Ahold Delhaize's online platform bol.com has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in delivery firm Cycloon, through which the business will seek to make deliveries 'more sustainable and social'.
As part of the deal, the current management team at Cycloon will remain in place, along with the existing shareholders, Ahold Delhaize said.
The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2022, subject to approval from the relevant authorities, coordination with trade unions and advice from the works council.
Sustainable Delivery Solutions
Cycloon operates a network of bicycle couriers and postal delivery staff across the Netherlands, and is committed to sustainable delivery solutions – the company currently saves around 1,600 tonnes of CO2 annually.
Following the transaction, Cycloon will deliver packages for bol.com as part of its service, as well as working alongside sales partners.
Working With Delivery Partners
"We are huge believers in Cycloon’s sustainable and social mission," commented Vincent Weijers, director of logistics and operations at bol.com. "At the same time, it is a unique opportunity for bol.com and its sales partners to accelerate the sustainability of our growing parcel delivery business and expand our delivery capacity.
"Next to that, we can further improve the convenience and service for our customers with flexible and smart delivery. Moving towards a sustainable and socially responsible last mile is crucial for the future of e-commerce and we will continue to work with all our delivery partners to make this happen."
Ahold Delhaize added that the acquisition enables the business to take 'another step' towards its ambition of reducing its direct footprint to zero grams of CO2 emissions per package by 2025.
Wouter Kolk, chief executive of Ahold Delhaize Europe & Indonesia, added that making improvements to its last-mile delivery services, including making them more sustainable, "sits high on the agenda within our strategy". Check out ESM's recent interview with Wouter Kolk here.
Ahold Delhaize recently announced plans to list bol.com, with a listing expected next year.
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