Ahold to open stores here

Ahold to open stores here

AMSTERDAM (Reuter): Ahold President Cees van der Hoeven was upbeat yesterday about the Dutch food group's interests in the Far East and outlined plans to open stores in Indonesia and Shanghai later this year.

"We are planning to open a pilot store in Indonesia later on this year, possibly in September," he told a press conference shortly before the group's annual shareholder meeting.

Ahold entered an agreement with Indonesian property developer PSP last October with the purpose of setting up a modern supermarket chain across Indonesia.

Van der Hoeven added the Dutch food giant hoped to open its first store in Shanghai by the end of 1996 or early 1997, in a joint operation with a local partner.

He added negotiations with local operators were ongoing in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, where the group will concentrate on the supermarket formula. He declined to name any specific potential partners.