Delhaize Group

{{Short description|Former Belgian multinational retail company}}

{{Distinguish|text=the Louis Delhaize Group, another retail group headquartered in Charleroi, Belgium}}

{{Infobox company

|name = Delhaize Group SA

|logo = Delhaize Group logo.svg

|type = Société anonyme

|fate = Merged with Ahold

|successor = Ahold Delhaize

|foundation = {{start date and age|1867}}

|defunct = {{end date and age|df=yes|2016|7|24}}

|location = Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium

|locations = 3,534 in Europe, North America and Asia (2013){{Cite web |url=http://annualreport.delhaizegroup.com/?lang=en |title=Company Annual Report |access-date=27 October 2014 |archive-date=15 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115094502/http://annualreport.delhaizegroup.com/?lang=en |url-status=dead }}

|key_people = {{plainlist|

Frans Muller {{small|(CEO)}}
Mats Jansson {{small|(Chairman)}}
Kevin Holt {{small|(CEO, Delhaize America)}}

}}

|industry = {{ubl|Retail|Wholesaling}}

|services = Supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores

|num_employees =

|revenue = €21.1 billion (2013)

|profit = €487 million (2013)

|assets = €11.6 billion (end 2013)

|equity = €5.076 billion (end 2013)

|homepage = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20160716013027/http://www.delhaizegroup.com:80/en/Home.aspx|delhaizegroup.com}}

}}

Delhaize Group SA ({{IPA|fr|də'lɛːz}}, {{IPA|nl|də'leːzə}}) was a Belgian multinational retail company headquartered in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Brussels, Belgium,"[http://delhaizegroup.com/en/Contacts.aspx Contacts] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522055415/http://www.delhaizegroup.com/en/Contacts.aspx |date=22 May 2012 }}." Delhaize Group. Retrieved on 10 March 2016. "Osseghemstraat 53 1080 Brussels – Belgium" and operated in seven countries and on three continents. The principal activity of Delhaize Group was the operation of food supermarkets. On 24 June 2015, Delhaize reached an agreement with Ahold to merge and form a new parent/holding company headquartered in the Netherlands: Ahold Delhaize.{{cite web|url=http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/942/Economie/article/detail/2373562/2015/06/23/Hoofdkantoor-Ahold-Delhaize-komt-in-Nederland.dhtml|title="Hoofdkantoor Ahold-Delhaize komt in Nederland"|last=redactie|date=23 June 2015|access-date=3 June 2017}}

History

Delhaize was founded near Charleroi, Belgium, in 1867 by Jules Delhaize and his brothers Auguste, Edouard and Adolphe. He was helped in this endeavor by his future brother-in-law, Jules Vieujant.{{cite news | url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dst05072003_094 | title=De onversaagde kruideniers van Delhaize | work=De Standaard | date=5 July 2007 | access-date=30 October 2014 | author=Dendooven, Pascal | language=nl}} For their new shop, they chose the lion, the symbol of strength, as their logo. They also chose a motto: unity is strength.{{cite web|url=http://www.delhaizegroup.com/en/Home/OurHistory.aspx|title=Delhaize Company's Our History|access-date=3 June 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720055058/http://www.delhaizegroup.com/en/Home/OurHistory.aspx|archive-date=20 July 2012}}

File:Wavre hôtel de Ville 003.jpg, {{circa}}1900]]

In 2005, Delhaize Group completed the acquisition of the Belgian supermarket chain Cash Fresh for 118.6 million euros. Delhaize paid an additional 51 million euros to acquire real estate assets of Cash Fresh.{{Cite web|url=https://progressivegrocer.com/delhaize-group-completes-cash-fresh-acquisition|title=Delhaize Group Completes Cash Fresh Acquisition|website=Progressive Grocer|date=June 2005 |language=en|access-date=2019-11-20}}{{Cite web |date=2009-04-18 |title=Key Figures |url=http://www.delhaizegroup.com/divclassdg_MenuText_RedTHEGROUPdiv/KeyFigures/tabid/85/Default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418171614/http://www.delhaizegroup.com/divclassdg_MenuText_RedTHEGROUPdiv/KeyFigures/tabid/85/Default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-04-18 |access-date=2022-05-01 }}

As of 31 December 2014, Delhaize Group had a sales network (which includes directly operated, franchised, and affiliated stores) of 3,402 stores and employed approximately 150,000 people (excluding the stores and related associates of divested and discontinued operations). Store formats are primarily supermarkets, which represent 85% of Delhaize Group's sales network. Delhaize Group's sales network also includes other store formats such as neighborhood stores, convenience stores, and specialty stores. The company is actively engaged with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program to manage energy efficiency across its U.S. facilities.{{cite web|title=Hannaford Supermarket First to Achieve LEED Platinum Rating|url=http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2009/07/23/new-hannaford-supermarket-first-achieve-leed-platinum-green-rating|website=www.greenbiz.com|date=23 July 2009 |publisher=Greenbiz Group|access-date=28 October 2014}}

In addition to food retailing, Delhaize Group engages in food wholesaling to stores in its sales network and in nonfood retailing of products such as pet products and health and beauty products.

In 2014, Delhaize Group recorded revenue of €21.4 billion and underlying operating profit of €762 million. Delhaize Group's operations are located primarily in the United States (Food Lion LLC, Hannaford Brothers Company) and Belgium. Other operations are located in Greece, Indonesia, Serbia, Luxembourg and Romania.

Delhaize entered the U.S. market through its acquisition of Food Town Stores in 1983, renaming it Food Lion due to name conflict with other stores, and expanding from 22 stores to 226. In 1985, it became a franchisee for Cub Foods and opened the first of many stores in the Atlanta area and in 1996, acquired Kash n' Karry, a Florida grocery chain. Both its Cub Foods stores, and the Kash n' Karry chain have since been sold by Delhaize.

