Ahold Delhaize posts solid Q1 results, U.S. online sales rise 14.3%

Ahold Delhaize used its latest earnings update to send a clear message: the business is still growing, but grocery leadership now has to manage policy shocks, online demand and store-level execution at the same time.

The company reported first-quarter net sales of €22.3 billion, up 2.0% at constant exchange rates, while U.S. comparable sales excluding gasoline rose 1.5%. Online sales were a standout. U.S. online sales climbed 14.3%, and company-wide online sales rose 8.3% at constant exchange rates. For a grocer with a large U.S. footprint, that kind of digital growth matters because it signals where customer behavior is still shifting, even when the store business is moving at a slower pace.

The earnings update also carried a leadership change that points to continuity rather than a reset. Ahold Delhaize said Thierry Garnier has been nominated to succeed Frans Muller as chief executive around the Annual General Meeting in April 2027, subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. Muller has led the company since July 2018. Garnier, who has been CEO of Kingfisher plc since September 2019, brings the kind of international retail and digital experience that Ahold Delhaize’s supervisory board said fits its local operating model. Board chair Wiebe Draijer framed the transition as the product of planning, not surprise.

The results also showed how much outside policy can move grocery sales. Ahold Delhaize said U.S. performance was pressured by lower SNAP benefits, egg-price deflation and pharmacy pricing tied to the Inflation Reduction Act. One industry summary said those factors reduced U.S. comparable sales by 1.9 percentage points, while weather and calendar effects added 0.4 points. That matters beyond one quarterly report: USDA finalized a new SNAP retailer stocking rule on May 7, 2026, making benefit policy and store compliance a live operating issue for grocers, not background noise.

For Trader Joe’s workers, the lesson is less about one European competitor and more about what a smooth transition demands inside a store. Clear priorities matter when headquarters is changing leaders. So does credible messaging when customers are sensitive to price, benefits, and product mix. And continuity on pay, staffing and execution matters just as much, because labor retention is now part of the competitive story. Trader Joe’s says eligible crew members can get health coverage with contributions as low as $25 a month, a store discount can go up to 20%, and 78% of Mates and 100% of Captains were promoted from within. In a sector where policy, pricing and traffic move together, that kind of internal stability is one of the few advantages that still shows up on the sales floor.