Albert Heijn customers and employees celebrate 125th anniversary
Zaandam, the Netherlands – It’s Albert Heijn’s 125th anniversary year, and it’s celebration time. The supermarket is commemorating 125 years of Albert Heijn stores in many ways and at various times. Local festivities kick off on Monday, with all Albert Heijn locations – its stores, distribution centers and head office – celebrating in their own unique ways.
125 years for everyone
Albert Heijn in the Netherlands means different things to different people, but plays a role in many people’s lives. The store is keen to celebrate its 125th anniversary with customers, employees and business partners. So far this year, the celebrations have taken many different forms: in April, young Albert Heijn customers played shopkeeper with miniature products (peanut butter and bananas, for instance); Albert Heijn employee Elske Haverkamp of the Hengelo store won the talent show for employees in June; and in August, some 175 Albert Heijn suppliers held open days to show customers where Albert Heijn’s products are sourced. This week, all Albert Heijn locations will mark the occasion in their own unique ways.
Local party
Albert Heijn wants to be the trusted store for people to do their daily shopping and wants to actively contribute to daily life in local neighborhoods. It is looking to celebrate its 125th anniversary with the local communities in which its stores are based. And so it’s party time at local Albert Heijn stores from September 17 through 23, with every one of them celebrating individually. The Rotterdam stores, for instance, have linked up with neighborhood associations to celebrate local residents’ birthdays, while the Schagen Albert Heijn store has opted to go back in time: some of its employees will don old-fashioned greengrocers’ aprons and will serve their customers in a store entirely fitted out in the style of olden times. In Huizen (Oostermeent), local customers will be invited to take a food exploration journey around the world.
