Van Gool’s own path—starting as a part-time store associate and rising through supply chain and digital logistics—mirrors the company’s dynamism. “I’ve seen every side of retail,” he notes. “What excites me is connecting in-store excellence to exceptional online experiences, creating a single seamless omnichannel journey.”

Today, van Gool leads a team of ninety, all tasked with scaling for demand, launching new technologies, and ensuring a customer-driven evolution in grocery delivery services.

Recent years have witnessed a dramatic rise in online grocery shopping. E-grocery shoppers now expect fast, reliable home delivery and flexible store order pickup, as well as accurate estimated time of arrival and fully digital fulfillment options.

“Our strategy is driven by customer expectations,” van Gool says. “Rather than waiting for a perfect product, we’ve prioritized deploying a robust solution quickly, then iterating and improving in real time according to operational data and feedback.”

"Our team wants to be a catalyst in the grocery sector, prioritizing agility, rapid launch, and ongoing optimization."

Traditional U.S. grocery logistics long revolved around next-day fulfillment. But as same day grocery delivery leapfrogged into the mainstream, expectations changed.

Stores shifted from being just retail points to hybrid fulfillment hubs—enabling fast last mile delivery with high accuracy and speed.

“Urban centers demand immediacy, while suburbs benefit from store-based picking and ample parking,” van Gool shares. “It’s about optimizing every channel to fit local realities and ensuring our systems—delivery management software, route planning software, and digital customer touchpoints—keep up.”

To meet these demands, predictive planning and data-driven optimization have become crucial. Every added step in the order picking and delivery process increases operational complexity and cost. By leveraging AI, machine learning, and order pattern modeling, PDL can:

• Forecast demand surges and promote order fulfillment system readiness
• Shorten fulfillment windows from 8 hours to as low as 2 (or soon, perhaps even less)
• Account for local variables like weather, promotions, or holidays
• Power smarter route optimization software and warehouse utilization

"Predictive planning enables us to anticipate customer behavior, adapt quickly, and efficiently leverage our infrastructure for peak periods and ongoing growth."

Sustainability is front and center for Ahold Delhaize USA’s banners.
“We offer shoppers the chance to save by selecting more flexible delivery windows,” van Gool says. “In turn, we can use route optimization software and green slot steering to reduce mileage, optimize outbound logistics, and curtail our environmental impact.”

Investments in greener stores, electric trucks, and digital user dashboards—for both shoppers and store associates—support goals of greater speed, customer satisfaction, and planet-friendly operations.

PDL leverages a full suite of advanced tools, including:

• Logistics management software and integrated order management systems
• Proprietary and third-party delivery management software
• Route planning software and delivery software to allocate orders
• Machine learning for tote packing, store navigation, and returns management
• Real-time dispatch and fleet visibility for all brands and fulfillment locations

Continual digital investment and a culture of rapid rollout allow for fast, market-driven innovation.

Serving millions of households—across dense cities and sprawling suburbs—requires both agility and fine-tuned local strategies.
Critical pillars include:

• Building resilient, scalable systems for peaks and unexpected surges
• Ensuring leading grocery delivery app experiences
• Delivering accurate estimated time of arrival updates through SMS, app, and web
• Coordinating both direct-to-home and grocery store delivery at scale

"Our focus is always on delivering a superior pickup or home delivery experience with every order, no matter the channel."

As Vice President of Fulfillment Strategy & Solutions, van Gool steers investment planning, roadmap development, and transformation projects.
Key to success:

• Strong alignment with banners on retail logistics goals and KPIs
• Ongoing improvements to delivery management software
• Cross-team collaboration on order fulfillment, inventory placement, and returns management
• Data-driven insights to measure and sustain customer satisfaction, speed, and sustainability.

PDL sees its mission as building the world’s most effective and sustainable e-grocery fulfillment network—powered by scalable technology, strong partnerships, and an unrelenting customer focus.

"We want to set the pace—helping shoppers, associates, and our communities succeed as we optimize for the future."