THE NETHERLANDS - The pandemic necessitated the rapid rise of online operations. Those who were able to pivot their focus are now experiencing some positive results, as we at ANUK have seen multiple reports of companies outpacing their pre-pandemic sales so far in 2021. Ahold Delhaize outlined such growth in its recent second quarter results report, with the move to online operations serving as a key driver.

"While communities across our markets reopened during Q2, food-at-home demand remained very resilient,” said Frans Muller, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Many of the habits formed by consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 are proving sticky, aided by our initiatives to improve our omnichannel offerings for consumers. This drove group net sales of €18.6 billion [$21.84 billion] in the quarter and was exemplified by the acceleration in the group two-year comparable sales stack in Q2 to 16.4 percent, versus growth of 14.4 percent in full year 2020. The two-year comparable sales stack growth rates were strong in both of our regions, but particularly in the U.S.”

Below is a more in-depth breakdown of the report, as outlined in the company release:

• Q2 Group net sales were €18.6 billion [$21.84 billion], up 3 percent at constant exchange rates, down 2.4 percent at actual exchange rates
• In the U.S. and Europe, Q2 comparable sales excluding gas were 1.5 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively
• In Q2, net consumer online sales grew 35.8 percent at constant exchange rates, building on top of the significant 77.6 percent growth in Q2 2020

According to the official report, this impressive jump in online sales points toward a longer-term evolution toward online-focused operations.

"We continue to be in a strategically stronger position in 2021 relative to the time before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Our investments in our online proposition continue to serve us well. In Q2, net consumer online sales continued to grow, coming on top of the very robust growth profile from the same quarter last year. During the quarter, we added 86 new click-and-collect locations in the U.S.,” Muller continued.

Another point of growth for the company was realized through its sustainability efforts, as Muller outlined in the report.

"We continue to make progress in elevating our Healthy and Sustainable strategy,” he said. “We are proud to be one of the leading signers of the EU Code of Conduct for Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices, as part of the European Green Deal, committed to shifting to a sustainable food system. As part of the pact, we have made commitments in the areas of healthier choices, product transparency, waste reduction, and climate impact.”

Stay tuned for more quarterly updates from Ahold Delhaize and more big-name industry players as we at ANUK continue to report.

Ahold Delhaize