Delhaize Group
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFormer Belgian multinational food-retail group that merged with Ahold in 2016 to create Ahold Delhaize.
Last updated August 21, 2026
Overview
Delhaize Group was a Belgian multinational food-retail company whose origins traced to a grocery business established near Charleroi in 1867 by Jules Delhaize and his brothers Auguste, Edouard and Adolphe, with assistance from Jules Vieujant. The founders adopted a lion as the company emblem and the motto “unity is strength,” symbols that became closely associated with the Delhaize retail identity. Over time, the business developed from a Belgian grocery operation into an international retail group operating supermarkets, neighborhood stores, convenience formats, specialty outlets and wholesale activities. The group’s principal business was food retailing. Its stores sold groceries, fresh food, beverages, household products and other everyday necessities, while certain operations also offered pet-care, health-and-beauty and other non-food merchandise. The company combined directly operated stores with franchised and affiliated outlets. At the end of 2014, its sales network comprised 3,402 locations and approximately 150,000 employees, excluding associates connected with divested or discontinued operations. Supermarkets accounted for the large majority of the network’s sales activity. Delhaize expanded beyond Belgium through a combination of acquisitions, organic development and partnerships. Its most important international platform was in the United States, where it entered in 1983 by acquiring Food Town Stores. Because of a naming conflict, the American chain was renamed Food Lion. Delhaize expanded Food Lion substantially and later operated other U.S. businesses, including Hannaford Brothers Company, Kash n' Karry and Bottom Dollar Food. Some of these chains were subsequently sold or discontinued. Delhaize also developed retail operations in Greece, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Romania and Serbia, while exiting several other markets as part of portfolio restructuring. The company pursued acquisitions in its home market and southeastern Europe. In 2005 it acquired Belgian supermarket chain Cash Fresh for €118.6 million and separately purchased related real-estate assets for €51 million. In 2011 it acquired Serbian retailer Delta Maxi, strengthening its presence in the Balkans. At the same time, Delhaize withdrew from markets where it considered its competitive position insufficient, including the Czech Republic, Germany, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the United States, its Harveys, Sweetbay and Reid’s businesses were sold to BI-LO in 2013, while Bottom Dollar stores were sold to Aldi after the chain closed in January 2015. For 2014, Delhaize reported revenue of €21.4 billion and underlying operating profit of €762 million. Its American operations, particularly Food Lion and Hannaford, and its Belgian business were the principal contributors to the group’s international footprint. The company also participated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program to improve energy efficiency across its American facilities. Delhaize’s independent corporate existence ended through its combination with the Dutch retailer Ahold. On 24 June 2015, the two companies announced an agreement to merge under a new holding company, Ahold Delhaize. Shareholders and competition authorities approved the transaction in July 2016, after which Delhaize Group ceased to operate as an independent listed group. Ahold CEO Dick Boer led the combined company initially, while Frans Muller, who had been Delhaize’s chief executive, became deputy CEO and chief integration officer. Muller later became CEO of Ahold Delhaize in 2018.
History
Delhaize Group began in 1867 near Charleroi, Belgium, when Jules Delhaize and his brothers Auguste, Edouard and Adolphe established a grocery enterprise with assistance from Jules Vieujant. The founders selected a lion as their emblem and used the motto “unity is strength,” creating a visual and organizational identity that remained associated with the business. The company’s early development reflected the wider transformation of grocery retail from small independent shops toward organized, multi-store distribution. During the twentieth century, Delhaize developed a substantial Belgian retail network and gradually expanded internationally. Its core model centered on food supermarkets, but the group also operated smaller neighborhood and convenience formats, specialty stores and wholesale operations serving parts of its own network. The company later built an important U.S. presence. In 1983 it entered the American market through the purchase of Food Town Stores. The chain was renamed Food Lion because of a naming conflict, and Delhaize expanded it from 22 stores to 226. In 1985 the group became a Cub Foods franchisee and opened stores in the Atlanta area. In 1996 it acquired Florida grocery chain Kash n' Karry; both the Cub Foods operations and Kash n' Karry were eventually sold. Delhaize continued to adjust its geographic portfolio through acquisitions and exits. The acquisition of Cash Fresh in Belgium was completed in 2005, with a separate purchase of related real-estate assets. The group left the Czech market in 2007 by selling 97 supermarkets to Billa. It withdrew from Germany in 2009, selling four stores in Aachen and Cologne to REWE Group. In 2011, the purchase of Delta Maxi gave Delhaize a larger position in Serbia and other parts of the Balkans. The group’s restructuring continued in the United States and southeastern Europe. Delhaize sold Harveys, Sweetbay and Reid’s to BI-LO in 2013. It also sold its Montenegro locations in 2013 and its Bosnia and Herzegovina locations in 2014. In the United States, Bottom Dollar Food was closed in January 2015 and its locations were sold to Aldi. These transactions reflected a strategy of concentrating resources on markets and banners with stronger long-term prospects, especially Food Lion, Hannaford and the Belgian business. At the end of 2014, Delhaize’s network included 3,402 directly operated, franchised and affiliated stores across seven countries and three continents, with approximately 150,000 employees when excluded discontinued and divested operations were not counted. Supermarkets generated most of the sales-network activity, while the wider portfolio included convenience, neighborhood and specialty formats. The company also sold pet products, health-and-beauty items and other non-food goods, and it supplied stores through food-wholesale activities. Delhaize reported 2014 revenue of €21.4 billion and underlying operating profit of €762 million. On 24 June 2015, Delhaize and Ahold announced an agreement to merge. The transaction created Ahold Delhaize, a new parent company headquartered in the Netherlands. Following shareholder and competition-authority approvals in July 2016, the merger was completed and Delhaize Group ceased to exist as an independent company. Dick Boer initially served as CEO of the combined group, while Delhaize chief executive Frans Muller became deputy CEO and chief integration officer. Muller later became CEO of Ahold Delhaize in July 2018.
