In 2011, as an intern at Gall & Gall – a brand of the Ahold Delhaize family – Myrthe Hogendoorn hadn’t imagined she’d still be with the organization today. The abundance of learning opportunities, challenges and new roles has kept her motivated and on her toes. Add to that the continuous support the company has always offered her on a personal level. “Each new role brings new responsibilities and chances to experience a different side of retail. Even after all this time, I still learn new things every day.”
When she started as an intern in Gall & Gall’s Business Control team, Myrthe was a bit of a newbie to this business. “Back then, I didn’t have a true idea of what was expected of me or what a company like Gall & Gall looked like, let alone a huge organization such as international parent company Ahold Delhaize. But I felt welcome and at ease from day one. After my six-month internship, I took on a variety of roles within the Ahold Delhaize family of brands, including a short stint at Albert Heijn Belgium. I learned an enormous amount in that time. And over the years, the learning simply never stopped, and the opportunities kept coming. I also loved that I was given the option to take a six-month sabbatical to travel. That was really very welcome, seeing as I had just spent 2.5 years working for Albert Heijn Belgium, which involved a lot of commuting back and forth from the Netherlands. It’s great to work for an employer that offers its employees the possibility of a sabbatical – with the assurance of a new opportunity on your return.”
A pool of knowledge
After her travels, Myrthe joined the Supply Chain’s Business Control team. “I focused on inbound logistics and replenishment, which involves monitoring the availability of products in our Albert Heijn stores. It was interesting, to say the least. Particularly when the pandemic hit the world. Remember when people started hoarding toilet paper? It was an extremely hectic, but also incredibly insightful experience to work in the company’s supply chain during those extraordinary times.”
The learning, new challenges and accomplishments continued. Today, Myrthe is Finance Manager for Albert Heijn’s AH to go format. “It’s a fantastic, yet challenging position. I work closely with big franchisers like BP and the NS (Dutch Railway Company), and I develop new partnerships. Another aspect of this role entails deciding which innovative concepts we invest in for our regular Albert Heijn stores and making sure they’re a good fit for the company. This role allows me to exercise my accumulated commercial experience and logistics know-how. And the cherry on top: the opportunities to gain new skills, and the responsibility and freedom I get to accomplish my work goals the way I deem best.”
Cliché or not, it’s Ahold Delhaize’s people that matter the most to Myrthe. “Ultimately, it’s really about who I work with and what we can achieve together. Many of my colleagues from these past 11 years have become friends that I see outside of work, too. There are so many smart and fun people at this company, from whom you can learn so much. Everyone is super keen to share their knowledge – I am, too, especially with new employees and less experienced people. What advice do I offer them? To take their time to get to know this challenging global company and all its systems, processes and colleagues, and not to worry if that takes a few good months.”
A pillar of support
One of Ahold Delhaize's many strengths is its supportive approach. It's one that Myrthe has personally experienced since she first joined the company. “I have suffered from cystic fibrosis since birth. Some times have been better than others. I have been open about it to my employer from day one, and Ahold Delhaize has always been incredibly supportive. For the first few years I worked only four days a week, instead of the regular five. The fact that the company has always been extremely flexible and understanding has always meant a great deal to me.”
Thanks to recently approved new medication, Myrthe and her identical twin sister Rosanna – with whom she’s extremely close, and who has the same condition – are doing much better. “It truly feels like we’ve been given a new lease on life – one that’s full of energy and makes us feel as if our condition hardly impacts us anymore. Just when I thought life couldn’t get any better, I found out I was pregnant. My boyfriend Kasem and I are expecting our first, a boy, in December. This, already, is the best year of my life.”
Name: Myrthe Hogendoorn (1987)
Started working at Ahold Delhaize: June 2011
Studied: MA Organizational & Management Control (University of Groningen, 2011)
Living with: My boyfriend, Kasem
Hobbies: Sports like hiking, ice skating and mountain biking, being in nature, floating with Kasem in our small boat along the Amsterdam canals, going to festivals
Wake me up in the middle of the night for: A good skiing trip
Favorite holiday destination: Iceland
Life-changing event: Getting new medicines this year – and I expect the baby that’s on the way to be quite a life-changer, too
Biggest source of inspiration: My twin sister Rosanne, and especially her always positive outlook on life
Best advice I’ve ever received: To always maintain a healthy lifestyle (advice from my parents)
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