MEET THE WORST CEO IN AMERICA:
JJ FLEEMAN
Profit above everything else.
Jerry Wayne Fleeman Jr. is the CEO of Ahold Delhaize USA, the American branch of a Dutch-owned grocery empire. With nearly 30 years at the company under his belt, he now oversees major U.S. chains including Food Lion, Giant, Hannaford, and Stop & Shop.
Under Fleeman’s leadership, Ahold Delhaize has doubled down on poor animal welfare, dangerous labor conditions, and corporate secrecy. While the company promotes a clean, modern image, its operations are still built on suffering — and JJ is the man calling the shots.
What makes JJ Fleeman the worst CEO in America? Let’s take a look.
JJ REFUSES TO ADDRESS AN ANIMAL CRUELTY SCANDAL
For over a year, nonprofit organizations have called on Ahold Delhaize USA to end two of the most extreme forms of animal cruelty in its supply chain: battery cages for egg-laying hens and gestation crates for pregnant pigs.
These cages are so cruel that countless food companies have phased them out. Ahold Delhaize’s home country, the Netherlands, has outlawed them. JJ Fleeman doesn’t seem to care.
Under his leadership, the company has broken its promises to ban these practices, ignored public pressure, and refused to make any meaningful policy changes. JJ is the top decision-maker at Ahold Delhaize USA. His obsession with cost-cutting has made him the biggest roadblock to progress.
The photos here are illustrative of the practices authorized by JJ Fleeman in Ahold Delhaize’s supply chain. How can someone allow this to persist?
JJ’S COMPANY IS A MESS OF MISMANAGEMENT
Under JJ’s watch, Ahold Delhaize and its stores regularly experience controversies and scandals of mismanagement. In one recent example, a massive cybersecurity breach exposed the personal data of over 2 million people. Of course, the company only notified affected individuals over six months after the breach.
Since Fleeman oversaw the merger of Ahold and Delhaize in 2016, the company has been plagued with controversy — from state attorneys general raising antitrust concerns, to Stop & Shop shuttering dozens of locations and triggering outrage from communities who claim the closures created food deserts. Hannaford, one of Ahold Delhaize’s brands, has been accused of sourcing dairy from farms linked to extreme human rights violations.
Ahold Delhaize and its grocery chains have racked up more than $300 million in fines for price-fixing, labor violations, unsafe conditions, and more. Perhaps this is how JJ thinks a business should be run; records show poor management runs in his family.
WORKING FOR JJ’S STORES CAN BE A NIGHTMARE
First, we uncovered disturbing evidence of animal cruelty in Ahold Delhaize’s supply chain. Then we heard from employees who work in the company’s stores and corporate offices that Ahold Delhaize is failing them too. So we launched a LinkedIn ad campaign inviting current and former workers to share their experiences.
What we heard was shocking: allegations of food safety violations, harassment, discrimination, wage abuse, management retaliation, and more. Below are just six examples of what was shared with us of the human cost of JJ Fleeman’s leadership. Read more about these current and former employees’ experiences below.
Food Safety Concerns
A former Giant employee detailed shocking food safety failures: raw meat dripping onto cooked food, moldy prep areas, and deli logs being left blank for weeks, only to be hastily completed when health inspectors arrived. "No one washing their hands" they said. As long as there’s product out, a worker alleged, management doesn’t care.
Sexual Harassment and Retaliation
A 22-year-old worker in the deli department reported being sexually harassed by a much older coworker. Despite filing a formal complaint, she was removed from the department while he returned to work after a brief suspension. The worker shared that she was never informed of any investigation outcome and instead felt impacted herself, losing hours she needed to pay rent.
Racism, Retaliation, and Toxic Management
At Food Lion, one former employee reported “secretive racism” and potential wage suppression targeting Hispanic workers. Another said management “verbally abuse, threaten, spread drama, all kinds of surprisingly childish nonsense, all for power.”
Skimming Scandal and SNAP Theft Cover-Up
A former Food Lion employee says leadership knows about widespread credit card skimmer devices stealing customer data, including SNAP benefits, but chooses not to alert law enforcement.
Workplace Injury, No Help, No Breaks
A former Stop & Shop bakery worker described being temporarily trapped in a freezer, denied breaks during long shifts, and being injured while lifting heavy boxes without available support. “I only worked at Stop & Shop for about five months but the injury I received while there still affects my life and work today.”
Exhausting Work and Pressure
One current employee described her and fellow employees being pushed to the brink of exhaustion and sometimes even crying. “It brings you to a point where you don’t even feel safe enough to go to management with any issues,” she said.
Disclaimer: The information and views expressed in this section are those of the individuals who provided the testimony contained herein and do not necessarily reflect the views of CRFB. While efforts were made to ascertain the factual accuracy of these statements, the testimony collected is based on personal experiences and recollections which may not be readily verifiable. No confidential or proprietary information has knowingly been disclosed, and this website is for informational and advocacy purposes only.