- 2016
Independent existence ends
[1]The approved merger with Ahold is completed, creating Ahold Delhaize.
- 2015
Merger agreement with Ahold
[1]Delhaize and Ahold agree to combine under the Ahold Delhaize holding company.
- 2011
Delta Maxi acquisition
[1]Delhaize acquires Serbian retailer Delta Maxi.
- 2009
German-market exit
[1]Delhaize sells its four German stores to REWE Group.
- 2007
Czech-market exit
[1]The company sells its 97 Czech supermarkets to Billa.
- 2005
Cash Fresh acquisition
[1]Delhaize completes its acquisition of Belgian supermarket chain Cash Fresh and related real-estate assets.
- 1983
Entry into the United States
[1]Delhaize enters the U.S. market by acquiring Food Town Stores, later renamed Food Lion.
- 1867
Delhaize is founded in Belgium
[1]Jules Delhaize and his brothers Auguste, Edouard and Adolphe establish the grocery business near Charleroi, adopting the lion as its emblem.
Products and positioning
Multinational supermarket and food-retail group serving consumers through large supermarkets, neighborhood stores, convenience formats, specialty outlets and affiliated retail networks.
Supermarket retail · 1867
Delhaize supermarkets
The group’s principal Belgian and international format consisted of supermarkets selling fresh food, packaged groceries, beverages, household necessities and selected non-food items. Delhaize also used smaller neighborhood, convenience and specialty formats, alongside franchised and affiliated stores.
U.S. supermarket chain · 1983
Food Lion
Food Lion was Delhaize’s principal U.S. supermarket banner. It originated with the 1983 acquisition of Food Town Stores and was renamed because of a naming conflict. Delhaize expanded the chain substantially and retained it as one of its major American retail businesses.
U.S. supermarket chain
Hannaford
Hannaford Brothers Company was one of Delhaize Group’s principal U.S. supermarket operations, contributing to the group’s American scale alongside Food Lion.
Balkan supermarket retail · 2011
Delta Maxi
Delta Maxi was a Serbian retail business acquired by Delhaize in 2011. The transaction expanded the group’s presence in Serbia and supported its broader Balkan strategy.
U.S. discount supermarket
Bottom Dollar Food
Bottom Dollar Food was a U.S. discount-oriented supermarket banner operated by Delhaize. Its stores closed in January 2015 and the locations were sold to Aldi.
Marketing campaigns
- Energy Star participation
United States
Delhaize Group’s U.S. operations participated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program as part of efforts to manage energy efficiency across American facilities.
Outcome. Energy-efficiency initiative documented as part of the group’s U.S. operating practices.
Brand decisions
2015
Agree to merge with AholdM&ABackground
Delhaize and Ahold pursued a combination intended to create a larger international food-retail group.
Action taken
The companies agreed to form Ahold Delhaize, subject to shareholder and competition-authority approval.
Aftermath
The transaction was approved and completed in 2016, ending Delhaize Group’s status as an independent company.
2011
Acquire Delta MaxiM&ABackground
Delhaize wanted to strengthen its position in southeastern Europe and the Balkans.
Action taken
The group acquired Serbian retailer Delta Maxi.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Delhaize’s Serbian retail footprint.
1983
Acquire Food Town Stores and enter the U.S. marketM&ABackground
Delhaize sought international growth beyond its Belgian base.
Action taken
The company acquired Food Town Stores and subsequently renamed the chain Food Lion because of a naming conflict.
Aftermath
Food Lion became one of Delhaize’s principal American businesses and expanded substantially.
Recent events
- 2016
Ahold Delhaize merger receives approval[1]
M&A · Regulation
Shareholders and competition authorities approved the combination, ending Delhaize Group’s independent corporate existence.
- 2015
Delhaize and Ahold agree to merge[1]
M&A
Delhaize reached an agreement with Dutch retailer Ahold to form the combined parent company Ahold Delhaize.
- 2014
Delhaize sells Bottom Dollar stores to Aldi[1]
M&A
Delhaize agreed to sell its Bottom Dollar Food locations in the United States to Aldi; the stores closed in January 2015 before the transaction was completed.
- 2013
Delhaize sells Harveys, Sweetbay and Reid’s[1]
M&A
The company sold the three U.S. supermarket chains to BI-LO for $265 million.
- 2013
Delhaize divests operations in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina[1]
Other
The group sold its locations in Montenegro in 2013 and its locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014.
- 2011
Delhaize acquires Delta Maxi[1]
M&A
The group acquired Serbian retailer Delta Maxi, expanding its Balkan retail presence.
- 2009
Delhaize exits Germany[1]
Other
Delhaize announced the sale of its four German stores in Aachen and Cologne to REWE Group, ending its German operations.
- 2007
Delhaize exits the Czech market[1]
Other
The group sold its 97 Czech supermarkets to Billa after operating in the country for 16 years.
- 2005
Delhaize acquires Cash Fresh in Belgium[1]
M&A
Delhaize completed the acquisition of Belgian supermarket chain Cash Fresh and separately acquired associated real-estate assets.
Sources1 sources
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