How Aldi is taking on US supermarkets with its $4 almond butter
Discount grocer Aldi is aggressively expanding into dense urban markets like Manhattan as part of a $9 billion growth strategy. By offering significantly lower prices than local competitors, the chain is challenging the dominance of traditional high-end supermarkets.
Why it matters
Aldi's expansion signals a shift in urban retail dynamics, potentially increasing food affordability in high-cost-of-living areas.
Image source, Francisco Velasquez/BBC Image caption, 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 parking lot beneath The Ellery, a luxury apartment complex where the cheapest rent starts at nearly $5,000 (£3,725) a month.
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