ALDI Continues California Expansion with the Opening of Seven Stores in May

ALDI will take its California footprint from zero to 25 stores in less than three months with the grand opening of seven new locations on May 19. ALDI will open its newest stores in San Diego, Kern and Imperial counties. 

ALDI is in the midst of an aggressive coast-to-coast expansion plan. The company plans to operate approximately 45 California stores by the end of 2016, and more than 2,000 stores nationwide by the end of 2018. Currently, the grocer operates more than 1,500 stores in 33 states and serves 30 million customers each month.

"We are thrilled with the overwhelmingly positive welcome we've received from California shoppers who are experiencing our premium, high quality groceries at everyday low prices for the first time," says Gordon Nesbit, Moreno Valley division vice president. "With our May 19 grand openings, ALDI will be available in cities across Southern California—from Kern to San Diego counties—offering the best of customers' weekly must-haves like fresh produce and organics, dairy, gluten-free foods, USDA Choice beef and bakery items priced up to 50 percent less than other grocery stores."

Each ALDI store will host a four-day grand opening event that kicks off on May 19 at 8:45 a.m. with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The first 100 shoppers to arrive at each store will receive a golden ticket redeemable for an ALDI gift certificate of various amounts, and all shoppers will be invited to enter an on-site sweepstakes for a chance to win free Produce for a Year. Additionally, shoppers who visit the new stores on May 19- 2 will receive a complimentary ALDI reusable eco-bag.

More than 90 percent of the groceries ALDI sells are under its own premium exclusive brands, all of which are free of certified synthetic colors, partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) and added MSG. ALDI regularly tests its exclusive products in the ALDI Test Kitchen to make sure the quality and taste is just as good, if not better, than the national brands, say company officials. 

"We may be new to California, but we've been successful in the US for 40 years and we're excited to continue to grow and bring our unmatched combination of quality and value to Southern California," says Nesbit. "We can't wait for more California customers to discover that shopping at ALDI can save time and money without sacrificing quality."