Ahold Delhaize USA Bolsters Product Data Capabilities
Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA, has embarked on a new initiative to strengthen the product data capabilities of Ahold Delhaize USA companies. Through the work, backed by Syndigo, Retail Business Services will join the Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) to enable access to best-in-class product data for the retail banners it supports.
“Customers expect clear, consistent, accurate information about the products that they purchase online or in stores,” noted Chris Adams, VP of category management services for Quincy, Mass.-based Retail Business Services. “By joining GDSN, we’ll be able to better equip the local brands with product data and in turn, customers will experience increased accuracy and transparency.”
The initiative is Retail Business Services’ latest move to beef up data capabilities. As well as joining GDSN, Retail Business Services also engages with GS1 to aid the development of global data standards. The company is also the biggest participant in SmartLabel, a worldwide program giving consumers instantaneous access to detailed information on thousands of food, beverage, personal care, household and pet care products, with 11,000-plus private-brand products taking part in the effort.
“We aim to be best in class when it comes to product data,” continued Adams. “By taking a comprehensive approach to access, best practices and innovation in this space, we can provide the best data services to the grocery retail brands we support.”
“We are pleased to continue to support Retail Business Services in their product content journey, including their data quality improvement efforts,” said Paul Salay, CEO of Chicago-based Syndigo. “This strengthens our existing relationship, as Retail Business Services can now offer both core content and GDSN syndication capabilities through Syndigo to their supplier partners, providing a more seamless transfer of data.”
Retail Business Services provides services to six East Coast grocery brands — Food Lion, Giant Food, Giant/Martin’s, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop — as well as to online grocer Peapod. The services it provides include information technology, merchandising and marketing, private- brand products, pharmacy, sourcing, not for resale, stores, finance, legal, communications, supply chain, and human resources. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 4 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 list of the top grocers in the United States.
