Zaandam, the Netherlands, 2017-Oct-03 — /EPR Retail News/ — Albert Heijn is marking the 10th anniversary this year of the Albert Heijn Foundation, the brand’s charitable organization that invests in local community initiatives of its fruit, vegetable and flower suppliers in Africa, ranging from education to health and housing projects. The foundation last week celebrated the anniversary by ringing the opening bell of the Amsterdam stock exchange.
In Africa, where Albert Heijn sources a variety of delicious, high-quality fruits, vegetables and flowers, most of the 30 local suppliers have joined the foundation, which receives a percentage of each item sold and currently manages about €2 million per year.
In the past decade, over 30,000 children and adults in 10 African countries have benefited from the foundation’s investment in education alone. In collaboration with ICCO, one of the largest Dutch development organizations, the foundation has helped fund new schools, resource centers and lesson programs. Through the sale of fresh fruit salads from Ghana, for example, 29 schools were built or improved.
“We buy vegetables, fruits and flowers all over the world,” said Foundation Initiator Gé Happe, Buyer Vegetables and Fruits for Albert Heijn. “Africa is one of the continents where we get a lot of products. And the more our suppliers sell to Albert Heijn, the more money is available for social projects for their employees and local communities.”
In the coming year, the Albert Heijn Foundation will expand its activities to South America.
For more information (in Dutch only) visit https://www.ah.nl/ahfoundation.
SOURCE: Ahold Delhaize