Dutch retailer Ahold plans on achieving at least a 40 percent penetration rate of its private label products in the United States in the next five years, according to a company report released Nov. 21.

“Our new growth strategy will ensure Ahold remains successful and at the forefront of the food retail industry. We are reshaping our retail businesses to connect with our customers in a more personalized way and to provide an even better shopping experience in our stores and online,” said Dick Boer, chief executive officer, in the report.

 “[Ahold plans to] broaden our offering by further developing and rolling out our successful store formats, expanding our online business, and building an even better, more relevant assortment with increased own-brand penetration. Our online businesses are already the number one online food retailers in the Netherlands and United States. We plan to significantly expand our footprint in the next five years and triple online sales to €1.5 billion. In early 2012, we will begin testing pick-up points in both Europe and the United States that allow customers to order online and pick up their groceries themselves from designated locations,” explained Boer.