ZAANDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 12, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Ahold (NYSE:AHO) today announced it will donate USD1 million to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. This donation is in addition to the fundraising activities being undertaken at Ahold's food retail and foodservice subsidiaries in the United States.
Since September 1, Ahold's U.S. operations have been involved in the relief effort. Ahold's U.S. retail chains -- Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle and Tops -- have enabled customers to make cash contributions as they pass through the check-out. In addition, the operating companies have donated food and health care products to disaster relief organizations. Employees have also been making donations at Ahold and sister company offices, stores and distribution centers.
With hundreds of employees based in the hardest hit areas, U.S. Foodservice has been heavily involved in relief efforts. The company has donated food, water, refrigerated trucks, and other equipment. In addition, U.S. Foodservice made deliveries to dozens of Gulf Coast health care facilities, even during the worst of the storm, helping them remain fully operational during the crisis.
All funds collected, in addition to Ahold's contribution, will be donated to the American Red Cross and America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network.
"As a company, Ahold could not stand by and watch the horrific damage and human tragedy that Katrina has wreaked without doing what we can," said Ahold President & CEO Anders Moberg. "The devastation is unprecedented in U.S. history and, together with the help of our customers and employees, we are proud to be able to help those whose lives and livelihood have been so seriously affected by this natural disaster."
Ahold is an international group of leading and local food retail and foodservice operators that do business under their own brand names. Each week, our company meets the needs of millions of customers in 20 countries. In the United States, Ahold operates four retail chains along the eastern seaboard - Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle and Tops - as well as U.S. Foodservice. Ahold, with 2004 consolidated net sales of approximately EUR 52 billion, is actively engaged in helping the communities its operating companies serve.