Zaandam, the Netherlands, January 5, 2021 – Ahold Delhaize and Centerbridge Partners are pleased to announce today that they have closed the acquisition of New York City-based online grocer FreshDirect after receiving regulatory clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Through the acquisition, which was previously announced on November 18, 2020, Ahold Delhaize acquires the majority share, funded by cash on hand, and Centerbridge Partners is a minority equity investor with a 20% stake. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As previously announced, FreshDirect will retain its brand name and continue to independently operate out of its facility in New York City.

Frans Muller, Ahold Delhaize’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are very pleased that we can now definitively welcome FreshDirect to our family of great local brands. This leading local online brand with a large and loyal following will help us reach additional customers in the New York trade area and further propel our omni-channel evolution. We are looking forward to working with our new FreshDirect colleagues.”

David McInerney, FreshDirect’s Chief Executive Officer, said, "Today marks the beginning of an exciting new era for FreshDirect. Ahold Delhaize will build on FreshDirect’s success, ensuring the continued growth of our company, while creating synergy and maintaining the uniqueness of the brand. I am thankful to our loyal and devoted customers, many of whom have been with us since the beginning, and very proud of and grateful for the FreshDirect team, which has worked tirelessly over the years to make our company a leader in the field. The entire FreshDirect team looks forward to working together with our new Ahold Delhaize colleagues.”

Steve Silver, Senior Managing Director at Centerbridge Partners, said, “We are excited to start this new partnership with Ahold Delhaize, in which we can utilize our experience in the interplay between logistics facilities and e-commerce fulfillment in order for FreshDirect to grow further.”