Your neighborhood could soon have its own Aldi — but shopping at the popular discount grocery store doesn’t make sense for everyone.
The German grocery chain, known for its rock bottom prices, will open roughly 900 new stores in the U.S. by the end of 2022 as part of a $3.4 billion investment, the company announced Monday.
Aldi provides what can be a somewhat unusual shopping experience for U.S. consumers. The stripped down chain has a spartan interior and doesn’t try to soothe shoppers with frills such as soft lighting and mood music. The choice to forego various non-essential grocery store services “translates into big savings for our shoppers,” Scott Patton, vice president of corporate buying for Aldi U.S., said in an email.
Shoppers should be aware of a few ground rules: Customers need to bring a quarter if they want to use a shopping cart: They deposit the coin and get it back when they return their cart. Customers bag their own groceries: Bags are available for purchase at checkout or shoppers can use old boxes for free). The store was once cash-only but now accepts most credit cards and EBT cards (food stamps), but it doesn’t participate in the WIC (Women Infants Children) program for low-income moms.
“I would recommend being flexible if you’re new to Aldi,” said Amy Sheppard, a U.K. mom who is such a fan of the chain that she wrote and self-published an entire cookbook of recipes made solely with Aldi products. “It’s a new way to shop and you will need a bit of time to get used to the new products, ingredients and prices. You may have to change some of your recipes, but the savings and quality of food they offer make it well worth the effort.”
Read more:Grocery stores carry 40,000 more items than they did in the 1990s
While Aldi counts many adoring fans, it’s not necessarily a slam-dunk for every consumer’s needs. MarketWatch hashed out why consumers should (and shouldn’t) head to Aldi:
When it comes to food, it’s hard to beat Aldi prices
Many products that might be a guilty pleasure if purchased at another store won’t cost consumers a bundle at Aldi. “I can get an avocado for 25 cents or 50 cents, while it’s $1.50 at my grocery store,” said Tracie Fobes, founder of the lifestyle blog Penny Pinchin’ Mom. Avocado prices have been on the rise recently, so aficionados may appreciate such a bargain.
Fobes also recommends getting canned goods, cheese and bread. “Their bread is really good,” Fobes told MarketWatch. “You can pick up bread there for a dollar a loaf. Their English muffins are my husband’s favorite.”
Cherie Lowe, who writes The Queen of Free, a blog about savings and debt, says she zeroes in on fresh meat, produce and a few select pantry staples including canned beans, oatmeal and coffee. The blog Living Well Spending Less says specialty chocolate, organic products and yogurt are among the best Aldi deals.
Sheppard also noted that the store is a good option for pantry staples like pasta and rice, as well as fresh meat (especially beef) and cheese. She’s also a fan of Aldi’s organic, gluten-free and vegan items, which have “up until now been financially inaccessible to most families,” she noted.
But deals are spottier for non-food items
For household needs such as paper towels or diapers, consumers may be better off shopping elsewhere. “While Aldi offers impressively low prices on groceries and packaged foods, their non-food items are not always priced as competitively,” said Jon Lal, chief executive and founder of savings website BeFrugal. “Bulk paper towels, cleaning supplies and other home goods are likely to be a much better deal at a warehouse club like Costco COST, -2.15% or through Amazon Prime Pantry AMZN, +3.01% .”
Shoppers should pay particular attention to the prices per unit when comparing Aldi with warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club or Costco. For instance, store-brand plastic wrap costs 0.4 cents at Costco, versus 0.7 cents per square foot at Aldi, according to recent data collected by savings blog Passionate Penny Pincher. Warehouse clubs also beat Aldi’s pricing on items such as laundry detergent (11 cents per ounce at Sam’s Club and Costco versus 13 cents per ounce at Aldi) and toilet paper (0.1 cents per sheet at Sam’s Club and Costco versus 0.2 cents per sheet at Aldi.)
Warehouse clubs are also competitive with Aldi when it comes to the prices of other goods, from organic kale to salted butter, thanks to buying in bulk, according to personal finance website Clark.com.
See also:10 things that actually make sense to buy in bulk
Aldi doesn’t do manufacturer’s coupons
The supermarket chain eschews coupons much like it does plastic bags — as part of its effort to keep prices down. “Our simple approach to grocery shopping means customers can leave their club cards and coupons at home,” Patton said.
