Aldi opens new store in Kentucky

Publix Super Markets’ market penetration into Kentucky isn’t the only grocery retailer looking to open new stores in a market dominated by long-established retailers Kroger and Walmart.

Aldi, the fastest growing grocery retailer in the country, on Thursday opened its first store in Georgetown, Kentucky. Located in the central part of the state, the new store is at 135 American Path in Scott County.

“We’re excited to open our first Aldi store in Georgetown and introduce local customers to a new, more affordable way of shopping,” said Laura Bauer, Greenwood regional vice president for Aldi, in a statement. The discount grocer also opened on Thursday new locations in Moreno Valley, California, Valencia, Pennsylvania, as well as a remodeled store in Rumford, Rhode Island.

Other grocery retailers marching into Kentucky include California-based Trader Joe’s, which is edging closer to completion of its one million-square-foot distribution facility in south-central Kentucky. The new $250 million facility will span three buildings and will be located in Franklin, which is part of Simpson County.

Food City parent K-VA-T Food Stores, which operates over 140 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia and Alabama area is building a new supermarket in South Williamson, Kentucky, with an opening date this fall, the Abingdon, Virginia-based grocery retailer announced earlier this year.

The 51,300-square-foot supermarket will be constructed on the same site using some of the existing building, which is located at 28093 Thompson Plaza.