while Albert Heijn stores in residential areas
will tailor their selection to weekly local
consumer need. Changes in buying
behavior by time of day will receive
greater attention, especially as far
as fresh foods are concerned.
As in the United States,
added-value products and
services, allowing attractive
margins, are increasing in
number. Utilizing the new
highly flexible information and
distribution network, Albert
Heijn can differentiate and
expand its activities at a reasonable
cost. Longer store opening hours,
approved this year in The Netherlands,
will enable many new activities to be devel
oped. Besides a supermarket chain, Albert Heijn
can, for example, also be a gourmet shop, snack bar,
mini-restaurant, culinary expert and advisor, dry cleaner, photo processor, night shop,
gas station shop, electronics store, delivery service and party caterer, both within and
outside of current supermarkets, or in small and large store formats yet to be developed.
I he basic pi inciple is no longer a set group of departments in a homogeneous super-
mar ket concept. Rather, it is a range of measurable and variable consumer services in
a household context. In the coming years, Albert Heijn will evolve from 'the best
supermarket' intothe household service provider in The Netherlands.' This expanded
core mission will significantly enhance Albert Heijn's growth potential.
1 he basis of a healthy retail business is and remains store formats with a low cost struc-
tuie based on standai dization and benefits of scale. Ahold is, given this basic principle,
creating extra growth potential by utilizing new information tools and connections
on all levels of the organization: in the store chains themselves, to suppliers and con
sumers, and between the store chains in the Ahold group. Store types, products and
services are increasingly becoming differentiated for acceptable costs, geared to local
and moment-driven consumer need. With precision retail, harmoniously combining
the advantages of scale and local expertise, Ahold is building an ever more flexible and
customer oriented organization.
34 Annual Report 1995 Royal Ahold
