Dutch retail giant Ahold has insisted it can help the struggling Ukrop Super Markets with the purchase of the US chain announced this morning (18 December).
Ahold, the owner of US retailer Giant-Carlisle, bought the Virginia-based grocer for US$140m in a deal that includes 25 stores, inventory, equipment, lease agreements and one new store location.
In the past year, however, Ukrop’s officials have publicly disclosed the chain’s struggles at drawing shoppers and sales and is understood to have been in talks with multiple bidders for a possible sale.
Jochem van de Laarschot, vice president of corporate communications for Ahold, told just-food the market has been “difficult” for many supermarket companies in the US.
“We believe that by combining and integrating Ukrop into Giant-Carlisle that we can help them in a number of ways. Of course, we have the advantage of our skill in the US with our existing operations and therefore we expect to be successful in putting them together.”

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By GlobalDataAhold said this morning that the purchase would allow it to expand its presence in the state, plans the company has been putting into practice since the reorganisation of its US and European operations last month.
“The reorganisation announced at the beginning of November is a very good example of the steps for growth that we are planning to make. It provides Giant-Carlisle with the opportunity to expand, particularly in the south of the current market area,” Laarschot said.
“It is a perfect match for our existing stores in Virginia. They are similar in many respects and we can combine the operations in a number of ways. For us it is an exceptional fit because the way Ukrop serves its customers is very similar to how we try to meet the needs of our customers at Giant stores.”
The transaction is expected to be finalised in the first quarter of the year, during which time Laarschot said the company will make a decision on whether it will begin Sunday trading and the sale of alcohol.
“We are considering making changes to the operation as we believe it is important to do to serve our customers but this is one of the elements that we will definitely consider and look at and consider in the next few months before the transaction is completed,” he said.
Ahold will hire all store associates with the purchase of Ukrop. However the company said it will “definitely look for opportunities” to also offer jobs to the 200 staff at Ukrop’s headquarters.
“They have been running a very good operations and it’s important to us that we continue to have a very strong foothold in the greater Richmond area,” he said.
Laarschot added that the company was “constantly” on the look-out for opportunities to grow its business both in Europe and the US.
“We stated quite clearly in November that Ahold is in a very strong position to grow, both organically, but also by making acquisitions and by expanding into adjacent market areas and that is why this is, even if it’s only 25 stores, significant because it’s a very good example of the steps that we plan to make going forward.”