Belgian retailer Colruyt Group has agreed to acquire meal solution provider Delitraiteur from Louis Delhaize.
The acquisition will enable Colruyt Group to expand its product offering, focusing on customer convenience.
The deal, subject to the approval of the Belgian Competition Authority, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.
The retailer added that it will retain the brand name and rely on the existing management to develop this unique and highly differentiating concept.
Jo Willemyns, COO of food retail at Colruyt Group, stated, “We are looking forward to welcoming Delitraiteur, with its ambitious entrepreneurs and all the teams who support them daily, at Colruyt Group.
“We are convinced that Delitraiteur is a wonderful addition to our group and is complementary to our other formats.”
Haleon Develops AI Tool
Consumer health firm Haleon has developed an AI-powered tool that, the company notes, will improve inclusivity and representation across its digital advertising content.
Haleon’s Health Inclusivity Screener analyses digital advertising content for readability and inclusivity metrics.
It assesses creative content based on health literacy, accessibility and representation.
Research shows that 54% of consumers don’t feel culturally represented in online advertising.
Tamara Rogers, chief marketing officer of Haleon, said, “Message comprehension has a key role to play in improving the performance of our campaigns and building greater health literacy, helping people take better care of their everyday health.
“This tool is truly unique in measuring this, alongside other inclusivity metrics, allowing us to enhance our advertising to make sure it’s seen, heard and understood by all consumers.”
Working with its Panadol pain relief brand, Haleon has successfully tested the tool in nine markets, including Australia, Colombia, Egypt, Malaysia, Saudia Arabia, South Africa, Sweden, the UAE and the UK.
The company intends to roll out the tool to other markets and global brands over time, allowing it to deliver more inclusive advertising at scale.
The tool was developed via in-house in collaboration with CreativeX, a technology company that helps brands power their creative decisions with data.
CreativeX can extract data from individual assets, assessing the age, gender, skin tone, and position of particular characters.
Albert Heijn Boosts Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing
Dutch retailer Albert Heijn will switch to cocoa purchased via Tony’s Open Chain for all its own-brand products over the next three years.
The initiative will have a positive impact on cocoa farmers and the environment in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the retailer noted.
Tony’s Open Chain is an initiative of Tony’s Chocolonely and allows companies to become mission partners and work together to put an end to exploitation in the cocoa sector.
By expanding the collaboration and converting all own-brand products containing cocoa, Albert Heijn hopes to triple the volume of cocoa purchased from Tony’s Open Chain.
Sanne Van Zon, head of sales at Tony’s Open Chain, stated, “In 2018, Albert Heijn was our first mission partner. We are very enthusiastic that Albert Heijn continues to lead the way in purchasing more sustainable cocoa.
“This is a real example for the market. This will increase our impact and bring us closer to our mission: to end exploitation in cocoa and improve the lives of the cocoa farmer.”
