Aldi is a German discount supermarket chain founded in 1946 by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht. It operates over 12,000 stores in 18 countries, split into Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd in 1960.
In 1913, Karl Albrecht Sr., a former coal miner, began trading in baked goods, laying the foundation for the future retail giant Aldi.
In 1919, Anna Albrecht expanded the small store in Essen, Germany, marking a significant growth in the family business.
In the 1930s, Karl Albrecht Sr. fell ill with emphysema, leading to his inability to work, prompting his wife Anna to take over the family store.
After receiving their mother's small store, Anna Albrecht's sons turned it into a chain and split it into two companies, naming it Aldi, short for Albrecht Diskont.
In 1946, brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht took over their mother's store in Essen, Germany, and founded Aldi, a discount supermarket chain.
In 1948, Karl and Theo Albrecht, sons of Anna Albrecht, took over the family business and expanded it to four stores across Germany, marking the early growth of the Aldi brand.
By 1950, the Albrecht brothers, Karl and Theo, had expanded their store chain to own 13 stores in the Ruhr Valley region.
In 1954, Aldi expanded to a total of 77 stores due to its below-average price model, slowly dominating the market in Germany and spreading across Europe.
In 1960, the Albrecht brothers split the company over a disagreement about selling cigarettes. Karl Albrecht believed it would attract shoplifters, while Theo Albrecht did not. This led to the formation of Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd.
In 1961, the Aldi business was split into two divisions by the Albrecht brothers due to a disagreement over selling cigarettes. Karl took control of stores in southwest West Germany, while Theo managed stores in the northern part.
In 1962, the first store under the name Aldi was opened, offering a small selection of goods sold directly from pallets. This marked the beginning of the Aldi retail chain.
Since 1966, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd have been financially and legally separate entities, although they may appear as a single enterprise in certain aspects.
Aldi started its international expansion in 1967 when Aldi Süd acquired the grocery chain Hofer in Austria. Aldi Nord followed by opening stores abroad in the Netherlands in 1973, leading to further expansion into other countries.
In 1968, Aldi expanded internationally by acquiring the Austrian chain store Hofer, which had approximately 30 branches. This move marked Aldi's entry into the global market.
Aldi made its way to the United States from Essen, Germany through an undisclosed investment in Benner Tea Co., a grocer in Burlington, Iowa. The store, originally a Giant Food store, reopened as Aldi in late March of 1976.
In 1979, an Albrecht family trust associated with Aldi Nord purchased Trader Joe's, a chain with over 500 stores in the US. This acquisition expanded Aldi's presence in the American market.
Aldi has grown into a global empire with more than 12,000 stores worldwide, including in the US, the UK, Australia, and France. It plans to open 800 more stores in the US in the next five years.
In 1984, Aldi Süd introduced fridges in its stores, enabling the sale of a wider range of products. This innovation marked a significant development in Aldi's retail strategy.
Aldi opened its first store in Great Britain in Stechford, Birmingham, marking its entry into the British market.
Aldi expanded its operations to Ireland in 1999, marking its entry into the Irish market.
In the early 2000s, Aldi expanded its presence into Australia, Slovenia, and Hungary.
Aldi opened its first two stores in Australia located at Bankstown Airport and Marrickville in Greater Sydney. Customers eagerly lined up to experience Aldi's 'Smarter Shopping' concept, offering exclusive branded products and competitive prices.
In December 2002, a survey conducted by the German market research institute Forsa found that a significant percentage of different occupational groups in Germany shop at Aldi, with high percentages across blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, public servants, and self-employed individuals.
Starting from 2004, Aldi stores began accepting debit cards as a payment method, expanding beyond cash transactions.
Since May 2005, print and television ads have been appearing in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
In 2007, Aldi Süd expanded its operations into Hungary, increasing its presence in Central Europe.
From November 2008 until December 2010, Aldi Süd invested an estimated €800m in Greece before eventually pulling out at the end of 2010.
Aldi, through its subsidiary Hofer, established no-frills petrol stations called Diskont in Austria in 2009. These stations provide self-serve unleaded or diesel fuel.
Aldi Süd pulled out of the Greek market on 31 December 2010 after investing a significant amount in the country.
In 2011, Aldi expanded its presence in the United States by opening stores in Connecticut, Florida, Texas, and Georgia.
Aldi reached a milestone by opening its 300th store in Great Britain, showcasing its rapid expansion in the country.
Starting from October 2014, Aldi stores in Germany began accepting Visa and MasterCard without any additional fees, making it more convenient for customers to use credit cards for payments.
From September 2015, Aldi stores in Germany started accepting Visa and MasterCard without any additional charges, improving payment convenience for customers.
On July 7, 2016, Aldi Suisse became one of the early adopters of the Apple Pay contactless payment system, providing customers with more convenient payment options.
On March 1, 2018, Aldi Süd opened its first 10 stores in Italy. Over the course of the first year, they opened a total of 51 outlets, with plans to further expand in the country.
On August 9, 2018, Aldi (Nord) announced plans to broaden its product range by introducing more organic, fresh, and easy-to-prepare meals in the United States.
Aldi, starting as a corner store in Germany, has expanded significantly to become one of the largest supermarket chains globally.
On September 18, 2018, Aldi revealed its intention to provide grocery delivery services in the United States, following testing in select cities like Atlanta and Chicago.
In March 2019, Aldi Süd introduced smaller-format stores in the UK named Aldi Local, featuring a more limited product range, a focus on fresh items, and unique shopping experiences.
In August 2019, Aldi announced a $3.4 billion investment to expand to 2,500 stores in the US by the end of 2022. Additionally, they planned to renovate 1,300 existing stores with an extra $1.6 billion investment.
By October 2019, Aldi had 66 stores operating in northern Italy. The company was also planning to open 80 new stores in the country and establish a distribution center in Landriano.
In November 2019, Aldi revealed plans for same-day beer and wine delivery in the US through a partnership with Instacart.
Aldi declared on March 4, 2020, that all its suppliers must transition to recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging by 2025.
On December 9, 2022, Aldi Nord announced the withdrawal of Aldi from Denmark after 45 years of operations. A significant number of stores were taken over by Norwegian competitor Rema 1000.
Australian trucking giant Scott's Refrigerated Logistics faced receivership and liquidation on March 3, 2023, after voluntary administration in February. The Transport Workers' Union blamed ALDI Australia for contributing to the company's financial strain.
On August 16, 2023, Aldi Süd entered into an agreement to acquire Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket, including approximately 400 stores across several states in the US. This marked a significant expansion of Aldi's presence in the American market.
Aldi plans to open an additional 800 stores in the US by the end of 2028, aiming to reach a total of nearly 3,200 stores. The expansion includes new stores in the Northeast, Midwest, southern California, and Arizona.