16 Facts You Might Not Know About ALDI and Thus, Why We Love the Store

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. I MAY EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES.

I was fortunate to spend some time earlier this month with the ALDI team at one of their Chicago area stores as well as their Head Quarters and Test Kitchen. It was an amazing experience full of a ton of food tasting and also a lot of new things I didn’t know about ALDI. Which says a lot because there was already a ton I have learned from shopping there over the years as well as from a tour of a local store opening I attended.

ALDI is fabulous. I tell everybody to go there and shop there. And, I spend a lot of my dollars there, too!

16 Facts You Might Not Know About ALDI and Thus, Why We Love the Store

What I know/learned about ALDI

They listen to their customers

I feel like they really listen and get to know their shoppers. They did a gluten-free product line test for a week and everything flew off the shelves. Guess what? It’s staying! I requested cilantro at a meeting with ALDI and to my local store, and just this summer, they started having fresh cilantro. I know it wasn’t just my request, but seeing it at the store made me think that it was.

gluten free line at ALDI

Lowest prices for everybody

ALDI has the lowest prices. They do everything to have low prices from sourcing local products if possible to having their associates also put out products when the store isn’t busy. The prices are so low, employees don’t need an employee discount.

switch and save at ALDI

The store is efficient for shopping

I can do a full shop at ALDI in about 45 minutes (or less without kids) while the average store takes me at least an hour or more. This is because there aren’t 15 of the same product, there is one. The store is only 4-5 aisles and about 10K square feet while an average store is about 60K square feet and 30 aisles! Yes, 30 aisles! I don’t have time for that.

The inventory

ALDI stocks items people buy every time they shop not once a year items. This means that you know what they are going to have in the store and where it wil be. They know what you want and you know they will have it. (They do have special buys, and those are often limited to two weeks.)

ALDI recycles

ALDI exclusives are going “free” by the end of 2015

This is a big one and you can file it under listening to customers, too. By the end of 2015 ALL ALDI exclusive products will have no artificial colors, no partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and no added MSG!

The Simply Nature line

Most of these products are organic, and some are non-GMO verified. There is a list of 125 ingredients not allowed in these products.

Simply Nature Line at ALDI

No credit cards

Being a cash only family, it’s second nature for us, but some people might not know that you can’t use a credit card at ALDI. You can use a debit card, cash or EBT cards. They do this to keep their costs low. Credit card companies charge vendors a fee (around 3%) to use a credit card. ALDI doesn’t want to have to inflate their prices to cover this cost, so they don’t accept them!

Foods are labeled for allergens

Cutting gluten and dairy was incredibly hard for me. But, reading the labels at ALDI helped. They clearly label if something is naturally gluten or dairy/lactose free among many other labels. It makes it very easy for a person shopping for groceries with allergen concerns to know if there are going to be issues.

Recycling

To save time and money, all products are shipped in ready to display cardboard boxes. That way, the front can be torn off and they are ready to go. When a box is emptied of product, they recycle 100% of their cardboard used!

Simply Nature Line at ALDI

Double Guarantee

All ALDI exclusives have a double guarantee. If you aren’t happy with a product, you can bring it back to the store. Not only will you get a refund of your purchase, you will also get a replacement so they can make it right.

The food is good

Seriously, it’s legit. It is where we shop (unless they don’t have an item or two we need). My homemade taco seasoning is a huge hit with everybody that’s tried it (side note: ALDI now carries cumin, too!). The beef tacos I make are amazing. And the slow cooker cinnamon pear applesauce is amazing!

Homemade Taco Seasoning with a secret ingredient

ALDI spices

They care about their employees

They take care of their employees. They are offered very good pay and they care about their health and well-being as well. ALDI knows that it’s best for them to be seated in an ergonomic chair, so they are seated to scan your groceries. And with the UPC codes large and all over packages, they can scan groceries very efficiently. When they are working 25+ hours they are eligible for full medical and dental benefits and 410k.

The carts aren’t everywhere

You must bring a quarter to the store to release your shopping cart from the bay. This keeps the carts in their home instead of rolling around the parking lost. And, they don’t have to employ somebody to bring them in hourly. So, don’t forget your quarter. Pro tip: If you do happen to forget your quarter, the associates have been nice enough to lone us one to get our shopping done!

