German discounter Lidl has announced plans to open its first US stores this summer, according to German trade publication Lebensmittel Zeitung.
Outlets in Virginia and North and South Carolina will be the first to open, with approximately 20 store launches in total expected this summer.
Lidl has advanced its opening schedule, with these flagship stores being part of the first wave of 100 branches scheduled to open on the east coast of the US between now and the middle of 2018.
"We think it's great that we can start ahead of schedule," said Lidl US managing director Brendan Proctor.
The planned US layout will be roughly 35% larger than European outlets.
The discounter opened its Arlington, Virginia headquarters in June 2015 and will compete with rival Aldi Süd, already well established on the east coast.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
