Albert Heijn (15 October 1865 – 13 November 1945) was a Dutch entrepreneur who was the original founder of

Albert Heijn Albert Heijn is the largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands with a market share of 34.8% in 2020. It was founded in 1887, and has been part of Ahold Delhaize since 2016. History The chain was founded on 27 May 1887, when Albert Heijn boug ...

, which is now the largest food retailer in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. On his wedding day in 1887, he took over the

grocery store A grocery store ( AE), grocery shop ( BE) or simply grocery is a store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, a ...

of his father, Jan Simonsz Heijn, and the

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earli ...

chain founded by his grandson Albert Jr. still carries the ''Albert Heijn'' name. The first Albert Heijn store still exists today as a Museum at

Zaanse Schans Zaanse Schans () is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, near Zaandijk, Netherlands. It is best known for its collection of windmills and wooden houses that were relocated here from the wider region north of Amsterdam for preservation. From 1961 to 1974, ol ...

near Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Heijn handed over the management of the company in 1920, to his sons Jan Heijn and Gerrit Heijn, and his son-in-law Johan Hille. Later, his grandchildren Albert and Gerrit Jan Heijn would further expand the family business.

References

1865 births 1945 deaths People from Oostzaan Dutch chief executives in the retail industry Dutch businesspeople {{Netherlands-business-bio-stub