Hannaford Supermarkets’ parent company, Delhaize America, said it cut its executive ranks by 25 percent to 50 company officers nationally.

The cut was part of “efforts to reduce general and administrative costs and better serve customers,” Delhaize America said. The cuts were announced to employees on Friday.

Hannaford would not confirm any names or positions that were cut locally.

Delhaize America has more than 1,500 stores along the East Coast, including 181 Hannaford Supermarkets. Other chains owned by Delhaize Americ include Bottom Dollar Food, Food Lion, Harveys, Reid’s and Sweetbay.

Of the 50 corporate executive positions that were named this week, some work for individual chains and others do support work across all the chains owned by Delhaize America, the company said.

The executive cutbacks come a month after Delhaize America announced a management shake-up. As part of those changes, Brad Wise was named president of Scarborough-based Hannaford Supermarkets. Wise replaced Beth Newlands Campbell, who will become president of North Carolina-based Food Lion and Harveys, also Delhaize grocery chains.
 
The management changes were made by Roland Smith, who was named the new CEO of Delhaize America last year. The company is part of Delhaize Group, based in Brussels.

The cost-cutting efforts at Delhaize America come amid a series of changes in the Maine grocery market. On Thursday, the parent of Shaw’s agreed to be acquired by an investor group led by Cerberus Capital Management. Shaw’s has 22 locations in Maine. Later this year, discount grocer, Market Basket, is expected to open in Biddeford.


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