ALDI Honored with Retailer of the Year and Product of the Year Wins

BATAVIA, Ill., Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ALDI, the nation's leading low-price grocer, announced the win of two nationally recognized awards: Private Label => Store Brands 2014 Retailer of the Year and 2014 Product of the Year in the Kid's Snacks category for SimplyNature Squeezable Fruit Blends.

2014 Retailer of the Year
ALDI has been named Retailer of the Year by Private Label => Store Brands for its strong commitment to value and innovation-focused private brand product development. Each year, the editors of the magazine recognize one retailer for achievements and noteworthy contributions to the growth of store brand products in the retail marketplace. More than 90 percent of products at ALDI are its own exclusive brands rather than national brands.

"We are honored to be named the 2014 Retailer of the Year by Private Label => Store Brands magazine," said Chuck Youngstrom, president, ALDI.  "We're always looking for ways to innovate and offer more value to our shoppers, and we are committed to meeting our customers' evolving priorities. Over the last several years, we've added, on average, 80 new stores each year, expanding our ability to bring grocery savings to more people every day."

ALDI recently announced a five-year strategic plan to open 650 new stores across the nation, accelerating its store openings to an average of 130 per year. When the expansion is complete, ALDI will have stores coast-to-coast and anticipates serving more than 45 million customers per month.

ALDI was previously honored by Private Label => Store Brands for its exclusive brand Specially Selected, which was named 2013 Best New Product or Product Line in the grocery/supermarket channel. More details on why ALDI was selected as Retailer of the Year can be found in the February 2014 issue of Private Label => Store Brands or at www.plstorebrands.com.

2014 Product of the Year
ALDI exclusive SimplyNature Squeezable Fruit Blends were named 2014 Product of Year in the Kid's Snacks category. The SimplyNature Squeezable Fruit Blends are all-natural, made with real fruit and without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The great tasting fruit blend pouches are a convenient, wholesome, and portable snack for busy families – and a great value at $1.99* for a package of four pouches. SimplyNature Squeezable Fruit Blends can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime for school lunches, sports, parties, picnics and more.

Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. In partnership with the leading global research company TNS, more than 40,000 consumers were surveyed to assess consumer opinions on innovation, use, satisfaction and purchase intent of the competing products. ALDI previously won in 2010 in the Value Products category for their Moser Roth Chocolate collection.

Quality is a hallmark of the ALDI exclusive brands, and smart shoppers have found that switching from national brands to ALDI exclusive brands can save them up to 50 percent** on more than 1,300 of the most commonly purchased, high-quality grocery items. To ensure its exclusive brands meet or exceed the national brands on taste and quality, ALDI conducts rigorous testing on all products. ALDI stands behind this commitment to quality with a Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with a food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product and refund the customer's money.

ALDI Ranks High in Retail Industry
ALDI has been recognized as the nation's low-price grocery leader for the third year in a row, according to a recent consumer survey*** conducted by Market Force Information, Inc., the world's leading customer intelligence solutions company. When asked to rank the top grocers offering low prices, consumers ranked ALDI ahead of competitors such as Walmart, Costco and Sam's Club.

ALDI also ranked high on Market Force's "Delight Index," which reveals the intersection between overall satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending a grocer to friends/family. The Delight Index placed ALDI among such industry leaders as Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Publix.

About ALDI Inc.
A leader in the grocery retailing industry, ALDI operates nearly 1,300 US stores in 32 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast. More than 25 million customers each month save up to 50 percent^* on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing. ALDI sells more than 1,300 of the most frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality. ALDI is so confident in the quality of its products, the company offers a Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product and refund the purchase price. For more information about ALDI, visit www.aldi.us.

*Based upon data from February 4, 2014; prices and availability at individual stores may vary.

**Based upon a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores.

***Consumers view ALDI as the affordable price leader among leading grocers, according to Market Force Information. The survey was conducted among more than 6,500 consumers across the United States and Canada in May 2013.

SOURCE ALDI Inc.