The final gate has been cleared for the Ahold-Delhaize Merger, as the FTC has officially signed off on the deal that will create the fourth largest grocery company in the United States.
Delhaize, the current owner of Food Lion (among other grocery chains); and Ahold, current owner of Stop&Shop, completed the $29 billion merger shortly after receiving regulatory clearance by the FTC.
Delhaize is based in Belgium and Ahold is based in the Netherlands. The combined Ahold-Delhaize entity is on track to run up 61 percent of its revenue in the U.S. with 6,500 stores under a variety of names.
“Today marks the successful completion of this cross-border merger, bringing together two great food retail companies,” said Jan Hommen, Ahold supervisory board chairman. “Ahold Delhaize is ready for a strong start, building on its strong foundation, heritage and complementary businesses.”
The deal was first announced a little over a year ago in June 2015. The two retailers made a final agreement to the divestment of 86 U.S. stores that existed in the few areas of overlaps and direct competition in the U.S.
