Ahold Delhaize Service Company Kicks Off Annual Startup Program

Helps early-stage entrepreneurs seize their express lane to grocery retail

3/15/2022

Retail Business Services and ADUSA aim to help innovative entrepreneurs and startups find a quicker path to market.

Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA, is partnering with nonprofit ADUSA Supply Chain and Innovation Studio for its fourth annual SEED immersion program, which aims to help entrepreneurs and startups in supply chain, grocery retail, logistics, warehouse management, supply chain analytics, and forecasting accelerate their path to market. For the first time, two winners will be selected this year; one focused on customer experience and the other focused on supply chain efficiency.

“We are always looking to develop our innovation portfolio,” said Brooks Thompson, director of innovation pipeline for Retail Business Services. “By expanding the program to include two winners, we will be able to leverage more technologies to benefit the Ahold Delhaize USA brands as they enhance the omnichannel customer experience – which is highly dependent on the efficiency and effectiveness of the food supply chain.”

The SEED program offers entrepreneurs the chance to streamline their products and ideas through workshops, mentorship and demonstration days over a 5-week period, while giving Ahold Delhaize USA an opportunity to work with diverse and forward-thinking companies.

“We believe the proper connection between startups and corporations generates the discovery of new business models, new products and new technologies, as well as digitalization of processes and business expansion,” said Innovation Studio’s Associate Director of Entrepreneurship Walther Morales Rios. “We are honored to partner with Retail Business Services and ADUSA Supply chain to continue to impact the entrepreneurial community."

Startups can apply now through May 15, with the program being held July 18 to Aug. 23, with a SEED Live! pitch event to follow.

Through March 31, Retail Business Services is also holding an Accelerator Sign-On Incentive Program, which offers a sign-on bonus of $20,000 to newly hired tech associates who apply for IT architect positions within the company. Those employees will help the company deliver technology services, systems, and capabilities to support Ahold Delhaize’s omnichannel growth plans.

Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize operates more than 2,000 stores across 23 states and is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in the United States.