Delhaize continues spin-off operation with 17 more stores

Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize has found acquirers for seventeen more supermarkets, making a total of 32 supermarkets sold – a quarter of all the stores under its own management. The opening date for the first fifteen shops has also been announced.

In several steps

Just as with the first fifteen supermarkets last month, the new owners are a mixture of those already operating one or more Delhaize shops (seven), current Delhaize employees (also seven) and external candidates, including some former Delhaize employees (three). The affected supermarkets should reopen as franchised shops in the coming months.

The retailer will announce additional acquisitions in the coming months. For the transition of all 128 shops to work properly, an approach in several steps is paramount, Delhaize stressed. On average, the transition period for a store lasts about ten weeks, during which a lot has to be done in terms of administration and IT.

Delhaize also announces the opening dates of the first batch of the fifteen supermarkets whose acquisition was announced on 7 August.