A Father’s Day Letter to Ahold Delhaize: Keep Your Promise, Set a Good Example
Emily Raap
This Father’s Day, Ahold Delhaize dads are hearing from fathers who want them to keep their word: fulfill the promise to spare hens from cages—and show kids what integrity looks like.
When you tell your kids you’ll do something, you do it. That’s what countless fathers try to model for their children, day in and day out—whether it’s reading one more bedtime story or standing up for what’s right, even when it’s hard. This Father’s Day, a group of dads asked Ahold Delhaize executives to do the same.
Leading with integrity—at home and at work
Ahold Delhaize, the parent company of grocery chains like Stop & Shop, Giant, and Food Lion, made a promise nearly a decade ago. By 2025, all of its eggs would come from hens who are free from battery cages—a commitment to spare millions of animals from extreme confinement. With the deadline here, that promise remains unfulfilled.
For many, this isn’t just another corporate policy—this is about the values we pass on to the next generation. “As fathers, we try to teach our kids that keeping your word matters. That leadership means doing the right thing, and that compassion is a strength, not a weakness,” write the undersigned fathers in their open letter to Ahold Delhaize.
Why this matters—for hens, and for all of us
Battery cages deny hens the chance to stretch their wings, nest, or even walk freely. It’s a system more and more companies are leaving behind because it’s simply indefensible. The decision not to act isn’t just about animals—it’s about honesty, responsibility, and the kind of world we’re shaping for our children.
As Kien Truong, one of the letter’s signers, puts it:
“I’m urging fellow dads at Ahold Delhaize to embody the compassion and integrity we teach our children, and to finally fulfill the company’s overdue cage-free promise.”
Customers are watching
Fathers like Matt Harrison are making their choices known:
“I’ll no longer be a patron of companies that knowingly support animal cruelty like this. Customers are paying attention to such blatant corporate greed—and we’re making our spending choices based on this. Please do the right thing.”
Others, like Dan Shannon, have already changed where their family shops:
“My family had always shopped at Stop & Shop, but we’ll never spend another dollar at an Ahold Delhaize grocery store until you meet your commitment to go cage-free.”
These are not isolated voices. Across the country, families are looking for leaders—at home and in business—who match their values with action.
The simple ask: set a good example
The dads’ request is straightforward: Fulfill the overdue promise. Spare hens from cages. Show your children, your customers, and your employees that doing the right thing matters.
This Father’s Day, let’s remember: the lessons we teach our kids don’t end when we leave the house. Real leadership means making good on your word. Because when we lead with integrity, we inspire it in others—especially our children.
