Ahold Delhaize

Brussels, Belgium – Delhaize Group reported increases in net profit, same-store sales and revenues during the second quarter of fiscal 2013.  Net profit totaled $139.2 million, up 20% from the same quarter in the prior year. Same-store sales grew 1.1% in the U.S. and 0.8% in Belgium, while revenues came to roughly $7.1 billion, a year-over-year increase of 7.1%.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold USA has appointed Nick Bertram as its senior VP store strategy and execution, the supermarket operator said Thursday.

Bertram previoulsy worked for Jewel-Osco, where he oversaw operations across Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. He was also senior VP of Supervalu and worked in executive positions at Walmart in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. His new position at Ahold USA will be based out of the company's Carlisle, Pa., headquarters.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Ahold USA has appointed former Jewel-Osco executive Nick Bertram as its SVP store strategy and execution.

At Jewel-Osco, Bertram oversaw operations across Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. He was also SVP of Supervalu and worked in executive positions at Walmart in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. His new position at Ahold USA will be based out of the company's Carlisle, Pa., headquarters. 

Brussels, Belgium -- Belgian grocer Delhaize Group said that it has reached an agreement to sell 25 Maxi, Mini Maxi, and Tempo stores in Montenegro to Expo Commerce.

The transaction is slated to close in the fourth quarter, and Delhaize and Expo will enter into a franchise agreement to maintain the Maxi, Mini Maxi and Tempo names.

Chicago -- Online grocer Peapod is taking its “virtual grocery store” concept on the road in a new promotional campaign. The company unveiled the concept at commuter rail stations in Chicago and the Northeast less than a year ago,

Peapod, a division of Ahold USA, will field trucks installed with digital billboards of grocery aisles at community recreation centers, coffee sleeves at local cafes, concert venues and other places.  

Brussels, Belgium -- Jean-Pierre Hansen is resigning from the board of directors of The Delhaize Group effective June 30. Hansen, who initially joined in 2011, said the position required more time than he anticipated and he needed to attend to commitments in the energy sector and other unspecified duties.

“I have very much enjoyed working with great colleagues on the Board and wish the company well in its future growth," said Hansen.

Food Lion store manager Charles Inman got a big surprise on Monday when some folks from the Brussels-based home office of parent company Delhaize Group showed up at his store.
 
Inman was selected from more than 3,400 Delhaize Group store managers to receive the company’s Store Manager of the Year award and company officials decided to surprise Inman with a ceremony at his store in Clayton, N.C.

Royal Ahold CEO Dick Boer and Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke are the new co-chairs of global packaged goods organization the Consumer Goods Forum.
 
The selection of Boer and Bulcke was announced in conjunction with the CGF’s Global Summit in Tokyo. The pair replace outgoing co-chairs Muhtar Kent of the Coca-Cola Company and Gareth Ackerman of Pick n Pay. Ackerman and Denise Morrison, CEO of Campbell Soup Company, were appointed vice co-chairs of the forum.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Bi-Lo Holdings, parent company of the Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie grocery store brands, has entered into an agreement to buy three chains from Belgium-based Delhaize Group. Bi-Lo said it would acquire substantially all of the stores in the Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid’s supermarket chains from Delhaize for $265 million in cash.

New York -- A Reuters report citing unnamed sources said that Belgian grocer Delhaize is looking to sell its U.S.-based Sweetbay and Harveys units as the Food Lion parent looks to ramp up cost-cutting efforts here.

The sources told Reuters that Delhaize has retained Lazard Ltd. to sell off the two supermarket businesses. CEO Pierre-Olivier Beckers said the company was looking at options for the units, but didn’t comment directly on whether advisors had been appointed to conduct the sale.