Special to the Opelika Observer
Grocery shopping in Opelika just got smarter, faster and easier. ALDI, a leader in the grocery industry, will open its first store in Opelika as part of a $3.4 billion investment to expand to 2,500 stores nationwide by the end of 2022.
ALDI has set the standard for quality and affordability. Now, Opelika residents can join the millions of shoppers who turn to ALDI each month for high-quality, affordable food. To celebrate the store opening, ALDI will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony March 7, at 8:45 a.m., followed by its popular Golden Ticket giveaway offering gift cards to the first 100 customers. Shoppers can also sample ALDI-exclusive brand foods and enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a year’s supply of ALDI produce.
“Everyone deserves great food at affordable prices. This is our mantra at ALDI, and we’re excited to introduce it to customers in Opelika with our brand new store,” said Shaun O’Keefe, Jefferson division vice president for ALDI. “ALDI stores are designed with shoppers’ time and money in mind, and we’re proud to bring the community a better grocery shopping option.”
The new Opelika ALDI store layout provides an improved in-store experience and features additional refrigeration space to accommodate even more fresh, healthy and convenient products. Compared to last year, 20 percent of the ALDI product selection is new. The ALDI product expansion is the next phase of the company’s aggressive, national growth and remodel plan. As part of the product expansion, ALDI is increasing its fresh food selection by 40 percent with many organic, convenient and easy-to-prepare options. ALDI stores also feature open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally-friendly building materials. The store will be open daily from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
The ALDI Experience
ALDI stores are different by design to give customers the best possible grocery shopping experience. A few ways ALDI provides value to its customers include:
· Offering a streamlined selection that removes the guesswork from shopping. Stores don’t carry two dozen types of peanut butter. The focus is carrying the best options at the best prices.
· Making the hottest food trends affordable and accessible and carrying a wide variety of award-winning products. In fact, ALDI has earned more than 300 product awards and recognitions since 2017 for its exclusive brands.
· Simplifying operations, including a .25-cent grocery cart rental and asking customers to bag their own groceries.
· Selling random items on purpose. Premium food and household products sold in stores for a limited time, called ‘ALDI Finds’, are available when our customers need them most, like rain boots in the spring or Dutch ovens near Thanksgiving.
This innovative approach has made ALDI one of the fastest-growing retailers in the U.S. As part of the company’s aggressive expansion plans, ALDI is adding 25,000 new jobs in stores, warehouses and offices nationwide by the end of 2022. ALDI was named to the Forbes list of “America’s Best Large Employers” four years in a row and is proud to offer staff market-leading salaries and benefits. The retailer was also recognized as a 2018 National Top Workplace by Energage for the second consecutive year.
ALDI is always exploring ways to make grocery shopping even easier for its growing customer base. Online grocery delivery service via Instacart is now available to ALDI customers across 35 states in 5,000 new ZIP codes, bringing convenience, quality and value to shoppers’ doorsteps.
About ALDI U.S.
A leader in the grocery retailing industry since 1976, ALDI operates more than 1,800 U.S. stores in 35 states. More than 40 million customers each month benefit from the simple, streamlined approach ALDI brings to retailing. ALDI sells frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which meet or exceed national name brands on taste and quality. ALDI has been one of America’s favorite grocery retailers, and for the eighth consecutive year, the Value Leader for grocery shoppers, according to a 2018 survey of U.S. consumers by Market Force Information®*. ALDI also backs up its products with a Twice as Nice Guarantee: replacing the product AND offering a full refund. For more information about ALDI, visit aldi.us.
*According to annual surveys of U.S. consumers conducted from 2011 to 2018 by Market Force Information®