Group gets approval for the acquisition of Profi, more than a year after it first announced its intention to move for the retailer
Ahold Delhaize has confirmed that Romanian regulatory authorities have approved the intended acquisition of 100 per cent of grocery retailer Profi Rom Food from MidEuropa.
As this was the last condition to be met, the parties will now proceed to closing, which is planned for early January 2025, it said.
The intention to acquire Profi was announced on 30 October 2023.
“I am pleased with this confirmation of the regulatory authorities and we look forward to welcoming the Profi team to our family of great local brands, as of closing,” said Claude Sarrailh, CEO Ahold Delhaize Europe and Indonesia.
”Romania is an attractive market experiencing continued growth in public wealth and spending power, driven by strong economic fundamentals.
”Our teams are prepared for the next steps with the aim of a smooth transition for the Profi team after closing,” Sarrailh noted.
Profi is a leading traditional grocery retailer in Romania, operating 1,751 stores in the country, and in the 12 months ending June 2024 it generated €2.7bn in sales.
Ahold Delhaize said that the acquisition would increase its existing Romanian business, which operates under the Mega Image brand and has 977 stores, predominantly in urban areas.
It explained that the combination would ”complement and expand” Ahold Delhaize’s existing Romanian footprint to better serve both urban and rural areas.
”The strong format fit and complementary customer propositions between the Profi and Mega Image brands, will allow them to better serve the Romanian consumer, driving both sales growth and profitability,” the retailer added.
