Posts Tagged “retail”
Batavia, Ill. – Further solidifying its position as one of the fastest-growing grocers in the country, ALDI is adding 120 new stores this year. At a time when inflation is forcing some retailers to slow growth, or even shutter stores, customers are actively asking for more ALDI locations in their communities.
Known for its unique shopping experience and selection of the best products at the lowest prices, ALDI will have more than 2,400 stores nationwide by the end of the year.
“While inflation is undoubtedly driving unprecedented demand for affordable groceries, we know that once customers experience the ALDI difference, they keep shopping with us, even when the economy improves,” said Jason Hart, CEO, ALDI U.S. “Our growth is led by our customers, and they continue to want more ALDI locations coast-to-coast.”
This year’s planned expansion builds on a banner year in 2022. ALDI opened and remodeled 139 stores, welcomed approximately 9.4 million new customers and drove double-digit growth year over-year as shoppers sought relief from soaring food prices. The grocer is on track to continue that momentum this year, opening 35 stores in the first quarter alone and welcoming 5.3 million new customers to its stores as of April 2023.
ALDI new store openings will span the continental U.S., including the rapidly growing Southeast region where ALDI recently opened its 26th regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley, Alabama to help support new stores in the area. This year, ALDI will add stores in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, new markets for the grocer.
The brick-and-mortar expansion is part of a larger omnichannel experience designed to make grocery shopping as convenient and enjoyable as possible, no matter how customers prefer to shop, whether in-store, through curbside pickup, or via delivery through shop.ALDI.us or through ecommerce partners DoorDash and Instacart.
As part of its larger commitment to sustainability, the grocer is enhancing new and existing stores with eco-friendly features, including installing rooftop solar panels and eliminating plastic shopping bags. ALDI is also implementing environmentally-friendly refrigerants in its stores, an important move to reduce carbon emissions that earned the grocer recognition from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) GreenChill program.
In fact, ALDI has secured more EPA GreenChill store certifications in 2020 and 2021 than all U.S. grocery retailers combined. All of these initiatives recently earned ALDI a top accolade as one of Progressive Grocer’s Top 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
As part of this national expansion, ALDI will add nearly 2,000 new employees to support the additional store count. As a Certified Great Place to Work and one of Forbes’ America’s Best Large Employers, ALDI will bring its employee-focused culture and above-average industry pay to more markets coast-to-coast.
About ALDI U.S.
ALDI is one of America’s fastest-growing retailers, serving millions of customers across the country each month. When it comes to value, ALDI won’t be beat on price. ALDI has also been No. 1 for price according to the dunnhumby Retailer Preference Index Report for six years running. Since 1976, ALDI has offered a unique shopping experience where customers never have to compromise on quality, selection or value. In fact, 1 in 3 ALDI-brand products are award-winning. Customers can save time and money by conveniently shopping in-store or online at shop.aldi.us. ALDI also proudly serves as a Feeding America Leadership Partner, donating 30 million pounds of food each year in an effort to end hunger in America. For more information about ALDI, visit aldi.us.
A global survey of consumers shows that shoppers across consider fresh foods a very important component in shopping decision.
A survey of shoppers in 58 countries across the globe revealed that fresh food continues to play an increasingly important role in the shopping decisions of most consumers.
The Nielsen Shopper Trends Survey was conducted in 58 countries around the world covering 54 markets including 87,000 respondents. The survey was conducted online or with face-to-face follow-up in home interviews.
“Fresh foods continue to maintain healthy sales contributions at retail. In fact, fresh foods can comprise between 30-60 percent of total food, grocery and personal care expenses on average, depending on country and type of fresh product,” the report states
Asian shoppers head consumption while USA. shoppers were at the bottom as fresh foods constitute about 30 percent of grocery sales in America.
Shoppers around the world generally listed “good value” as one of their top three reasons for shopping a specific store for their fresh foods. Over half (52 percent) of respondents to the 2012 survey said that rising food prices affect their purchasing of fresh foods.
Consumers listed a variety of reasons why they shop at a specific retailer, with the top 10 drivers being enjoyable shopper experience; one-stop shopping; well-stocked inventory; good value for the money; pleasant store environment; excellent customer service; wide variety of products; high-quality fresh food; wide range of fruit and vegetables; and high-quality premium brands.
Globally, fresh food is a high-traffic builder as the average shopper heads to a market 2.5 times per week to buy fresh foods. Shopping trips are most frequent for the sub-category fruits and vegetables sector at an average of 3.2 times per week.
The survey found that convenience is the number one reason for shopping at a certain place in the United States. Americans shop for fresh foods less frequently than other respondents, but fresh foods are continuing to gain greater traction.
Fresh produce represents about one-third of all fresh food sales in the United States, surpassed only by meat, but besting bakery, deli and seafood categories.
Nielsen researchers project by 2016, the traditional grocery store will have a 64 percent market share of fresh food retail sales. That will represent a 2 percent drop from 2012. During that four-year period, market share of fresh food sales for supercenters will rise 1 percent to a total of 15 percent, while warehouse and club stores will see a 2 percent increase in their market share of the category to 12 percent.
Tthe Nielsen report states that “fresh is increasingly growing in non-grocery channels as a greater availability and assortment of fresh products across retail channels respond to consumer demands. Savvy retailers understand that consumers want the option to choose fresh foods anywhere, and they are fighting for the fresh share of wallet.”
Pictured here is a seeded watermelon. Don’t see ’em near as much as you used 
to. They have kind of gone the way of “plucking” a watermelon before you buy it. Remember that? Try plucking one today, and you just might be arrested (plucking is using a knife to cut a triangular piece out of the watermelon to taste to see if it’s worth buying). I never was very good at thumping melons to see if they were ripe. I generally just go by color and making sure they don’t have any soft spots. Anyway, I’ve had bought my share of watermelons over the 10 weeks or so. Some were good and others not so good.
This is first seeded watermelon I’ve purchased this year. Seedless melons are just about all the produce departments in stores sell anymore. They assume we consumers are simply too lazy to be bothered with spitting out seeds. Anyway, the seeded melon was as good as any watermelon I’ve had this summer – and was better than most. It was shipped out of Edinburg, TX. Enjoy watermelons while you can, supplies and quality often diminshed after Labor Day.
Another item that has had fantastic quality this summer are cherries – first out of California and now they are coming out of Washington state and Oregon. A record crop has resulted in reasonable retail prices. Like watermelons, enjoy the Northwest cherries while you can. They will be vanishing from your local supermarket by Labor Day.
Another great buy now in retail stores are California grapes, both red and green. They will typically be available through the end of the year, although supplies in the fall drop and prices trend up. But right now, a record crop is being harvested, quality is excellent and prices good. Let’s hope the heat in the San Joaquin Valley subsides some and doesn’t take a toll of the quality of what is a fruit that has excellent eating.
Although haulproduce.com is primarily for long haul truckers and their profession, Shopping Tips is to help you during visits to the produce department in your local supermarket. Unfortunately, most employees working the produce racks don’t know straight up about the product they are putting on display. This is because so many retail chains don’t take the time to properly train their employees in the care and handling of produce, much less provide them with the information to assist shoppers in making good buying descisions regarding such things as quality and taste. Like just about everything else in American the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables has gone up, so hopefully Shopping Tips will help give you a better bang for your buck at your favorite retail store, roadside stand, or farmer’s market. Eat healthy, feel better, live longer.