Discount grocer Aldi will invest more than $9 billion over the next five years on its national expansion plan, which includes adding 800 stores to its U.S. fleet by the end of 2028. To reach that number, the value-priced retailer will use a combination of new store openings and conversions of stores purchased as part of Aldi’s August 2023 acquisition of Southeastern Grocers (SEG).
Aldi’s growth plans include beefing up its presence in the Northeast and Midwest, with plans to add nearly 330 stores across both regions by 2028. Aldi also plans to grow in the West by adding stores in the Southern California and Phoenix markets and entering new cities, such as Las Vegas.
“For more than a decade, Aldi has added hundreds of stores per year across the country,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi in a statement. “Our growth is fueled by our customers, and they are asking for more Aldi stores in their neighborhoods nationwide.”
Beginning in mid-Summer 2024, Aldi will kick off a phased approach to converting the SEG banners, Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets, to the Aldi name and format. Aldi plans to begin the conversion process for approximately 50 stores during the second half of 2024, with the majority of these reopening as Aldi locations in 2025. However, Aldi intends to keep a “meaningful amount” of these stores under their existing banners, according to a company statement.
“With a long history of serving the Southeast, our steadfast commitment to helping our customers stretch their hard-earned dollars has remained a constant priority,” said Anthony Hucker, President and CEO of SEG in a statement. “As we begin this next chapter, we will continue to deliver the quality, service and value our customers have come to expect from us.”
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