Not just another grocery store
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
ANNA SHERRY
In addition to Towne Lake’s innumerable nail salons, restaurants, fast-food joints and clothing stores, a new kind of store is on its way to “towne”.
It is an ALDI grocery store with never ending, unbeatably low prices. ALDI carries everything from dairy, fruits and vegetables to meats, bakery items, beverages and sweets.
If there is skepticism relating to the new store, consider the fact that ALDI is now partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as they attempt to encourage Americans to fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables. This is part of their new campaign called MyPlate. ALDI uses the MyPlate icon to remind and promote consumers of adding fruits and veggies to their meal. This new campaign will reach 20 million consumers by the end of each month.
ALDI’s mission is to be able to provide the highest quality produce at the lowest possible price so consumers can lead healthier lifestyles.
“Partners like ALDI help us amplify the reach of our nutrition messages and prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at mealtime,” said Dr. Robert Post, deputy director of the USDA Center for nutrition Policy and Promotion, said in the article on the ALDI website.
In the next year, 80 new ALDIs will be opening in the United States. This includes the one that will be constructed at the intersection of Eagle Drive and Rose Creek Drive. This may seem unnecessary since there is already a Kroger, Publix and Wal-Mart within Towne Lake, though when ranked with other grocers also offering low prices such as Wal-Mart, and Kroger, ALDI ranks first. They are also recognized as the nation’s leader in low prices.
“Consumers who switch from national brands to ALDI exclusive brands find consistent, high quality matched by significant savings of up to 50 percent,” Chuck Youngstrom, co-president, of ALDI said in a press release.
ALDI has made it easy to be aware of the offers of each week. They have created a free app that can be used on iPhones and Androids. This app enables its users to view the newest, low prices before anyone else. It shows the weekly ads and reductions on items that are most popular. It only allows its user to view the latest deals, but it also lets them create their own shopping list. Users can also find locations of the ALDI stores, for instance the newest coming in the area.
Recently, the chain opened a store in Huntsville, Alabama.
“Customers can expect to find more than 1,400 of the most frequently purchased items sold under ALDI select brands for prices up to 50 percent less than tradition supermarkets,” states a news release of the new Huntsville Store from October 6, 2011. The release also states that to help save even more money the store will be open during the prime hours of the day.
Another aspect of the shopping experience includes depositing a quarter to release a shopping cart, once the shopping cart is returned; the coin is given back to the customer. This eliminates the extra cost of hiring cart attendants.
If a customer is not completely satisfied with a product from ALDI, they are refunded and given a new product.