Select assortment discount grocer continues strong U.S. growth with more than 18 million customers per month in 29 states

BATAVIA, Ill., March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when other retailers are cutting back and the recession continues to deepen, select assortment discount grocer ALDI is celebrating its 1,000th U.S. store in West Haven, Conn. The new ALDI store opens Monday, March 23, at 535 Sawmill Road in West Haven, the grocer's first location in the city. The expansion comes on the heels of continued, steady growth for ALDI who is now serving more than 18 million customers per month in 29 states.

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"Now, more than ever, shoppers are looking for ways to save on their grocery bill without compromising on quality, and ALDI is the answer," said Jason Hart, ALDI president. "ALDI is a common sense solution for smart shoppers. We get parents trying to save for college, people looking for more expendable income, families trying to stretch their dollars in a tough economy. They're all ALDI shoppers."

Almost 95 percent of the discount grocer's products are sold under its ALDI select brands that are manufactured by many of the nation's leading food producers and sold for up to 50 percent less than at traditional supermarkets. In its test kitchen and using independent laboratory analysis, ALDI ensures products meet or exceed the quality and taste of the national name brands. Quality, taste and satisfaction also are always double guaranteed at ALDI, where it will replace the product and refund the shopper's money if a customer is not 100% satisfied.

"As important as price is, there's only one way to attract and keep the diversity of shoppers we have -- you have to have great products," said Hart. "Our growth is a testament to our popularity with consumers and the loyalty we enjoy once people become our customers."

Nationally ALDI opened 100 new stores in 2008, including the new markets of Rhode Island and Florida, and is on pace to open more than 80 stores in 2009. The select assortment discount grocer opened its first Connecticut store in 1997 and currently operates 12 stores in the state, including the new West Haven store. ALDI plans to open approximately six additional Connecticut stores in 2009.

ALDI works to eliminate unnecessary costs and pass the savings on to customers. The grocer encourages customers to bring their own shopping bags or purchase reusable bags and use a shopping cart deposit system where you insert a quarter to retrieve a cart and get the quarter back at the end of your shopping trip. ALDI also saves consumers significant dollars by keeping the stores open only during the prime shopping times. West Haven customers, for example, will be able to shop ALDI Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

New shoppers become familiar with ALDI select brand products such as the Fit & Active "better for you" line, Granger beef, Grandessa Signature salad dressings, Kirkwood chicken and other exclusive lines in addition to other grocery staples such as fresh produce, milk, bread and eggs. ALDI recently unveiled its European formula Lacura skincare, which out-performed competitors like L'Oreal, Olay and Helena Rubenstein in independent, blind tests and costs as much as 95 percent less.

For more than 30 years, ALDI has offered grocery shoppers high quality products for a fraction of the cost without having to buy in bulk. Customers can expect to find about 90 percent of the items that make up a typical weekly grocery shopping list and spend $286.37 per month vs. an average of $401.47 for the combination of discounters, big box stores and traditional supermarkets based on an ALDI national competitive price study.

About ALDI Inc.

ALDI, a leader in the international grocery retailing industry, began in the United States in 1976. Today approximately 1,000 U.S. ALDI stores are located in 29 states primarily from Kansas to the East Coast serving more than 18 million customers each month. A select assortment discount grocer featuring its own ALDI select brands, ALDI applies smart and efficient operational and business practices to save customers up to 50 percent on their grocery bill. ALDI, named 2009 Retailer of the Year by PL Buyer, sells more than 1,400 of the most frequently purchased grocery and household items in manageable, non-bulk packaging. For more information about ALDI, go to www.aldi.us.

SOURCE ALDI Inc.

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