Our newest Aldi, which opened in February 2024. (Credit: Rachael Johnston)
Over the last decade, Aldi has operated the most aggressive growth strategy of any grocer in the United States. The supermarket’s goal, for a long time, was to reach 2,500 stores by the end of 2022 — making it the third largest grocer in America behind Walmart and Kroger — while also remodeling and updating its existing stores. While Aldi didn’t quite hit that mark, it nevertheless added more than 1,000 stores during a 10-year span.
Now that 2022 has come and gone, Aldi appears to be gearing up for its next round of goals. On March 7, 2024, Aldi unveiled a pair of press releases highlighting a new initiative: namely, to add 800 new stores by 2028.
The first press release contained this infographic:
Credit: Aldi
There’s obviously a lot of note in the infographic, including these key points mentioned in the second press release:
ALDI will invest more than $9 billion over the next five years on its national expansion, adding new locations across the country. As part of its growth trajectory, ALDI will strengthen its already strong presence in the Northeast and Midwest, adding nearly 330 stores across both regions by the end of 2028. ALDI will also grow its presence in the West by adding more stores in Southern California and Phoenix — and by entering new cities, like Las Vegas.
In other words, Aldi plans to deepen its presence in existing areas while also growing in the Southwest, including expanding to at least one new state in Nevada. The stated pace of growth — 800 stores in 5 years — comes out to roughly 160 stores a year, which is more ambitious than the 100-stores-a-year pace the grocer has produced during the last decade.
Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi US, said, “Our growth is fueled by our customers, and they are asking for more ALDI stores in their neighborhoods nationwide.”
The second press release also had a lot to say about growth in the Southeast, especially as it related to the company’s recent acquisition of Southeastern Grocers, the parent company of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket. The press release confirmed that the acquisition had been completed and was a part of the Aldi expansion plan. “In addition to organic growth through new store openings,” the press release said, “a significant number” of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets will change over to Aldi stores.
The process, according to the release, will happen in phases. Aldi anticipates that 50 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores will convert to Aldi stores in second half of 2024, with a majority reopening as Aldi stores the following year. The release added that Aldi intends for a “meaningful amount of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets to continue to operate under their current banners.” We still have a lot of questions about what will happen to those stores down the road, questions that weren’t answered in the press release.
This is big news from Aldi, although given what we’ve seen in recent years, it’s not surprising. Aldi has made ambitious plans over the last ten years, and it has more ambitious plans in store for the next five.
As always, we’ll be watching with great interest.
Any Aldi stores opening in 61270? or near me
I don’t know if they’ll give you a firm answer, but you could try asking Aldi: https://www.aldi.us/contact/
Years ago, when Aldi was looking for a property tax break for the first 3 years of a new warehouse they wanted to build in our town, I was the representative for the public library district at the meeting of all the taxing bodies which would have to vote on Aldi’s request. I voted Yes, with the stipulation that I wanted Aldi to open a store in my town as well. 25 years later, and still no Aldi store closer than 20 miles away . . . 🙁 If Aldi is continuing to expand in the Midwest, though, perhaps I can still hope?
Hopefully you get a closer store soon. There are a couple of new Aldi stores that have just opened or will be opening in our area, so there is hope!