Aldi details plan to expand in the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch ^ | June 11, 2015 | Saabira Chaudhuri

[2ndDivisionVet]

German discounter Aldi on Thursday detailed a plan to grow in the U.S., saying it would invest billions of dollars and create thousands of jobs as it works to ramp up its footprint.

Aldi is opening its first stores in Southern California in March of next year, and will open about 25 stores by July. The company plans to employ 1,100 people across its stores and at its regional headquarters and warehouse in Moreno Valley, CA.

The retailer, which described its U.S. expansion plans as “aggressive,” said it would put more than $3 billion behind a five-year plan to open 650 new stores across the U.S. By the end of 2018, Aldi expects to operate close to 2,000 stores, reaching more than 45 million customers each month....

[LongWayHome]

Prices like 1985....love the place.

[BunnySlippers]

Alpha Beta gone. Vn’s is still around .... it’s owned by Safeway.

[rfreedom4u]

We have an Aldi’s near us. I like it!

[Sherman Logan]

I buy probably 3/4 of my food at Aldi and the rest on loss-leader specials at the “regular” groceries. They don’t make much money on me!

Aldi is often MUCH cheaper. Everything they sell, just about, is house brands. Quality varies, but is usually at least the equal of house brands at other stores.

For instance, Doritos are $3 to $4 per bag. The house brand at Aldi is $1.19 and is at least equal in quality.

Some of their stuff is really good. The intermittently have a four-flavor assortment of hummus that is exceptional.

[eastforker]

We recently moved from Texas to small town northern Alabama. The local store is Buy-Right.Good prices and after they bag your groceries, they insist on carrying them to the truck for you. Just like they did back in the 60’s when I grew up.

[2ndDivisionVet]

They were a good store. Liked Publix when we lived in Florida in the sixties, too. My dad was retired military, so we went to the commissary at March AFB in Riverside a lot, but not every week.

[Mastador1]

Limited selections. Same company as Trader Jose’s.

Good old Trader Joes, they don't get much business from me because they don't want to put a store near me in West Anaheim, ca. But the thing this story really makes me think of is Tesco's Fresh and Easy and the bath they took trying the same thing a few years back.

[Bobby_Taxpayer]

Every business does that, how are they different? It’s really up to the feral government to contain fraud, not the companies. The feral gubment? Really? They are as curule as the businesses.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Business is great for Aldis and Dollar Stores. Who says the economy is stagnant?

[left that other site]

I really like Aldi. Bring your own bags, pay a quarter for the cart and get it back when you are done, and incredible prices.

Slightly different brand names, but the quality is good.

[cripplecreek]

Its an invasion I tell ya!!!

[grania]

They're able to offer the prices they do while giving their employees a decent wage.

FWIW, they have a lot of healthy food choices at good prices.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Alpha Beta is gone, but we still have Von's, Albertson's and Ralph's. I believe Von's and Albertson's just recently merged but most of the stores are going to keep their names.

We also have Fresh & Easy (from Britain), Trader Joe's, Bristol Farms, Whole Foods, Walmart Groceries (they wouldn't tolerate an entire Walmart in the city), Target, Costco, Smart & Final, and various and sundry ethnic markets.

Using today's terminology, I guess I live in a 'food jungle'.

[left that other site]

I LOVE the four-flavor hummus!

mmm mmm mmm

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Completely different animal from TJs. I thought two German brothers own TJs and Aldis. One owns TJs and the other Aldis.

[fatnotlazy]

Aldi bought up a number of the former Bottom Dollar stores in my area. A few they opened as Aldi, but one store in my neighborhood is now for sale. Rumor has it that Aldi will sell the store, but only if the buyer will not operate the location as a supermarket. Aldi has a location a few miles away and it doesn't want the competition. So my neighborhood has no supermarket.

Discount grocers do a big business in poor areas like mine. They are always packed with customers. I like to shop there for normally expensive products such as paper products, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. Leaves me some money to splurge.

[2ndDivisionVet]

When I was transferred to a small county seat in Iowa to take a promotion (circa 1988) there was a strident John Bircher who owned a small grocery/deli/convenience type store and he would rail against the blacks and their food stamps, yet he made more money off them than anyone else in the county and sold them hot food with the stamps, which is verboten.

[animal172]

The best jalapeno potato chips in the world. I open the bag and can’t stop until they are gone or my wife takes them away from me.

[John Valentine]

Nope, Aldi and Trader Joe’s are owned by brothers in competition with one another. Not the same company.

[W.]

I also prefer Aldi over even Walmart, better prices, efficient staff, etc. They generally only carry one selection per stock item, but it's cool, if you want to pick from ten different 5# bags of flour, go elsewhere. This setup works for most things. For those here who haven't tried them, if you've got one handy, give it a go. Aldi.us