Ahold is reportedly picking up its German expansion plans after a slow start and several store closures.
The Dutch retailer opened its first German Albert Heijn To Go store in September 2012, with plans to open a total of 150 stores by 2016. However, the expansion progressed slower than expected.
As part of the expansion plan, Ahold wants to target high-frequency locations like train stations, universities or petrol stations, where the food-to-go concept is more likely to succeed, Matthias Gehle, MD for Albert Heijn in Germany, told RP Online.
The new stores will mainly carry convenience and on-the-go food items that specifically target tourists, students and office workers. The range will include freshly prepared foods like sandwiches and salads, as well as Dutch speciality items such as vla or stroopwafels.
The first new German Albert Heijn To Go store will be opened at the Mönchengladbach train station on 16 April, and another store is planned to follow shortly, at another North Rhine-Westphalian station, however Gehle told RP Online that he could not disclose the exact location just yet.
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