Ahold - food industry company news 
Talking shop: Amazon's fresh step in fledgling US online grocery
13 June 2013
Amazon has made another stride in taking on US food retailers with the roll out of its fresh grocery business into the second most populous city in the US, Los Angeles. The move is sure to make other players in the market sit up and take notice but will it be enough to really shake up the US online grocery channel and give it the much needed boost it requires? Michelle Russell takes a look.
Comment: Amazon looks to take bigger bite of online grocery
6 June 2013
Online retail giant Amazon is said to be preparing to take on the well-established US food market with a major roll-out of its fresh grocery business, a move that could make other players sit up and take notice.
NETHERLANDS: Sales up, profits mixed at Ahold
4 June 2013
First-quarter sales were up at Dutch retailer Ahold but the profit picture was mixed, with the disposal of its ICA business boosting the bottom line but operating earnings flat.
The week ahead - Ahold, Tesco & Smucker results; free-from & export events
3 June 2013
Retail majors Ahold and Tesco are preparing to announce first-quarter results, while bakery group Aryzta and US spreads firm JM Smucker look set to detail continued progress in growing profits over the past year. Meanwhile, we can expect free-from to take centre stage in two European trade shows and UK exporters will be discussing opportunities in CEE countries.
US: PE firm Cerberus "eyes more retail deals"
24 May 2013
Private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, which earlier this year bought five food retail chains from Supervalu Inc, is said to be looking at more targets - including regional grocer Harris Teeter.
US: Harris Teeter in ongoing sale talks
10 May 2013
Regional US retailer Harris Teeter has said talks with a number of companies about an acquisition of the group are "ongoing".
What the analysts say - Delhaize CEO departure, Q1 results
8 May 2013
In two separate announcements this morning (8 May), Belgian retailer Delhaize Group revealed its CEO Pierre-Olivier Beckers is to retire at the end of the year and that it had returned to profit in the first quarter. Analysts gave a mixed view of the announcements.
SWEDEN: Retailer ICA records "positive" Q1
29 April 2013
Swedish retailer ICA said it started the year on a "positive note", despite booking a drop in first-quarter profit hit by one-off costs.
Comment: Sovereign, pension funds to vie for M&A with trade, PE
19 April 2013
Could sovereign wealth funds and pension funds become more active participants in deal-making in the FMCG industry? Perhaps so, writes Dean Best.
NETHERLANDS: Ahold's Albert Heijn relaunches entry-level own label
12 April 2013
Albert Heijn, the largest grocer in the Netherlands, has relaunched its entry-level private-label range to the "cheap and cheerful" AH Basic.
QATAR/INDIA: Qatari vehicle Hassad Food buys majority of India's Bush Foods
4 April 2013
Qatari investment vehicle Hassad Foods has bought a majority stake in Indian food supplier Bush Foods Overseas.
CZECH: Ahold to appoint Tesco's Lauridsen Czech CEO
8 March 2013
Dutch retail giant Ahold is to appoint Tesco executive Jesper Lauridsen to head up its operations in the Czech Republic.
What the analysts say - Concern over US clouds Delhaize results
7 March 2013
Belgium-based retailer Delhaize Group this morning (7 March) reported a drop in profits in 2012 as costs from store closures and impairment charges hit its bottom line. The retailer also cut its full-year gross dividend. Analysts gave a relatively upbeat view of the results but pointed to concerns over the group's US operations.
NETHERLANDS: Ahold chairman Dahan to step down
6 March 2013
Dutch retail giant Ahold has said the chairman of its supervisory board, Rene Dahan, is to step down.
US: Publix "interested" in regional retailer Harris Teeter
4 March 2013
US supermarket group Publix is reported to be interested in purchasing regional US retailer Harris Teeter.
On the money: Ahold looks to M&A for shareholder returns
1 March 2013
Dutch retail giant Ahold said the firm has the strength in its balance sheet to consider acquisition opportunities as one way of driving shareholder returns in 2013.
What the analysts say - Ahold's 2012 results
1 March 2013
Analysts in the main welcomed Ahold's performance in the last quarter of 2012 and the year as a whole. However, there was some concern about trends around margins.
NETHERLANDS: Ahold reports mixed 2012, to buy back shares
28 February 2013
Ahold today (28 February) booked mixed profit figures for 2012, with pension charges and IT costs hitting reported earnings but underlying results improved on 2011.
US: Muller, PepsiCo expand yoghurt distribution
27 February 2013
Muller Quaker Dairy, the joint venture between Germany's Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller and PepsiCo, is expanding the distribution of its Muller yoghurt in the US.
US/FRANCE: Ahold "interested" in regional retailer Harris Teeter
22 February 2013
Dutch retailer Ahold is reported to be interested in purchasing regional US retailer Harris Teeter.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
18 February 2013
The food industry was rocked this week with what is set to be the largest-ever takeover in the food sector: Heinz sold to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway fund and 3G Capital for US$28bn. The horsemeat saga trundled on, with arrests in the UK, as well as the first set of industry-wide tests. Results also poured in from the likes of PepsiCo, Mondelez International and Nestle.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
18 February 2013
Two Hs dominated the headlines this week: horsemeat and Heinz. The horsemeat contamination scandal swept across Europe, with a series of recalls, government investigations and product tests. On Thursday, however, Heinz took the industry's attention with news it had accepted a US$28bn takeover bid - the largest-ever seen in the sector.
HORSEMEAT: Recalls in Norway, Belgium and Switzerland
14 February 2013
Retailers in Norway, Belgium and Switzerland have become the latest to pull products from shelves amid concerns their lines could contain horsemeat.
HORSEMEAT: Ahold, Metro Group pulls horsemeat products
14 February 2013
German retailer Metro Group and Dutch peer Ahold are among the latest firms to recall products after admitting certain lines contained horsemeat.
NETHERLANDS: Dutch retailers Plus, Boni recall lasagnes
13 February 2013
Two Dutch supermarket chains have become the latest European retailers to pull frozen lasagnes from shelves amid concerns the lines could contain horse meat.
Comment: Organic growth priority for prudent Ahold
13 February 2013
Ahold's exit from its ICA retail venture in Scandinavia and the Baltics looks set to net the Dutch company a cool US$3.4bn - but do not expect the Albert Heijn and Giant Food owner to go on an acquisition spree.
US: Harris Teeter tight-lipped over sale talks
13 February 2013
Harris Teeter Supermarkets has declined to comment on reports it is exploring strategic options including the possibility of a sale.
Interview: Full steam ahead for Hakon with ICA deal
12 February 2013
Sweden-based retailer ICA now has one owner after Ahold, the Dutch retail giant and its largest shareholder, sold out to venture partner Hakon Invest, the Swedish investment fund. Michelle Russell spoke with Hakon CFO Göran Blomberg about Hakon's strategy for the business and the benefits he hopes the deal will bring.
SWEDEN: Ahold sells stake in ICA to Hakon Invest
11 February 2013
Dutch retail giant Ahold has sold its stake in ICA, the Sweden-based retailer, to co-owner Hakon Invest.
just-food's outlook for 2013: the international retail scene
31 January 2013
2012 was undoubtedly a year of economic pressure for grocery retailers, as consumer spending continued to constrict. With little less pressure expected in 2013, will we see the trend towards internationalisation slow further? Michelle Russell takes a look at some of the key trends that will shape the international retail scene.
