Ahold Delhaize is divesting 87 stores in Romania to local chain Annabella. That was a condition set by the Romanian Competition Authority (RCC) when it approved Ahold Delhaize’s acquisition of Profi early this year.
Annabella doubles in size
The new owner, Annabella, is a family-owned company with more than thirty years of experience in the Romanian market. With the addition of the 87 stores, the chain suddenly more than doubles in size: before the acquisition, the company had 57 stores and 730 employees.
82 of the 87 stores to be sold are currently operated by Profi, the remaining five belong to Mega Image, Ahold Delhaize’s other Romanian brand. However, the transaction still needs official approval from the RCC: the transfer is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Ahold Delhaize purchased Profi in early January for 1.3 billion euros. Profi operates 1,700 supermarkets and convenience stores. With the acquisition, Ahold Delhaize doubled its presence in Romania, where it already had nearly 1,000 Mega Image stores. According to the company, the combination of Profi and Mega Image provides stronger coverage in both urban and rural areas.
