When Will Aldi Come to My Area?

From time to time, we’ll get comments or emails from people asking when Aldi is going to come to their area. In many cases, it’s clear the people think we’re Aldi (we’re not), but it highlights a common problem for would-be Aldi shoppers. People want to know if Aldi is going to send a store their way.

I understand. We’ve come to rely on Aldi even when we travel because we often stay at places where we can do some of our own cooking, so if an Aldi store isn’t nearby it definitely changes things for us.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you specifically when Aldi is coming to your area. Aldi does keep a running list of Grand Openings, but if your area isn’t there or if you haven’t seen anything in the local news, it’s probably not happening any time soon. What I can do, though, is give you some insight as to how Aldi figures out where to put its stores. That might help you figure out what your chances are.

Factor 1: The Aldi Supply Chain

A person with inside knowledge of Aldi’s operations once told me the Aldi supply chain is one of the biggest factors in where Aldi builds a store. What does this mean?

In simple terms, it means that Aldi builds stores near other stores. Why? Because it makes it a lot easier to get products to those stores. If you have ten stores in Chicago, for example, getting products from a distribution center in Chicago can be done cheaply and efficiently. If you only have one store in Helena, Montana, and your nearest other store is hundreds of miles away, getting products to that one store is going to be hard. (Aldi, by the way, does not currently have any stores in Montana.)

A map showing the current reach of Aldi. The Aldi icons mark the grocer’s different divisional headquarters. (Credit: Aldi)

If the nearest Aldi is 30 minutes away, there is a chance that, at some point, Aldi might build closer. But if the nearest Aldi is 300 miles away, it could take years, if ever, before Aldi finally arrives in your neck of the woods. Sorry, Montana.

Factor 2: The Right Property

Aldi has strict standards about its selection process when it comes to where to build. That’s always been true, but it seems especially true now that the store is seen as a popular place to shop. Aldi wants its store locations to have certain qualities, such as specific dimensions for the building and the parking lot, a nearby stop light or stop sign when possible, and close proximity to a large population.

Aldi Real Estate Requirements

The official Aldi real estate guidelines. (Credit: Aldi)

Factor 3: Things We Don’t Know About

At the end of the day, Aldi is like most other businesses — it exists to make a profit. What sets it apart from other businesses, though, is how smart it is about where it puts its stores.

A lot of that process isn’t known to the public. It’s such a secret, in fact, that at one point Aldi sued competitor Lidl for allegedly trying to steal its real estate formula. I would guess there are countless hours of planning and analysis that go into each and every new store location, but the exact how and why of that planning is something we don’t know.

If you looked closely at the map above, for example, you might notice that there are few Aldi stores in Arkansas and Louisiana despite there being stores all around them. Why is that? Why are those two states barren Aldi wastelands?

I could certainly guess at one reason: Walmart is headquartered in Arkansas and has a major presence there. But there may be other reasons I don’t know about. Regardless, Aldi isn’t in the central part of Arkansas, and it has only recently started moving into the state (including Walmart’s backyard.)

Another example: sometimes Aldi plants new stores seemingly in areas where it already has a lot of stores. No one really knows why, although I assume Aldi did enough research to conclude there was more money to be made.

Regardless of the reasons, the fact is that Aldi is a deliberate company that keeps its growth strategy a closely guarded secret.

Closing Thoughts:

Aldi has a number of reasons that drive where it puts stores. Its supply chain is a factor. So is a location that makes sense in terms of size, accessibility, and a potential customer base. But there is also a secret sauce to what Aldi does that is so sharp other companies have (allegedly) tried to get their hands on it.

If you wish you had an Aldi nearby, those are the factors that seem to matter when it comes to potential Aldi stores in your area. To that I say: may the odds be ever in your favor.

About Joshua

Joshua is the Co-founder of Aldi Reviewer. He is also a writer and novelist. You can learn more about him at joshuaajohnston.com.

11 Comments

  1. why in Ocala Fl is there 3 Aldi stores 6 miles away from the next one??? we need a store in Citrus Springs Florida!!

  2. There are no stores in Nevada. With all due respect, I believe ALDI is missing the boat by not opening a store in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas and Clark County are growing, growing, growing. Further,
    the international’s highway from Mexico, thru Phoenix, thru Las Vegas to Utah and Canada should be considered. Your supply chain in Phoenix can easily expand to Las Vegas. Also, an ALDI should be located in one of the top travel destinations in the world.. Give Las Vegas a shot…..You won’t be disappointed.

    • As you noted, it all comes down to supply chain. Given that Aldi has recently expanded to Phoenix, and already has a presence in LA, it would make sense to see the store come to Vegas at some point. That’s up to Aldi corporate, though.

  3. I love ALDI, but it is too far from where I live. I live in Venice, CA 90291. The only ALDI I know is in Inglewood, CA, near the airport. I know you would have many customers here in the Venice/Marina Del Rey area.

  4. Thank you Joshua! I look forward to an Aldi store close to Venice/Marina Del Rey, CA. in the very near future!!!

  5. Angelique Eddins

    As a recent resident to Kalispell, Montana area, one of the things I really miss is Aldi’s, so I hope we get blessed soon with their store! 🙂

  6. Our closest Aldi is a 45 minute drive. we have a university, 2 year college and 4 year college in the area and we are a tourist area year round. what can we do to get an Aldi store in our area?

  7. Thomas Lukshaitis, Mayor, City of Sandusky Michigan

    I would like Aldi to review the City of Sandusky, MI as a location for their next new store location. Aldi successfully opened a store in Caro, MI north of their Lapeer. MI store. Aldi has a successful store in Fort Gratiot, MI. Both Caro and Fort Gratiot are both about 35 miles from Sandusky. We have two major highways and a State of Michigan funded walking pathway from downtown to our retail area.

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