Savvy bargain-hunters will be able to find better deals at larger grocery stores like Kroger or big-box stores like Walmart WMT, +0.12% , in large part because Aldi doesn’t accept manufacturer’s coupons. For items like cereal, Fobes said the sales price at another store may not beat Aldi — but adding extra savings in the form of a coupon can change the game. “You really need to know current store prices and watch them,” Fobes said.
Stores like Publix in many cases will run special deals during the holiday season on pantry staples such as spices and flour that beat Aldi’s prices, Fobes added. In these cases, consumers may benefit from stocking up on these essential, shelf-stable items.
On the upside, you can use the store’s circulars to plan ahead (and save money). A mobile app lets shoppers browse deals and Aldi devotees recommend checking out the store circulars, which appear online two weeks ahead of time, to plan meals. The most recent version includes a 16-ounce jar of crunchy peanut butter for $1.99.
You may not find your favorite brand names
More than 90% of the products sold in Aldi are store-brands, according to Patton. And even when brand names are available, Aldi’s prices aren’t always the cheapest, as personal finance expert Lauren Greutman found with Crest toothpaste.
As a result the selection at Aldi may not please everyone — particularly consumers who prefer specific brands because of their taste or quality. Fobes said she buys plastic sandwich bags in bulk from warehouse stores, largely because she can collect the box tops to earn money for her children’s school through the Box Tops for Education program.
But for consumers who prefer certain brands over others out of sheer preference, Aldi’s selection may not necessarily disappoint. Many of the store-brand items sold at Aldi are supplied by the same companies that produce national brands, Patton said.
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The selection of specialty and frozen food items may be better elsewhere
While Aldi’s prices and selection are extremely competitive, in some areas it is beat out by its sibling chain, Trader Joe’s. For instance, a MarketWatch analysis found in 2015 Trader Joe’s has a wider (and in some cases, cheaper) array of fresh produce and frozen food options.
But Aldi has been growing its range of gluten-free and organic offerings, Patton said. Fresh produce is the company’s fastest-growing product category, but Aldi has also been expanding its line-up of gluten-free and organic items. Since Aldi launched its SimplyNature line of organic or non-genetically modified products in 2013, the offerings have expanded from 30 to 200 products.
Aldi isn’t made for one-stop shopping
In short, shopping at Aldi is more about savings than convenience. While the lack of selection can help consumers avoid overspending on unnecessary items, it also means that devotees of certain products will have no choice but to shop elsewhere for them. “When I go to Aldi, I always have to supplemental shop at my grocery store,” Fobes said.
Besides eating up time, shopping additional stores to get whatever Aldi doesn’t carry can also cost more in fuel, reducing the potential savings generated. “Some people spend so much time and fuel to chase those savings, that they are losing their savings,” Fobes added. “If I changed the way I cooked and said I’m going to make this work, I could get everything I needed at Aldi if I wanted to.”
Sheppard, the U.K. mom who wrote “The Aldi Lover’s Guide to Cooking,” said Aldi’s relatively limited product selection is liberating for shoppers. “It is hard at first, but after a short while you realize that the big stores with large product ranges and complex offers is exhausting,” she said. “Aldi keeps it simple. You can shop quicker and smarter, without the need of a calculator.”
(Sheppard’s Aldi-inspired cookbook — which wasn’t commissioned by the store or associated with it in any way, she said — has been retitled, “The Savvy Shopper’s Cookbook.” It’s currently available only in Europe, but will hit bookstores in the U.S. in September, she said.)
FAQs
What problems has Aldi faced? ›
Aldi's reputation faced challenges over the years because of a number of scandals. For instance, it was caught in horsemeat scandal in the past in the UK. However, it blamed its supplier Comigel for the scandal. Aldi was also accused of spying on its employees in German stores in the past.
Why you should shop at Aldi? ›Its prices are low, and it stocks a limited selection of items. Aldi carries only about 1,300 of the fastest-moving grocery items, while most grocery stores sell about 30,000 items, according to Aldi. With fewer items, stores can be smaller (which means lower rent and electricity costs).
