Food Lion 2004 Annual Report Download - page 2

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 2 of the 2004 Food Lion annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 88

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78
  • 79
  • 80
  • 81
  • 82
  • 83
  • 84
  • 85
  • 86
  • 87
  • 88

CONTENT
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 1
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRM AN
AND THE CEO 2
OVERVIEW OF OPERATING COMPANIES 4
OUR STRATEGY 6
CONCEPT LEADERSHIP 8
EXECUTIONAL EXCELLENCE 10
A LEARNING COM PANY AND
AN ATTRACTIVE WORKPLACE 12
CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP 14
OUR BUSINESS IN 2004 16
BUSINESS REVIEW* 18
> UNITED STATES 18
> BELGIUM 22
> SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE 24
> ASIA 26
FINANCIAL REVIEW * 27
OPERATIONAL STATISTICS 36
FINANCIALS 37
FINANCIAL STATEM ENTS 38
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEM ENTS 43
10-YEAR OVERVIEW OF FINANCIALS 64
ADDITIONAL INFORM ATION* 66
M ANAGEM ENT AND SHAREHOLDERS 70
M ANAGEM ENT STRUCTURE 70
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE* 73
SHAREHOLDER INFORM ATION 81
GLOSSARY 84
* These chapters constitute the Directors’ Report.
PROFILE
Delhaize Group is a Belgian international food retailer w ith activities in nine
countries on three continents at the end of 2004. Delhaize Group is listed on
Euronext Brussels (ticker symbol: DELB) and the New York Stock Exchange
(ticker symbol: DEG).
At the end of 2004, Delhaize Group’s sales netw ork consisted of 2,565 stores.
In 2004, Delhaize Group posted EUR 18.0 billion in sales and net earnings of
EUR 211.5 million. Delhaize Group employs approximately 138,000 people.
Delhaize Group has leading positions in food retailing in key markets. This
is accomplished through strong regional companies going to market w ith a
variety of food store formats. They benefi t from and contribute to the Group’s
strength, expertise and successful practices. The Group is committed to
offering a locally differentiated shopping experience to its customers in each
of its markets, to delivering superior value and to maintaining high social,
environmental and ethical standards.