Bring your bags

Not only is it better for cost savings, but it’s better for the environment, too. Bring your own bags or containers for your groceries and reuse them every week. Also, be prepared to bag your groceries at the end of your shopping trip. Surprisingly, big kids are really good at helping and the littles can stay in the cart or in a carrier!

Taste tests

In their Test Kitchen, ALDI taste tests their products at a minimum of twice a year for all products and more frequently for new products. They want to make sure they are tasting as good if not better than the national leading brand and that they are proud of what they are producing.

ALDI Taste Kitchen

ALDI Exclusive

The ALDI exclusive products are in combination with food manufacturers and packagers to create each individual ALDI “brand.”

Wine at ALDI

Whew. That was a lot. But a lot I don’t think people know about ALDI and should!

16 Facts You Might Not Know About ALDI and Thus, Why We Love the Store

Did you learn anything new that would help you decide to start shopping at ALDI or do you already shop there now and love it?

This is an ALDI sponsored post. All opnions are my own.

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22 Comments

  1. I really like the quality of their products and the prices are great. I stock up on frozen shrimp whenever I shop there. I love their barbecue potato chips, too.

  2. I loooooove Aldi. They have some amazing products. Shopping at Aldi each week has saved our family some serious money. My girls love getting the quarter back from the cart when we are done shopping.

  3. I have local friends who rave about ALDI too. I’ve actually never been in there. It sounds like I should check it out! My kids eat a lot.

  4. pat chance says:

    I am so glad you started us on Aldi. we love the store. Shopping is easy and quick. They really have some nice items out for the holidays too. I had garlic salt on my grocery list. I prefer the kind with parsley flakes in it. I figured I would have to go to Kroger or somewhere and lo and behold Aldi had the same thing in their brand and half the price. We use their cheese for our smoked cheese and it’s delicious. We also recently purchased Maine lobster tails there in the frozen food section. They were delicious. It reminded us of our trip to Boston. I was also glad to see them start to carry cilantro. They also carry organic arugula leaves in a pretty large container for a VERY good price. Everyone should at least try there once.

  5. Sometimes I forget my bags when I shop there… but I always have my quarter! I didn’t know all the in house products were going “free!” That’s awesome!

  6. You know, I pass an ALDI on my way home but rarely shop there. I think for me, that is due to the fact that I rarely carry any cash and we charge all our purchases. I will have to check out their dye-free options – LOVE that they are going that route. Very informative list!

    1. What about a debit card? I know you don’t get points, but maybe you can use the money you save for points?

  7. We love ALDI too! And it was so great to learn all these facts on the trip. Was so nice to meet you 🙂

  8. We don’t have ALDI in our area yet. Sounds like a good store

  9. We’ve been shopping at ALDI for years. I loved learning that they test all of their products for taste and quality. I’m looking forward to a larger oranic and non-GMO selection.

  10. Cynthia C says:

    There is an Aldi near me but I’ve never shopped there. I will check it out.

  11. ALDI is my go-to store. I seriously love how quickly I can get in and out and it has spoiled me! I cringe when I see the huge, full parking lots at other stores – I just don’t want to deal with all those people.

  12. Oh so true! I love how much smaller it is and it does not take you forever to get through! I love all the Gluten Free products they have!

  13. Richard Hicks says:

    I have never shopped there, but now I know a little more about them

  14. Angela P. says:

    I’m so jealous. I live in NJ and the Aldi we have is nothing like the one you shown. It is very small and outdated. They have some good packaged and canned goods, and it’s nice that you can buy affordable healthy snacks but that’s about it. There is a teeny lackluster produce section, no meat or seafood section, and sadly no wine section. I still shop at Aldi for staples about once a month or so anyway. I do love the prices and some of the products I have gotten. Sadly, the one buy me you can’t do all of your food shopping at. You have to go to other stores. I’d love to have a store like Chicago!

  15. Thank you so much for sharing this. I wish there was one closer to us. I would love to shop there.

  16. Melissa K says:

    Ah…hem. Been shopping there since 2007. Preety sure you knew that!! I am trying your apple pear sauce crock pot recipe tonight, can’t wait to serve it in lunch boxes tomorrow.

    1. Oh, it is so good! I need to make it again. We go through soooo much applesauce!

  17. Me and my boyfriend love Aldi! We think that they are super smart and way ahead of their time. I have watched videos on how Aldi saves money for their customers. So, I actually knew all of this information already. Great place to shop and love the GFree products.

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