Aldi grows its headquarters along with its store count

Aldi is moving forward with its rapid opening of new locations across the United States, and behind the scenes the German discount grocer is also growing its corporate headquarters in Batavia, Ill. 

The no-frills grocery chain has hired Charlotte, N.C.-based design-build firm A M King to oversee a large-scale renovation of three office buildings on its 60-acre corporate campus and to build a fourth structure, A M King said in a Nov. 12 press release.

That brings the total office space at Aldi headquarters to roughly 250,000 square feet. 

The work also includes developing an open concept design for employees, updated finishes, glass meeting rooms, energy-efficient lighting, updated HVAC controls, wayfinding, digital meeting room schedulers, and audio/visual systems for meetings. 

The new 56,000-square-foot building will connect to two of the original buildings on the campus and will feature a green roof pollinator garden, fitness center, third-party food service, and conference center, A M King said. 

“Not only will sustainability and efficiency elements be incorporated, but the new structure will be visually unique, with a two-story atrium and skylight, conversational staircase, covered patio, and courtyard with sustainable plantings and artistic façade,” according to the design firm. 

A M King and Aldi have a relationship spanning two decades, beginning with the grocer commissioning the firm in 2004 to build a five-story office building and in 2009 asking it to design and build a six-story building on the corporate campus. 

The two structures collectively won three awards for A M King, including the Design-Build Institute of America’s (DBIA) Best Project, Associated Builders and Contractor’s Eagle Award, and the American Institute of Architect’s (AIA) Merit Award. 

Additionally, A M King has done work on Aldi’s 496,000-square-foot distribution center on the corporate campus, managed facility service, and assisted in master planning for the campus, the design firm said. 

“This current expansion and renovation project in Batavia features significant utility relocation and upgrades, innovative and sustainable design elements, and phasing to accommodate work on different buildings while the campus remains operational,” A M King said. 

An Aldi spokesperson could not immediately be reached to discuss the project. 

A M King said the goals for the project focus on “operational efficiency, sustainability, and employee retention."

“We aimed to design a workplace for our employees that fosters creativity and productivity,” said Aldi US Director of National Services Facilities Brian Holcombe in a prepared statement. “This new building is intended to invite collaboration through its open spaces, encouraging employees to connect and work together effectively. We believe these enhanced amenities will help our team feel right at home.”

The campus expansion comes at a time of rapid expansion for the company, which announced in March that it’s investing $9 billion over the next five years to open 800 new stores across the country. 

Aldi also completed its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers earlier this year, adding roughly 400 Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores to its lineup.