History
Ahold Delhaize was formed in July 2016 from the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group.[16][17] Delhaize Group dates back to 1867, when the Delhaize brothers opened a shop in Charleroi, Belgium. Ahold, originally named Albert Heijn N.V., started in 1887 when Albert Heijn bought the general store of his father in the Dutch town of Oostzaan. He gave the store his name and transformed it into a modern specialized grocery together with his wife, Neeltje Heijn. After a few years, he owned a chain of Dutch stores.
In 2018, the company experienced significant growth in the United States (Food Lion), the Netherlands, and online.[18] Growth in Belgium has been minimal.[18]
With around 380,000 employees in almost 7,000 stores, the company achieved a turnover of 66 billion euros in 2019.[19]
From 2019 to 2022, the company funded a research project at Delft University of Technology exploring the use of robotics and artificial intelligence in retail, including the potential ability to stock groceries on shelves.[20][21]
Beginning in June 2020, Ahold Delhaize implemented a partnership with Instacart to provide home delivery from more than 750 stores operated under the Hannaford, Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop brands.[22] The company further expanded in the United States with the acquisition of a majority stake in FreshDirect, an online grocer. As of 2021, Ahold Delhaize has plans to establish Ship2Me, an online marketplace featuring food and merchandise items, in the second half of the year.[23]
In November 2023, Ahold Delhaize sold FreshDirect to Turkish company Getir.[24] Part of the reason for the sale was so that Ahold Delhaize, specifically Ahold Delhaize USA, could focus more on the "omnichannel experience" and to strengthen its presence in supermarkets and online.
As of 2023, Ahold Delhaize announced the acquisition of Romanian retailer Profi for approximately €1.3 billion from Mid Europa Partners.[25]
In 2025, Ahold Delhaize disclosed that it had been the target of a 2024 cyberattack, which resulted in the exfiltration of personal data for upwards of 2.2 million current and former employees (as well as their dependents and beneficiaries).[26][27]
