Aldi to open 3 new locations this week; edges closer to 2,400 stores nationwide

Shoppers hoping for an Aldi store in their neck of the woods may soon be in luck.

On Thursday, Aldi will add to its current store count of 2,304 nationwide with three new store openings in Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and Batesville, Arkansas. The grocer has previously said it intends to open 2,400 new stores by the end of the year. 

“We’re excited to open our first Aldi store in Batesville and introduce local customers to a new, more affordable way of shopping,” said Rob Jeffries, O’Fallon regional VP for Aldi, in a statement.

The discount grocer last week surprised industry observers when it signed a deal to buy Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets from Southeastern Grocers, which would add about 400 locations to its portfolio.

Aldi US CEO Jason Hart told WGB this week that the Aldi Winn-Dixie acquisition is a "landmark moment in our company history.”

Following Aldi's acquisition announcement, the grocery industry's largest union, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), voiced its concerns about the transaction, issuing this statement:

“We are firmly against the Aldi Winn-Dixie proposed merger, and any merger that further consolidates the grocery industry at the expense of essential workers, our communities and customers. With food inflation at record levels, consumers need more choices, not fewer, and more food access, not less. Given the role of essential grocery workers in our communities, it is inexplicable that one would propose mergers that will lead to a loss of these critical jobs. As we have seen for decades, grocery store mergers are a clear threat to both workers and consumers.  The fact that companies like Aldi and Winn-Dixie seek to hide is that when large grocery chains merge, it not only threatens competition but leads to lower wages, higher food prices, and more food deserts for rural and underserved communities. We urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to review this merger critically–especially given the proposed Kroger Albertsons megamerger–to determine what the negative impacts will be for workers, consumers and communities.”