ALDI unveils $1.6 billion plan to affect 1,300 stores

ALDI announced an aggressive $1.6 billion investment in its stores, with an extensive plan to remodel and expand more than 1,300 U.S. locations by 2020. The company is embarking on this significant remodel program while continuing to implement an accelerated growth plan to open 650 new stores across the United States.

The new ALDI store look will focus on fresh items, including more robust produce, dairy and bakery sections. Remodeled stores will also feature a modern design, open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally friendly building materials -- such as recycled materials, energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting.

“With this significant investment in our stores, what we’re really doing is continuing to invest in ALDI customers,” Jason Hart, chief executive officer of ALDI, said in a press release. “We’re continuing to expand our fresh offerings, which means we need to provide more space for produce, meat, and bakery items. We’ve also made a number of improvements to our products -- such as removing added MSG, certified synthetic colors and partially hydrogenated oils from all of our ALDI exclusive brand foods. But one thing that hasn’t changed is that our customers still save money on the groceries they buy the most.”

Today, ALDI serves more than 40 million customers each month, which is a nearly 60 percent increase since 2013. By the end of 2018, ALDI expects to operate nearly 2,000 stores, serving more than 45 million customers each month. As previously announced, ALDI will invest more than $3 billion to pay for land, facilities and equipment to open these new stores.

As part of its aggressive expansion, ALDI launched its first stores in Southern California, opening 34 stores since March 2016. Today, ALDI reaches customers in more than two-thirds of the country and its footprint continues to grow in both new and existing markets.

“On behalf of the more than 24,000 ALDI employees across the country, we look forward to bringing the ALDI difference to new markets, but we’re just as excited to share a new store experience with our longtime ALDI customers,” said Hart. “We’ve grown so consistently year over year because our loyal customers love to share with their friends and family that shopping at ALDI can save time and money without sacrificing quality. We’re thrilled to provide ALDI fans an even better, more welcoming store in which to shop.”