Aldi Opens Pensacola Store, Edges Closer to Becoming Third-Largest U.S. Grocery Retailer

No-frills German discount grocery chain Aldi opened the doors of its newest store at 2950 S. Blue Angel Parkway in Pensacola Fla., edging closer to its goal of becoming the third-largest U.S. grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022.

The Batavia, Ill.-based chain said its newest location, which opened April 7, is part of the company’s nationwide growth plan, which includes the opening of approximately 150 new stores this year—close to 20 of which will be in Alabama, Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle and Louisiana.

“Aldi is intentionally different, and we can’t wait for area shoppers to discover Aldi for the first time with the opening of our first Pensacola store,” said Heather Moore, Loxley regional VP for Aldi, in a statement. “We offer easy access to affordable fresh food and household essentials, as well as a great selection of regional items.”

Along with the company’s award-winning exclusive brands, Moore said Aldi’s “new Gulf Coast locations will carry local favorites such as Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, Crystal’s Hot Sauce, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, Blue Bell Ice Cream and Luzianne Sweet Tea.”

 Aldi said shoppers at the Pensacola store, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., entered a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $500 Aldi gift card. The first 100 customers received a gift bag filled with a sampling of Aldi Fan Favorites products and a gift card as part of the Aldi Golden Ticket gift card giveaway program.

On April 20, the discounter is set to launch a limited-time-only collection of fan-driven fashion and accessories. Items for self-proclaimed Aldi nerds include shirts, with “It’s an Aldi thing” on the sleeve, pajama sets and Aldi-inspired slides featuring the Aldi logo and colors. ­