The merger between Royal Ahold and the Delhaize Group makes sound strategic sense.

The merger between Royal Ahold and the Delhaize Group makes sound strategic sense.

The European supermarket operators, each of which derives the vast majority of its sales from the U.S. market, are multibillion-dollar companies, but in their present configuration they lack the clout in this country of such large grocery retailers as Walmart, Kroger, Costco and the recently formed Albertsons-Safeway. Together, Delhaize and Ahold will have sufficient firepower to compete with those companies.

The new entity will encompass more than 6,500 stores in Europe, North America and Asia under a variety of well-established names. It will be a dominant player on the East Coast of the U.S., with stores operating under such banners as Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Giant and Food Lion in states from Maine to Georgia. The combination will enable the newly christened Ahold Delhaize to leverage its scale in areas like product procurement and marketing, as well as capitalize on efficiencies in the supply chain and information technology. Management indicates that 500 million euros in synergy savings per year will be realized, beginning in the third year after finalization of the merger, which is expected in the middle of 2016.

Peapod, the Internet grocery service owned by Ahold, will be another source of strength for the merged company. A pioneer in e-commerce, Peapod is one of the recognized brand names in an increasingly crowded field. Access to its resources is a boon for Delhaize, which until now has lagged in the application of technology to its business.

Some analysts question the wisdom of Ahold and Delhaize joining forces. They point to the spotty record of mergers between major retailers. Potential pitfalls certainly exist, including the possibility of friction among the combined management team — Dick Boer, chief executive officer of Ahold, will hold the same post at the merged company, while Delhaize CEO Frans Muller will become deputy CEO and chief integration officer — and the difficulty of forging a new corporate culture.

Those challenges, however, pale in comparison with the risk of standing pat. The leaders of Ahold and Delhaize were correct in concluding that, by continuing business as usual, their companies would have found themselves in an untenable position between the mega food retailers and smaller, more nimble grocery chains.