Ahold Delhaize has undertaken a substantial package of commitments to address the concerns expressed by the Romanian Competition Council related to this transaction, with the aim of ensuring stability and predictability in the Romanian retail market, in particular with regard to the commercial partners of the two networks (Mega Image and Profi). Ahold Delhaize has also committed to divest a number of stores to its competitors, without interrupting their activity and ensuring the protection of their staff. The proposed commitments demonstrate the company's interest in ensuring transparency among its commercial partners and reconfirm Ahold Delhaize's commitment to offer consumers quality products at a competitive price.
Profi is one of Romania's largest long-established retailers, operating 1,751 stores across the country. It is known for its extensive product assortment and value to customers. In the financial year ended June 2024, the company posted sales of €2.7 billion.
Claude Sarrailh, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia: “We are pleased with the confirmation received from the Competition Council and look forward to welcoming the Profi team to our family of prestigious local brands after the transaction is formalized. Romania is an attractive market, with continued growth in population wealth and purchasing power, driven by solid economic fundamentals. Our teams are ready for the next steps to facilitate a smooth transition for the Profi team after the transaction is finalized.”
The acquisition will strengthen the Romanian operations of Ahold Delhaize Group, which operates locally under the Mega Image brand and has 977 stores, mainly in urban areas. The combination of the two brands will complement and expand Ahold Delhaize's presence in Romania to better serve both urban and rural areas. The excellent compatibility of the two brands Profi and Mega Image and their complementary offerings will enable them to better meet the demands of the Romanian consumer, driving both sales growth and benefits for customers.
Jesper Lauridsen, COO Ahold Delhaize Central and Southeastern Europe: “We are very pleased with the decision of the Competition Council and look forward to the next step in this process. By maintaining and further developing the two brands Mega Image and Profi in Romania, we will be able to capitalize on our expertise, while at the same time resizing our presence in Central and Southern Europe, to the benefit of the local market and local customers.”
Mircea Moga, CEO Mega Image Romania: “Mega Image has a long and successful experience as a prestigious local brand of Ahold Delhaize. Our focus on building strong ties with local communities of producers and consumers combines perfectly with Ahold Delhaize's digital expertise and innovative capabilities. Once Profi joins Ahold Delhaize, the complementarity of the two brands, combined with Ahold Delhaize's high-performance operational platforms, will create new market development opportunities and bring additional benefits and innovative solutions for Romanian consumers, as well as our employees and partners.”
