Posted on 12/27/2013 12:50:27 AM PST by iowamark
Chances are that you have never set foot inside the best grocery store in America: Aldi. And even if you are lucky enough to be in one of the 32 states where Aldi is, perhaps you were put-off by the cardboard boxes in lieu of shelves, or the row upon row of suspicious-looking off-brands. What is this place? Why do I have to put down a deposit to check out a cart? What is the weird giant shelf by the exit? And what do you mean, I have to pay for a bag?
Calm your hormones, meine Schatzis: Aldi, which is short for Albrecht Discount, is the American incarnation of a German grocery chain that is so ubiquitous in the Vaterland that almost 90 percent of Germans shop there...
A disagreement in 1960 over selling cigarettes hastened a partition, and an epic game of grocery-store Risk: Theo would rename his business Aldi Nord, and would control territories north of the Rhine, plus a healthy chunk of Europe. Karl would head up Aldi Süd, and get southern Germany, more of Europe, plus the U.K. and Ireland. But both companies operate stores in the United States—Aldi Süd operates as Aldi, and Aldi Nord as the now ubiquitous Trader Joe’s.
But whereas Trader Joe’s employs just one major cost-saving device—private labeling—everything else about it is Americanized. The place is swarming with upbeat employees; cashiers stand at the till and bag your products for you; you just grab a cart willy-nilly and they trust you to put it back. Aldi also private-labels (those $1.99 “Millville” Rice Squares are Chex, you guys!), but what makes it a more exciting venture—and even cheaper than Trader Joe’s—is that it has imported the entire German grocery experience...
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
As I understand their business model, they purchase brand-name products in bulk - perhaps in surplus - and rebrand it as their own, similar to the way Charles Shaw ("Two-buck Chuck") markets his wine. You normally won't see brand-names in their stores, although occasionally I will see Pop Tarts in there. Instead, everything is an Aldi brand. They also have a limited selection - you won't have 30 different kinds of coffee, you'll have maybe 3: regular, decaf, and a dark roast. That's how they're able to have low prices for things.
A mate of mine (in Blighty) bought some canned dog food at Lidl. His dog turned up his nose, and refused to eat it. That's something I once thought impossible - food not even suitable for a dog!
AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR THAT!!
We have two Aldis in Lexington, KY. They are clean and have good deals, but I seldom visit one, because the nearest one is eight miles away. Kroger, Wal-Mart, Meijer, GFS, Save-A-Lot and the brand new Costco are all closer. Personally I see them as the European equivalent of Save-A-Lot; both stores live up to their names if you buy the generic brands.
WTH?Does that woman have some type of worm attached to her tongue?
Ding ding ding! The local Aldi regularly left out moldy produce that the local Kroger or Meijer would have quickly culled. That made me very suspicious of any other perishables like meat or milk where spoilage would not be nearly as obvious.
I have a Trader Joe’s on one side of my home and an Aldi’s on the other. Both less than five minutes away. Both are excellent stores and I shop at them all the time.
Thanks for the story. I never knew.
Most Aldi’s are clean and well kept. I have a few friends who survive by dumpster diving behind Aldi’s... Not my cup of tea, but one guy I know was so cheap he rode his motorcycle back and forth to work every day, checking Aldi’s dumpster every night on the way home.
I handled part of his divorce...... yes she was fed up with this tightwad..... He had a net worth over $2 million..
Lots of interesting people out there who will survive when times get tough.... which will be real soon!!!
You do realize, that, most of the food you get in those American stores comes from Communist China and/or Latin America?
Much of our American food grown here is shipped out of the US...mainly because Free Trade deals allow the govt to subsidize Ag exports...
Some ALDI items are simply addictive. The dark chocolate covered Belgian style cookies are delicious and put lead in your pencil. Some of the more expensive imported variety don’t add enough chocolate.
Their apple cider vinegar-based salad dressings are special. The Three Cheese, Greek and Garlic varieties make you crave salad.
ALDI has tasty chicken salads in the refrigerator case. Produce is attractively priced. I wish they were national.
Imagine that you own this chain with your brother and you die at 58http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2244577/Aldi-heir-Berthold-Albrecht-dies-leaving-11-billion-fortune-family-wait-month-announce-death.html
I steered clear of Aldi's as their parking areas were not well-tended and once inside, I found it resembled a somewhat junky looking warehouse!
I have wanted to go to Aldi after reading their sales flyers but just not enough to get me out of my car after looking at the shoppers out in their parking lot of one not terribly far from my home.
Trader Jo's is another story, shoppers very motivated and a very loyal fan base!
I've purchased a number of items and found them very good but their locations are in already crowded shopping areas, with drivers racing for the few parking spots available and in one area "Amish" drivers have been known to settle parking disputes by physical altercations and the occasional weapon, especially since one of their own became President!
Fortunately, the metro Kansas City area has many grocery shopping options with something for everyone from almost valet service to sack and bag your own, to Sam's Club and Costco where you even bring your own boxes and bags!
I'll go to Trader Jo's but skip Aldi's as I'll leave the Achtung, Achtung stuff to others!
My wife love Aldi. Prices are better than Walmart.
The best grocery store for me is Fareway.
Great service. Awesome meat counter.
That is really too bad.
In my area Aldi has superior produce at incredible prices. If I didn’t need to travel 45 miles each way, I would shop there every week just for the produce. There is a Woodman’s in the same town with wonderful produce, as well, but some items are better and cheaper at Aldi’s.
I don’t buy their meat, except their corned beef around St. Patrick’s day, when it is under $3/lb. I also don’t care for their frozen entrees, et al. But their canned goods are mostly fine (don’t like the mixed vegetables), the dry goods and spices are excellent,the butter is hit or miss on price because we have a convenience/gas chain that is almost always the same or less. There are often many luxury products such as artichoke salad, exotic pestos, imported chocolates and snack products that are wonderful and very low priced. Their chips are terrific at 2/3 the price or less of the ones in the supermarket and I really like their $3 Cabernet.
I wish they would bring in a Trader Joes, but I wrote the company a few years ago and was told they had no plans to do so. However, I just read that TJs is expanding to smaller towns, so maybe one will open in La Crosse. I have to travel over 100 miles in either of 2 directions to go to a TJs.
No.
Shopping at the Aldi near our house is like shopping for food in East Germany circa 1975. It’s really sad and depressing and crabby.
The Swedes turn their nose at it and, typically, won't step foot in the place. I loved it! Cheap prices, unique goods and very good produce.
“in one of the Rockford, Illinois Aldi stores, the employees WILL yell at you or your kids if you do something wrong”
Maybe reflective of regional culture instead of store policy?
I broke a bottle of wine on the tile floor of the Aldis here and the clerk/cashier/stocker thanked me for directing buggies around the broken glass.
this place is nasty and depressing
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.