In 2007, the company left the Czech market after 16 years and sold all of its 97 supermarkets to Billa.[http://www.delvita.cz/index.php?node=3&leaf=359 BILLA ČR zdvojnásobí podíl na trhu, obrat, počet prodejen i zaměstnanců] (BILLA ČR will double its market share, sales, number of supermarkets and employees) [https://web.archive.org/web/20071226182922/http://www.delvita.cz/index.php?node=3&leaf=359 archived copy] (Delvita press release, 1 June 2007) On 19 January 2009 Delhaize announced on request that the branches in Aachen and Cologne should be sold. In 2009, the company left the German market after 6 years and sold all of its 4 supermarkets to REWE Group.{{Cite news|url=https://www.aachener-zeitung.de/lokales/aachen-detail-az/786627?_link=&skip=&_g=Delhaize-sucht-Kaeufer-fuer-Maerkte.html|title=Delhaize sucht Käufer für Märkte|newspaper=Aachener Zeitung |language=German|accessdate=1 April 2023}} In 2011, Delhaize acquired Serbian retailer Delta Maxi.{{cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2011/07/27/food-lion-parent-delhaize-buys-delta.html|title= Food Lion parent Delhaize buys Delta Maxi|date=27 July 2011|work=Charlotte Business Journal|access-date=29 October 2014}}

In May 2013, Harveys was sold along with sister supermarket chains Sweetbay and Reid's to BI-LO, LLC for $265 million.[http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/tampa-based-sweetbay-supermarkets-sold/2123492 Tampa-based Sweetbay supermarkets sold, Tampa Bay Times, 28 May 2013]{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

The locations in Montenegro were sold in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1383/delhaize-group-announces-agreement-on-sale-of-maxi-mini-maxi-and-tempo-stores-i.aspx|title=Delhaize Press Release – sale of MaxiMiniMaxi and Tempo stores|access-date=3 June 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413142654/http://delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1383/delhaize-group-announces-agreement-on-sale-of-maxi-mini-maxi-and-tempo-stores-i.aspx|archive-date=13 April 2014}} The locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina were sold in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1462/delhaize-group-announces-agreement-on-sale-of-bosnian-herzegovinian-stores.aspx|title=Delhaize Press Release – sale of Bosnian-Herzegovinian stores|access-date=3 June 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145938/http://delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1462/delhaize-group-announces-agreement-on-sale-of-bosnian-herzegovinian-stores.aspx|archive-date=13 April 2014}}

In November 2014, Delhaize Group signed an agreement to sell its Bottom Dollar food store locations in the U.S. to Aldi, Inc. The stores were closed on 12 January 2015, and the transaction was completed early 2015.{{Cite web|date=6 November 2014|title=Bottom Dollar Food to close all locations in deal with Aldi|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/morning-edition/2014/11/bottom-dollar-food-to-close-all-locations-in-deal.html|access-date=17 December 2020|website=bizjournals}}

On 24 June 2015, Delhaize reached an agreement with Ahold to merge, forming a new parent company, Ahold Delhaize.{{cite web |url=http://delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1670/ahold-and-delhaize-announce-intention-to-merge.aspx |title=Other Press Releases View |access-date=2015-08-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919045725/http://www.delhaizegroup.com/en/PublicationsCenter/OtherPressReleases/OtherPressReleasesView/tabid/301/Article/1670/ahold-and-delhaize-announce-intention-to-merge.aspx |archive-date=19 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.pressherald.com/2015/06/24/hannaford-to-merge-with-european-supermarket-chain/|title=Growing Dutch company eats up Maine-based Hannaford chain|work=The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram|date=24 June 2015 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/06/24/stop-shop-parent-purchase-owner-hannaford/ifiRMvCLZFf1Fbf0uVAdQI/story.html|title=Stop & Shop parent to purchase owner of Hannaford – Business – The Boston Globe|work=BostonGlobe.com}} The merger agreement was signed after approval by shareholders and competition authorities on 23 July 2016.{{Cite news |title=Supermarktketten Ahold und Delhaize schliessen sich zusammen {{!}} NZZ |language=de |work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung |url=https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/kurzmeldungen/fusion-perfekt-supermarktketten-ahold-und-delhaize-schliessen-sich-zusammen-ld.107324?reduced=true |access-date=2022-05-01}} Ahold CEO Dick Boer became CEO of the merged company until his retirement in July 2018, with Frans Muller, CEO of Delhaize initially as deputy CEO and chief integration officer under supervision of Dick Boer.{{cite web|title=Ahold, Delhaize complete merger agreement|url=http://supermarketnews.com/ahold-delhaize-merger/ahold-delhaize-complete-merger-agreement|access-date=26 June 2015|website=supermarketnews.com|date=24 June 2015}} Frans Muller succeeded as CEO in July 2018.{{cite press release|url=https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/04/05/1465425/0/en/Ahold-Delhaize-CEO-Dick-Boer-retires-Frans-Muller-appointed-as-successor-effective-July-1-2018.html|title=Ahold Delhaize CEO Dick Boer retires; Frans Muller appointed as successor effective July 1, 2018|first=Ahold|last=Delhaize|date=5 April 2018 |access-date=8 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.retaildetail.eu/en/news/food/frans-muller-succeeds-dick-boer-ahold-delhaize|title=Frans Muller succeeds Dick Boer at Ahold Delhaize|date=5 April 2018|website=www.retaildetail.eu|access-date=8 July 2018}}