What does Aldi do differently? ›What makes ALDI different? At our core, we are different by design. We are private-label trailblazers, and our company is built on these basic principles: simplicity matters, we sell the best food at low prices, and everything we do is purposefully designed to save people money.
How does Aldi differ from other stores? ›Aldi avoids brand names
At most supermarkets, you'll find tons of name-brand items, but at Aldi, a whopping 90% of the products are private label. By avoiding brand names, Aldi can skip going through another company and offer you cheaper prices.
- At Aldi, you can't just grab a cart or a bag. ...
- Aldi is a cousin of Trader Joe's. ...
- Aldi stocks some of the best Girl Scout cookie knockoffs you'll ever taste. ...
- Aldi's gluten-free options are surprisingly good. ...
- There are more healthy products at Aldi than you might expect.
There's a whole harvest of fresh food
Cheese, milk, cream and bread are just some of the fresh produce you can find at a competitive price. Just as you'd expect at any supermarket, fresh fruit and veg are constantly restocked and on display pretty much as you walk into the store.
In 1961 the brothers changed the name to Aldi, which is short for Albrecht Discount, and the business continued to grow.
What questions does Aldi ask in an interview? ›TIP #2 – In preparation for your interview, get ready for Aldi interview questions such as “Tell me about yourself and why you want to work for Aldi?”, “What has attracted you to the Aldi brand?” and “What makes you a good fit for this role with Aldi?” Within the Aldi Interview Questions and Answers guide, we have ...
What are Aldi's 3 core values? ›Our three Core Values: consistency, simplicity and responsibility. Leads to reliability. We mean what we say.
Who is Aldi target customer? ›ALDI's pricing strategy of maintaining the lowest possible prices and no-frills discounts encourages men and women in low and mid-level income groups and economical shoppers around the world to become regular customers.
Who is Aldi's biggest competitor? ›
...
Competitor Summary.
- Publix has the most employees (225,000).
- Employees at Trader Joe's earn more than most of the competitors, with an average yearly salary of $35,732.
- The oldest company is Hannaford Supermarkets, founded in 1883.
Aldi is well known as a fast paced workplace. As a deputy manager it is expected that you have numerous responsibilities throughout the store and take on lots of jobs simultaneously. If you are comfortable working under pressure and are good at managing your time efficiently it is a great job.
What does Aldi do to have lower costs than its competitors? ›Aldi's business model sells its products at the lowest cost possible to the consumer market. What is this? The company keeps its pricing model low by restricting its inventory selection and managing its employee costs. The company doesn't focus on competing with other supermarket chains.
Are Aldi products quality? ›Indeed, 90% of Aldi's products are exclusive store brands, and many mimic the packaging and product of national brands. We found several great items at Aldi that deserve a spot on your grocery list based on quality or value — or both. That's good news as all of us are looking to cut corners on rampaging grocery bills.
What are main strengths and weaknesses? ›Strengths are defined as character traits or skills that are considered positive. Strengths include knowledge, attributes, skills, and talents. Weaknesses are just the opposite. Weaknesses are defined as character traits or skills that are considered negative or not as well developed.
How do I pass Aldi interview? ›- Learn as much as you can about the company and ask yourself why you want to work there. ...
- Review potential interview questions and think about how you will answer them from your own personal experience.
- Think about where you see yourself in the future?
Fantastic Team, Fun place to work
Fast paced, always a job to do, demanding but enjoyable, excellent hard working team who help each other and all of the management team are the best! Fantastic store to work in.
When answering this question, you should mention that you know Aldi is a German discount grocery store chain that's grown to over 10,000 stores worldwide. You could also add that Aldi has a commitment to offering quality products at low prices and they focus on providing an excellent customer experience.
What are some random facts about Aldi? ›Aldi's first store opened in Germany in 1961 and in 1976 the discount grocery store made its way to the United States. There are currently over 1,900 stores in 36 states, and enthusiasts say their cost-cutting measures are definitely worth the deals.
What are Aldi's values? ›Our Core Values
Our business approach is based on our three core values which are consistency, simplicity and responsibility. Consistency leads to reliability. We mean what we say. We are consistent in our dealings with people, product, price and all other aspects of our day-to-day professional life.
