Aldi has said that it is committed to a 'coast-to-coast' expansion across the United States, with the discounter recently opening its 2,000th store in the country.
The retailer plans to open more than 70 new stores by the end of 2020, and is scheduled to enter the Phoenix, Arizona market with four new stores later this year.
Logistics Structure
To support its expansion plans, Aldi plans to break ground on a new regional headquarters and distribution centre in Loxley, Alabama, next year, which will serve stores in both Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Aldi currently operates 180 stores in Alabama and Florida, as well as four regional headquarters and distribution centres.
The new distribution centre will also facilitate the group's entry into Louisiana, which will bring the company's store presence to 38 states across the US.
“We are proud that Aldi has selected Loxley for this monumental investment, bringing a regional headquarters is great for Loxley, Baldwin County and Alabama,” commented Loxley mayor Richard Teal.
A New Opportunity
Commenting on the group's expansion plans, Jason Hart, chief executive of Aldi US, said “Each new store is an opportunity to serve another community, which is an honour and responsibility we do not take lightly.
“As we continue to expand, we promise to do everything in our power to offer the lowest prices, every day, without exception. In fact, as food costs are rising across the country, we’re lowering prices on hundreds of items to meet our customers’ increased need for savings.”
The discounter has invested more than $5 billion in a multi-year, nationwide growth initiative in recent years, as it upgrades existing stores and expands to new locations.
It has also invested heavily in its fresh offering, increasing its fresh food selection by 40%, with a wider availability of produce, meat and organic options, as well as easy-to-prepare foods.
E-Commerce Growth
The discounter has also invested in e-commerce, announcing the 'accelerated rollout' of its Curbside Grocery Pickup service in May, which will have been rolled out to close to 600 stores by the end of July.
According to the retailer, grocery delivery services are now available in 10,000 Zip Codes across the US.
In May, CEO Jason Hart penned an 'open letter' to shoppers, pledging to maintain low prices despite the coronavirus pandemic.
"While just about every aspect of our lives might look a little different now, including grocery shopping, I want to assure you that one thing will never change at Aldi: our commitment to offering you the lowest prices, every day," he said.
"We know you love Aldi for our great prices and those prices aren’t going anywhere, no matter what."
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
