Twenty years ago very few people, particularly in the US, had heard of Aldi, let alone shopped in one, but all that rapidly changed.
Now that consumers have gotten to know Aldi, its steeply discounted goods, and its rather particular business model, they are hooked.
Interested in learning more about this growing grocer with a great reputation for quality, customer service, and huge savings?
Read on for 23 statistics, facts, and trends about Aldi’s history, growth, stores, employees, distribution and logistics, and what is in Aldi’s near future.
23 Aldi Statistics, Facts & Trends
Aldi’s History
1. Aldi was founded by two German brothers in 1948
Karl and Theo Albrecht inherited a grocery store from their mother, who opened her doors in the early 1900s.
The two quickly found their niche by cutting costs and selling no-frills goods on the cheap, in a country rebuilding after a catastrophic world war.
2. Aldi Got Its Name In 1962
Originally Aldi was known as “Albrecht Discount,” but in the early 1960s the brothers decided to shorten it: “Al” for Albrecht and “Di” for discount.
Not long after, the brothers parted ways (over a disagreement about whether or not to sell cigarettes) and formed Aldi Sud, which is the version in the United States, and Aldi Nord. Aldi Nord also sells in the US – as Trader Joe’s!
3. Aldi Came To The US In 1976
Aldi Sud came to the US in 1976, setting up shop in Iowa City, IA. That same year, the stores expanded to two other states.
4. Aldi’s Main HQ Is In Illinois
In keeping with its original Midwest roots in the US, Aldi’s stateside headquarters is in Batavia, Illinois, outside Chicago.
Along with the administrative work of keeping a company running, they also do product testing and tastings in Aldi HQ.
Aldi’s Growth
5. Aldi Could Become Third Largest Grocer In US By 2022
Demand for Aldi stores has exploded, and with that comes top-notch profits.
Indeed, Aldi’s growth is such that by 2022, the company is expected to be the third-largest grocery chain in the US, after only Walmart and Kroger.
6. There Are Over 2,000 Locations In 37 States In The US
Aldi opened location number 2,000 in July 2020, an exciting milestone in the grocer’s American expansion.
However, it was noted that the opening had been delayed by over a year, based on the company’s own projections.
7. Aldi Is Aiming For 2,500 Stores In The US By 2022
In conjunction with becoming the third-largest grocer in the US, Aldi has plans for 2,500 stores to be up and running by 2022.
The company is eyeing the Gulf Coast for its new locations, bolstered by the recent start of construction for a Southern distribution center in Alabama.
8. Even The Pandemic Couldn’t Slow Down Aldi
In a time that hit many industries hard, Aldi was fortunate to keep on track with its rapid US expansion throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aldi even accelerated its implementation of pick-up, while new stores in Arizona gave the company a foothold in the American Southwest.
9. Louisiana Will Be The 38th State To Get Aldi
Furthering Aldi’s presence in the American south, and marking their 38th state in America, will be the new Louisiana location, which was under construction as of February 2021.
10. Aldi Has Remodeled Extensively In Recent Years
In addition to adding stores, Aldi HQ has also overseen billions of dollars of renovations and remodels in current stores since 2017.
If you visited your store one day and found the whole thing looks different, it was not just your imagination.
11. Aldi’s US Revenue Estimated About $15 Billion in 2020
Ald is a privately owned company still, and they are tight-lipped about exact numbers when it comes to revenue and profits.
However, Progressive Grocer estimated that Aldi saw sales of over $15 billion in 2019 in the US and over $100 billion worldwide.
Aldi’s Stores
12. Aldi Stocks Only About 1400 Items
Walk the aisles of a Walmart and you can easily feel the overwhelming indecision take over your body.
Aldi keeps prices down and makes shopping faster and more convenient by stocking a generous variety of kitchen staple items, but only one type of each.
In numbers, that looks like Aldi’s roughly 1,400 products, compared to 40,000 different products at your local Wegmans and 100,000 products at a Walmart Superstore.
13. Aldi Stores Are Only About 12,000 Square Feet
Store size is another area where Aldi cuts operational costs. The stores only average about 12,000 square feet, compared to your typical supermarket at 40,000 square feet and Walmart, at a gigantic 180,000 square feet.
14. Aldi Averages 40 Million Customers Per Month In US
Hard to believe based on their diminutive supermarket store size, but Aldi estimates that they saw 40 million pairs of feet each month in the US alone (before the pandemic hit, that is).
15. Most Of Aldi’s Products Are Private Label
Ninety percent of the stock on Aldi’s shelves is private label, owned by Aldi.
This includes their gluten-free brand, liveGfree, baby items from Little Journey, L’oven Fresh bread products, and Kirkwood poultry.
Some of these items even have cult followings, with social media posts and groups dedicated to them. (Like the Kirkwood chicken breast fillets, which customers swear taste like Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches.)
16. Aldi’s Wine Is Award-Winning
No less than 24 of Aldi’s wines have won awards for quality and flavor.
Most recently, their excellent Quarter Cut Bourbon Barrel-aged Cabernet Sauvignon – for just $10 – scooped up a Best Wine of 2020 award from Products of the Year USA.
To learn more, you can see our full guide on buying alcohol from Aldi.
Aldi’s Employees
17. Aldi Pays Better Than Minimum Wage (And Their Competition)
Despite lower prices on just about everything in the stores, Aldi pays higher than minimum wage – much higher, in most cases – for non-management employees, and they offer competitive salaries and benefits for management positions.
Further, one full-time employee receiving benefits reported that Aldi paid 90 percent of their medical costs, whereas the competition only covers about 78 percent. And their health insurance only costs them $20 a month.
18. Aldi Employees Work Hard
Employees at Aldi earn every penny of their checks. They have reported back-breaking work, nonstop movement, timed check-out rates, stocking…the list goes on and on.
Employees are cross-trained so that if something needs doing, anyone can jump in.
Aldi’s Logistics/Distribution
19. Aldi Re-Engineered Milk Cartons
Because Aldi handles all of its own distribution, it can make changes anywhere they see fit.
This includes their milk crates, which they re-engineered out of lighter polystyrene to be able to fit more onto the trucks.
20. Aldi Trucks Cover Over 108 Million Miles Per Year
Giving new meaning to the term “road trip,” Aldi reports its US trucks cover 108 million miles each year, crisscrossing the US to deliver the goods.
21. Aldi Has 25 Distribution Centers In The US
There are 25 distribution centers scattered around the US, with the bulk in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions.
Aldi’s Emerging Trends
22. Aldi Is Investing In Green Technology
Not only have Aldi’s billion-dollar renovations made stores, even more energy-efficient, but the company also invested in wind power near its Illinois warehouse. Could this be a harbinger for green technology to come?
23. Aldi Is Leaning Into Instacart Partnership
Aldi’s US CEO Jason Hart commented that the company “accelerated some of their growth recently,” including expanded curbside pick-up capabilities, through Instacart, at more stores. This expansion is expected to continue throughout 2021.
If you are new to Aldi, you may also be interested in our related guides on the best time to shop at Aldi, if you can buy Aldi shares, and also 17 reasons why Aldi is so cheap!
Conclusion
As Aldi continues to expand its presence, not just in the US but all over the world, customers can only hope the company stays true to its mission to provide quality food at the best prices, in the convenient format they have come to know and love.
