- DEEN intends to sell the 80 stores, the distribution centers in Hoorn and Beverwijk, remaining business units, and the head office in Hoorn
- The intention is to convert 39 stores to the Albert Heijn formula, 22 stores to the Vomar Voordeelmarkt and 19 to the Dekamarkt formula
- Store associates will keep their job. Parties expressed an intention to ensure maximum job retention for the remaining activities
- Financial details have not been released
- Superunie purchase conditions have been secured and will remain shielded from Albert Heijn
- The transaction is subject to the customary closing conditions, including approval of the competition authorities, alignment with the trade unions and the advice of the work councils involved
- It is expected that the transactions will be finalized in the second half of the year
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.