Is Aldi good for healthy food? ›
That's why ALDI has everything you need to stay on track, from heart healthy breakfast options to fresh, organic dinner items. We offer a wide variety of fresh produce, gluten free products, high-protein snacks and low carb options to fit every lifestyle at a great price.
How are Aldi cashiers so fast? ›She said: "Fun fact: Aldi product packaging is designed to have multiple barcodes so that cashiers can scan things faster, all about that speed baby." More than 394,000 people have watched the clip, with it garnering over 10,800 likes.
Is it cheaper in Aldi? ›Aldi's 2022 Price Report, released yesterday and based on data analysis by PricewaterhouseCoopers, found that an Aldi grocery basket is generally 15 per cent cheaper than a basket of the cheapest comparable products at its major competitors.
What is ALDI's motto? ›The customer comes first. You are our everything.
What is ALDI most known for? ›Aldi is known for its own brand products and the chocolate aisle is one of the best places to start finding them. Parents can even make a fun game with their kids where they can try and guess what brand the products are trying to imitate as Aldi's packaging is often close in style.
Who is ALDI owned by? ›For over 40 years, we have stuck to the same guiding principle: great quality should come with everyday low prices. In 1961, the Albrecht Family founded the world's first discount grocery store in Germany.
What are 3 commonly asked interview questions? ›- Tell me about yourself.
- Why are you interested in working for this company?
- Tell me about your education.
- Why have you chosen this particular field?
- Describe your best/worst boss.
- In a job, what interests you most/least?
- What is your major weakness?
Express your personal passion for the employer's product/service/mission. Employers want to know you're passionate about what they do, whether it takes the shape of a product, a service, a mission, or a brand. You can also connect your passion to the company's core values, which can often be found on their website.
What is Aldi's work ethic? ›The company states its commitment to its three principles of fairness, openness and honesty. The honesty part of this is evident in Aldi's business model: there are no or very few special offers, with the result being that customers develop trust that it is consistently selling its products at low prices.
What are Aldi's key principles? ›Simplicity, Consistency, Responsibility – these are our core values. Our business model is simple: great quality at the best price, fair and honest product offers, and efficient business processes.
What skills does Aldi look for? ›
To get hired at Aldi, you must have strong attention to detail, great customer service skills and experience, and open availability for work shifts. You must be at least 18 years old to work for Aldi, and they prefer candidates with either a high school diploma or a GED.
Is it better to work at Aldi or target? ›Target scored higher in 5 areas: Overall Rating, Culture & Values, Diversity & Inclusion, Work-life balance and Recommend to a friend. ALDI scored higher in 4 areas: Senior Management, Compensation & Benefits, CEO Approval and Positive Business Outlook. Both tied in 1 area: Career Opportunities.
What is Aldi sister company? ›Trader Joe's, although it may be based in Southern California, is actually owned by Albrecht Discounts. The company was purchased back in 1979, long before it hit the cultural mainstream.
What are Aldi looking for in employees? ›Our store assistants are always ready and willing to roll up their sleeves and jump in to keep the store running as efficiently as possible. We look for people that are flexible, enthusiastic and full of initiative.
Does Aldi sell anything other than food? ›Toiletries. Hair-care items, deodorant, dental products, and the like are certainly available at Aldi, but you're only going to find established brand names—and rarely at a discount.
Where is Aldi most successful? ›Aldi now has more than 10,000 stores globally
Between them, the companies now have more than 11,000 stores in 20 countries, with their biggest footprints in the US and Germany.
Aldi sources its products from all over the world.
You will regularly find food and Aldi Finds sourced or made in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Thailand, China and a handful of other countries across the globe. If you want to know where something is made from Aldi simply look on the packaging.
Typical shifts are 6-8 hours on days you're available to work. Own your schedule as one of our hardworking, dedicated people who work in ambient and temperature controlled areas.
What is the hourly rate working for Aldi? ›Aldi - £11.00 from January 2023
The hourly pay at the supermarket already increased in September to £10.50 for 4,200 workers in its distribution centres. The move came only weeks after the discounter announced it would raise the minimum hourly rate for 26,000 workers to £10.50 - and £11.95 for those within the M25.
