Ahold Delhaize, the multinational grocery giant with several U.S. banners, reported strong sales and income gains in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Net sales for Zaandam, The Netherlands-based Ahold rose 1.6 percent, to 15.8 billion euros, in the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2016. Net income increased 318 percent to 744 million euros.

Ahold Delhaize was formed in July 2016 from the merger of Ahold and Delhaize Group. The company’s U.S. banners include Food Lion, Stop & Shop, Hannaford, Giant, Martin’s and the online grocery deliver service Peapod.

Ahold Delhaize’s CEO, Dick Boer, cited strong performances by Food Lion and Hannaford among the highlights of a strong year for the company’s U.S. division.

"Both Ahold USA and Delhaize America reported strong underlying operating margins, driven by synergies,” he says.

Going forward, Boer says Ahold will continue to roll out new healthier options for consumers. The company wants healthy products to make up half of its own-brand sales by 2020.