain. Rising costs at the very beginning of the journey, such as escalating fertilizer prices for farmers or higher diesel or electricity costs for transport, threaten to push up retail food prices. Because Ahold Delhaize sits at the end of this value chain, its efficiency program successfully manages and partially absorbs these mounting global pressures behind the scenes, acting as a buffer that keeps the extra costs off the customer's final receipt as much as possible.”  

9. A statue of a customer at the corporate headquarters stands as the ultimate anchor for the program’s consumer mission. 

“This statue carries a clear and symbolic meaning. It represents the customer and is depicted as an everyday shopper carrying grocery bags, reflecting the reality of daily life. The statue was unveiled in 1990 during the opening of the headquarters and bears a powerful message: ‘Opdat wij nooit vergeten voor wie wij werken’ - 'So that we never forget who we are working for.’”

Blesing: “The statue serves as a physical reminder that everything we do is for the customer. Every decision should ultimately make life better, easier, or more affordable. Building on that principle, the combined strength following the merger created new opportunities to accelerate savings and reinvest them, enabling an even better, more affordable, and more compelling customer experience. And it continues to do so today.”

10. A personal question: when you've had dinner at a restaurant, do you always check the bill before paying? 

Blesing: “Yes and no — I generally have a rough idea of what the bill should be, and whenever it deviates, I always check it. In almost all of these cases, it turns out to be incorrect. This can go both ways: just last week I had a restaurant bill that was lower than expected, and when I checked, I noticed they had missed two coffees and some desserts, so I asked them to adjust it. At our last team event, they even added another table to our bill. It’s really worthwhile, both privately and at work, to always check the bill and, if necessary, challenge it.” 

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.  

1. If you think back to the start of the merger process, what was one moment that made a big difference to you and the team?

“I remember the start of the merger very well. I was sitting in my study in Dusseldorf, where I was living at the time, and I picked up the phone to call Dick Boer, CEO of Ahold. He took my call – and the rest, as they say, was history.  One of the most pivotal early moments for me was when Dick and I received immediate, strong support from both our Supervisory Board Chairs. This gave the process an enormous boost and truly energized everyone.” 

2. Can you name one thing that surprised you about the merger – something you didn’t realize ahead of time?

“We were surprised when we heard that it was the biggest ever cross-border merger in food retail! It was something we didn’t realize or even think about as we were working hard to deliver on our plan. But it makes me even more proud of all the work our people did to put synergies in place and successfully integrate our teams and the underlying business.” 

3. What have you been most proud of over the past 10 years?  

“During the merger process itself, I'm proud of how our teams – some of whom came from brands that had been competing as food retailers for decades – came together in a very pragmatic and disciplined way to form this great company. We saw strong collaboration between associates in stores, functions, head offices, distribution centers, online and offline – all with the right combination of skills and with everyone understanding their roles. I think that has been a powerful element of our success. Over the past decade, I’m proud of how we have always kept a clear focus on what matters most to customers, communities, associates and all our stakeholders – in particular, how our brands have supported customers through turbulent times, aiming to make shopping more affordable, healthier and sustainable.” 

4. Is that part of what makes Ahold Delhaize most unique today?  

“Yes, I think that our proximity to customers and communities is truly special. Ahold Delhaize is unique in that we have very distinct brand strategies, omnichannel propositions, own brands and a very comprehensive and competitive e-commerce offering for our local communities. And I'm very happy that we are a company that has invested well in our store fleet, in technology, innovation and data.  

But first and foremost, we are a company of great local brands with a high level of autonomy, accountability and ownership, that are close to communities and close to our people.” 

“Our brands deeply understand the needs of local customers and communities. I think that's the secret sauce of our company, and, among retailers of our size, it makes us unique.” 

5. Looking forward, what excites you most about what's next for Ahold Delhaize?  

“I believe we have a strong foundation – strong teams, strong brands, leading market positions, and a solid balance sheet. Our high relative market shares combined with brand strength give us options to grow and develop the company, to further improve our already strong customer value propositions and to invest more in technology solutions that consumers are asking for and that our company will benefit from. So, I’m most excited by the fact that this solid foundation gives us a lot of freedom to create opportunities for the future.” 

6. Where do you see the company in 10 more years?  

“Well, first, I see myself as still being a very proud shopper at our brands. As for the company, hopefully we will have more brands and operate in more geographies, because I think scale through expansion is important. And I believe our omnichannel strategy, that we launched 10 years ago, will remain super valid and relevant – and I hope that we’ll get even smarter in meeting customer expectations. Technology will further fuel us here. 

I believe the food retail journey will change quite a lot in the next decade. Speed will be important, and sustainably sourced products will be an even bigger differentiator for customers. I hope we will still have a strong purpose and contribute to society, making sure people can find affordable, healthy, sustainably sourced food, helping them with their health and feeding families in an affordable way. That is the cornerstone of our company.

I believe we will also be an even better employer for young people, that our purpose will attract folks who want to be a part of it and that they will enjoy the diversity of the teams, that they feel welcome, that they can make an impact, and learn from each other. And at the same time, of course, continue to win in our markets, because I believe this is what happens when you bring people together with the right purpose and the right strategy.” 

“I believe the food retail journey will change quite a lot in the next decade”   

7. Will physical stores remain important in the future? 

“Actually, the combination of physical stores and online shopping will continue to be a very strong proposition for the future. While I believe that share of e-commerce will rise, people will still like to see what we have to offer, shop for themselves and get inspiration, new ideas and new recipes. Our convenient network of close to 10,000 stores not only provides that shopping experience but also has an important function in the community and society. 

While there will always be a part of our customer base that only shops online or only shops in the stores, in 10 years’ time, I think offering both - through omnichannel - will be an even more powerful proposition.” 

8. How do you see assortments changing?  

“We might see a reduction in center store assortments and expansion of produce and fresh products. While our large assortments, particularly in the U.S., are important, these changes will make it easier for customers to make choices. I believe our total store size in Europe will be more focused on smaller stores at a higher density. We will also have a higher own-brand participation, and it will be increasingly important to pursue efficiency in the supply chain that makes high-quality groceries more affordable to customers.”  

9. Personalization is very popular with our customers. What will this be like in five or 10 years’ time – and is Ahold Delhaize prepared? 

“Our customers expect us to understand them very well. They want to be addressed in a way that is relevant to them when it comes to promotions, inspiration, and recipes. This will only become more important – in the future, consumers will no longer accept irrelevant or middle-of-the road promotions.  

Ahold Delhaize’s brands can be a very, very good partner in catering to customers’ needs in this way because we have invested heavily in data, loyalty and personalization. We have all the tools we need – whether it is AI or predictive tools and predictive analytics – to make things hyper personalized for customers. And we have the opportunity to be even more precise and seamless in how we do it, while also taking the utmost care to protect customers’ privacy. So, I think there are more exciting things to come!” 

10. How important is the role of local communities for our local brands and Ahold Delhaize? 

“We sometimes get questions about whether it makes sense to operate our 17 great local brands. People wonder if it’s less efficient compared to having only one banner. But I'm convinced that retail is very local, and our great local brands enable us to be closely connected to our communities and understand local customers, farmers and vendors – a very important element in our strategy. Being close to communities and being that trusted partner for customers has only become increasingly important over the past 10 years.” 

11. Any final words for the Ahold Delhaize team?  

“I wish you all a great time in the coming 10 years. Let's look into the future with a lot of confidence because a good company with great people can do even more than we have already done in the last 10 years – and that makes me super hopeful and confident. All the best to you!” 

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.