Aldi, Inc. pays its employees an average of $16.68 an hour. Hourly pay at Aldi, Inc. ranges from an average of $12.38 to $23.19 an hour.
What are the weaknesses of ALDI? ›
Weaknesses of Aldi
Aldi faces positioning problems. For instance, many customers see it as a store for cheap and low-quality products. Aldi's emphasis on low-cost private label items could turn off some customers who prefer branded items.
Aldi is Save a Lot's biggest competitor because they are both known for being discount grocery stores. Aldi opened its first store in Germany in 1961.
How does ALDI reduce waste? ›ALDI's largest opportunity to reduce its contribution to landfill is through recovering food waste from our stores and distribution centres (DCs).
What makes Aldi different from other stores? ›Aldi avoids brand names
At most supermarkets, you'll find tons of name-brand items, but at Aldi, a whopping 90% of the products are private label. By avoiding brand names, Aldi can skip going through another company and offer you cheaper prices.
Is Aldi Milk Good Quality? Yes, Aldi milk is of good quality, even though it is cheaper than other kinds of milk. Research shows it is precisely the same as brand-name milk, just different labels and packaging. It is not of lesser quality or B-grade milk.
Why does Aldi charge for carts? ›This 25 cent deposit ultimately saves our customers money because we don't have to hire extra staff to collect grocery carts. To unlock a cart, customers have to insert a quarter, and this deposit ensures shoppers return their cart to the corral to get their quarter back.
What happen to Aldi? ›Aldi has been around for over 40 years, and in that time, they have opened nearly 11,000 stores in over 20 countries. Aldi is a discount grocery store that offers low prices on a variety of items, including food, household items, and more. Despite the rumors, Aldi is not currently closing any stores.
Is Aldi a hard place to work? ›Productive and busy environment
Working at Aldi there is so much to do. You are never not busy. I loved that about the job but it was not an easy job, very fast paced and only a 30 min lunch break. You can't choose to work only days or nights you have to work both, sometimes closing at 9pm and being back at 5am.
Aldi's current overall score is one per cent. Aldi were the only supermarket to score zero in the workers' theme, which assesses the extent to which supermarkets have put in place measures to ensure workers' rights are respected in their food supply chains.
Is Aldi a disruptive innovation? ›Aldi and Lidl demonstrated principles of disruptive innovation.
Who is Aldi owned by? ›
For over 40 years, we have stuck to the same guiding principle: great quality should come with everyday low prices. In 1961, the Albrecht Family founded the world's first discount grocery store in Germany.
Who owns Aldi now? ›Owned by a German company called Albrecht Discounts, ALDI is a discount grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948. Decidedly no frills, the company stocks virtually all house-brand products, all offered at very low prices thanks to exclusive deals with their suppliers, many of which are big-name producers.
What products does Aldi not sell? ›- Artificial Ingredients.
- Junk Food in Checkout Lanes.
- Plastic Lids.
- Newspapers and Magazines.
Typical shifts are 6-8 hours on days you're available to work. Own your schedule as one of our hardworking, dedicated people who work in ambient and temperature controlled areas.
How many hours is Aldi full time? ›You'll work between 10-40 hours a week, and there's a mixture of shifts available.
Is it easy to get hired at Aldi? ›To get hired at Aldi, you must have strong attention to detail, great customer service skills and experience, and open availability for work shifts. You must be at least 18 years old to work for Aldi, and they prefer candidates with either a high school diploma or a GED.
What did ALDI get sued for? ›Aldi Named in Food Poisoning Lawsuit.
Does ALDI treat their employees well? ›79% of employees at ALDI Inc. say it is a great place to work compared to 57% of employees at a typical U.S.-based company.
Who is ALDI's biggest competitor? ›...
Competitor Summary.
- Publix has the most employees (225,000).
- Employees at Trader Joe's earn more than most of the competitors, with an average yearly salary of $35,732.
- The oldest company is Hannaford Supermarkets, founded in 1883.
ALDI was recently ranked as the No. 1 most sustainable grocery retailer among seven of the most popular U.S. chain stores by Brightly. eco*, a community platform featuring ethical, sustainable brands from around the world.