Lidl details site plans for U.S. expansion

As part of an effort to acquire sites for its U.S. store expansion, Lidl has launched a new website detailing its preferred site criteria, and guidelines for potential suppliers.

The site confirms that the retailer is seeking to build stand-alone stores of 36,000 square feet in dense population markets in eight East Coast states between New Jersey and Georgia.

As reported previously in SN, Lidl US, a division of German retailer Schwarz Group, is seeking to open sites in the U.S. no later than 2018. The company has not confirmed a number of planned sites although sources have speculated the company could be seeking as many as 100 in its initial rollout. 

The site, lidl.com, also includes information for potential suppliers and job seekers. Lidl US has established headquarters in Arlington, Va., and is establishing regional distribution hubs in Fredricksburg, Va., and Mebane, N.C. 

Here’s what a new Lidl store in Arcole, Italy, looks like.

Lidl operates more than 10,000 stores in 26 European countries.

The new website invites submissions of available properties in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia meeting the following characteristics:

• Minimum 3.5 acres to accommodate a 36,000-square-foot stand-alone store with a minimum 150 dedicated car parking spaces.

• Signalized, full access intersection with high visibility preferred.

• Site positioned in an established retail location.

• Dense population area within 3 miles.

• Traffic counts of more than 20,000 vehicles per day.

• Site zoned for grocery retail use.

Lidl said it preferred to purchase pads and sites.

The 36,000-square-foot footprint would make Lidl stores 80% larger than those operated by Aldi, its German-owned rival to whom its most often compared. Like Aldi, Lidl is expected to operate efficient stores offering private-label goods at low everyday prices.

Supplier guidelines suggest Lidl is seeking submissions for shelf-ready, year-round grocery items, some in mixed cases, as well as "in-and-out" selections for limited-time promotions.

Job listings on the site include available corporate and retail positions, details about training and development, as well as culture and values. The company said it would be presenting at a job fair at the University of Virginia later this month.