Share:
Zaandam, the Netherlands, January 1, 2021 – Ahold Delhaize today announces the conclusion of negotiations by its U.S. subsidiary, Giant Food, regarding certain of its multi-employer pension plans.
Giant Food, UFCW Locals 27 and 400 (collectively the "Union Locals") and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation ("PBGC") have reached an agreement on Giant Food's funding obligations with respect to two multi-employer pension plans: the Food Employers Labor Relations Association and United Food and Commercial Workers Pension Fund ("FELRA") and the Mid-Atlantic UFCW and Participating Employers Pension Fund ("MAP"). As a result of this agreement, the PBGC has approved the combining of MAP into FELRA (the "Combined Plan") and has agreed to provide financial assistance to the Combined Plan following its insolvency, which is currently projected to occur in 2022. The agreement is intended to resolve all of Giant Food's existing liabilities with respect to the FELRA and MAP Plans and improves the security of pension benefits for associates as well as reduces financial risk for Giant Food. Giant Food will invest approximately $800 million (~€650 million) into pension benefits for associates as part of this agreement. The pension-related investments announced by Ahold Delhaize during the course of 2020 - including those of National, 1500, and today's announcement - have greatly reduced Ahold Delhaize's financial exposure to the multi-employer pension plans of its U.S. brands, Giant Food and Stop & Shop, and were achieved without impacting the 2020 financial outlook due to the strong financial performance in the year-to-date, through Q3 2020 at Ahold Delhaize.