How Aldi is taking on US supermarkets with its $4 almond butter
German supermarket chain Aldi is aggressively expanding into dense US urban markets like Manhattan with a strategy focused on low prices. This expansion challenges established US grocery retailers by offering significant savings on staple goods in high-rent neighborhoods.
Why it matters
Aldi's entry into premium urban real estate signals a shift in retail strategy that could disrupt the competitive landscape for traditional US supermarkets.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Francisco Velasquez Business reporter Francisco Velasquez/BBC Mary Porter shops at Aldi's new Manhattan location in New York City for the first time When Mary Porter walked into Manhattan's newest Aldi store hunting for bargains, the long-time resident found what she considered a retail miracle in plain sight: a $4 jar of almond butter that costs $22 in her own neighbourhood.
"Aldi has the reputation for being inexpensive, so I thought I would come and check it out, and by golly, it is amazing," Porter, 79, told the BBC, marvelling at the savings alongside the fresh spinach and organic raspberries filling her basket.
To the unassuming passer-by, the storefront is completely hidden, tucked away in an underground car park beneath The Ellery, a luxury apartment complex where the cheapest rent starts at nearly $5,000 (£3,725) a month.
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