Ahold Streamlines Back-office Operations at Four U.S. Retail Companies
ZAANDAM, The Netherlands - Ahold, the international food retailer and foodservice operator, on Wednesday announced that four of its six U.S. retail companies are further restructuring their back-office operations.
Giant-Carlisle and Tops will pursue further integration of their merchandising and administrative functions, accelerating a process that began two years ago with the announcement of a shared services' arrangement between the two companies. BI-LO and Bruno's will begin the process of restructuring selected business and administrative functions.
Ahold said it expects the reorganization to strengthen customer focus, reduce costs and better position each unit to compete in today's marketplace.
"There will be little or no impact on store operations as all four companies will continue to operate their respective brands," said Bill Grize, Ahold corporate executive board member and president and CEO of Ahold USA Retail Operations. "The competitive benefits will be the efficiencies and economies of scale offered by streamlining activities in ways which don't affect our customers."
Ahold operates more than 1,600 stores grouped in six retail operating companies along the U.S. eastern seaboard: Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle, Tops, BI-LO and Bruno's. Sales from these operations amounted to $26.3 billion in 2002.
Giant-Carlisle and Tops will pursue further integration of their merchandising and administrative functions, accelerating a process that began two years ago with the announcement of a shared services' arrangement between the two companies. BI-LO and Bruno's will begin the process of restructuring selected business and administrative functions.
Ahold said it expects the reorganization to strengthen customer focus, reduce costs and better position each unit to compete in today's marketplace.
"There will be little or no impact on store operations as all four companies will continue to operate their respective brands," said Bill Grize, Ahold corporate executive board member and president and CEO of Ahold USA Retail Operations. "The competitive benefits will be the efficiencies and economies of scale offered by streamlining activities in ways which don't affect our customers."
Ahold operates more than 1,600 stores grouped in six retail operating companies along the U.S. eastern seaboard: Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle, Tops, BI-LO and Bruno's. Sales from these operations amounted to $26.3 billion in 2002.