ALDI to Add 800 Stores, Completes Acquisition of Southeastern Grocers
ALDI will add 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028 through a combination of openings and store conversions. This five-year expansion plan will bring even more communities great products at the lowest possible prices during a time when consumers are more focused than ever on saving money.
As a key part of its plans, ALDI also has completed its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers and its Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket banners, which will drive significant growth in the Southeast region over the next few years.
“Our growth is fueled by our customers, and they are asking for more ALDI stores in their neighborhoods nationwide,” said Jason Hart, CEO, ALDI. “With up to 40 percent savings on groceries, new customers are inspired to try us out, and existing customers keep coming back.
“While price is important, we earn their loyalty by stocking our shelves with only the best products and offering a quicker, easier, and more enjoyable shopping experience,” he said.
“With this commitment to add 800 stores in the next five years, we’ll be where our shoppers need us while positively impacting the communities we serve.”
ALDI will invest more than $9 billion over the next five years on its national expansion, adding locations across the country. As part of its growth trajectory, ALDI will strengthen its already strong presence in the Northeast and Midwest, adding nearly 330 stores across both regions by the end of 2028.
ALDI will also grow its presence in the West by adding more stores in Southern California and Phoenix – and by entering new cities, such as Las Vegas.
“For more than a decade, ALDI has added hundreds of stores per year across the country,” Hart said. “This success would not be possible without our dedicated team members and supplier partners that bring our customers value and convenience every day. With our growth comes exciting opportunities for our teams and suppliers to grow with us.”
In the Southeast, the acquisition of Southeastern Grocers and its Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket banners support ALDI expansion in a key region. In addition to organic growth through store openings, a significant number of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets will convert to the ALDI format over the next several years.
Starting mid-summer, ALDI will begin a phased approach to the store conversion process. ALDI anticipates that approximately 50 stores will begin the conversion process during the latter half of 2024, with the majority of these stores reopening as ALDI in 2025.
As announced last August, ALDI intends for a meaningful amount of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets to continue to operate under their current banners. Both ALDI and Southeastern Grocers are committed to a seamless transition and continuing to deliver excellent value and customer service to their shoppers.
“With a long history of serving the Southeast, our steadfast commitment to helping our customers stretch their hard-earned dollars has remained a constant priority,” said Anthony Hucker, president and CEO, Southeastern Grocers. “As we begin this next chapter, we will continue to deliver the quality, service and value our customers have come to expect from us.”
“With the acquisition of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarkets, ALDI will serve even more communities in the Southeast, bringing us closer to our customers in a region where we’ve already experienced significant demand for affordable, quality groceries,” said Hart. “As we look ahead to this next chapter in our company history, both the ALDI and SEG teams will play a critical role in driving the business forward for our future collective success.”
As ALDI expands its footprint with new and converted store locations, customers can expect the same experience that keeps millions of customers shopping its aisles every month. With easy-to-shop stores that get customers in and out, shelves stocked only with the best products at even better prices, and seasonal ALDI Finds that take grocery shopping from errand to adventure, the company continues to earn the loyalty of new customers with every community it enters.
Throughout the expansion, ALDI remains committed to making a positive impact on communities and ensuring its environmental footprint doesn’t grow with it. As part of its growth, the company will build and remodel stores with sustainable features such as energy-efficient LED lighting, environmentally friendly refrigeration systems, rooftop solar systems and more.
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UNFI Names Tarditi Chief Financial Officer, Succeeding Howard
United Natural Foods, Inc. has named Giorgio “Matteo” Tarditi president and chief financial officer, effective April 15. He succeeds John W. Howard, UNFI’s current CFO, who will leave the company following a transition period.
Sandy Douglas, CEO and President of UNFI, said: “Matteo is a proven executive who, over the course of his more than 26 years at GE, served as CFO for seven business units, including Renewable Energy and Energy Connections as externally reported segments, and large divisions of the Power, Oil & Gas, Aerospace, and Healthcare businesses. His deep financial expertise and knowledge of these businesses enabled him to successfully drive operational excellence, efficiency, and increased productivity in complex transformations and M&A integrations.
“A certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, he also led the development and implementation of processes that have increased forecast accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement. We are pleased to welcome Matteo to our team and look forward to his contributions,” Douglas said.
“We also want to thank John Howard for his years of dedicated service and leadership. John played an instrumental role in the integration efforts following the 2018 SUPERVALU acquisition and in helping UNFI navigate the challenges of the global pandemic. I have greatly appreciated his counsel since I joined UNFI.”
In his new role, Tarditi will oversee corporate finance, treasury, strategy, financial planning and analysis, tax, accounting, investor relations, risk management and shared services.
“I am thrilled to join UNFI’s talented team, renowned for its customer-centric and collaborative culture,” said Tarditi. “I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to the mission of feeding families across North America and to support the customer- and supplier-driven strategy and transformation plan for the company. I look forward to leading the finance organization and partnering with the people who make UNFI the market leader and a company that delivers profitable growth and value creation for shareholders.”
Tarditi began his career with GE in 1997 and held positions of increasing responsibility in Healthcare, where he served as CFO of GE Healthcare Japan from 2005 to 2007; in GE Aerospace, where he served as CFO of Avio Aero—GE Aviation from 2013 to 2015; in GE Oil & Gas, where he served as CFO, Drilling and Production from 2010 to 2013; in GE Grid Solutions, where he served as CFO from 2015-2016; in GE Energy Connections, where he served as CFO from 2016 to 2017; in GE Power Services, where he served as CFO in 2018; in GE Renewable Energies, where he served as CFO from 2019 to 2021; and in GE Corporate, where he served as Group Financial Planning & Analysis Leader from 2021 to present.
A frequent speaker on global leadership, turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, and talent motivation Tarditi holds a master of science degree in finance and business administration from Universita Bocconi in Milan, Italy.
UNFI is North America’s premier grocery wholesaler delivering the widest variety of fresh, branded, and owned brand products to more than 30,000 locations throughout North America, including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce providers, and food service customers. UNFI also provides a broad range of value-added services and segmented marketing expertise, including proprietary technology, data, market insights, and shelf management to help customers and suppliers build their businesses and brands. As the largest full-service grocery partner in North America, UNFI is committed to building a food system that is better for all and is uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh thinking to customers. To learn more about how UNFI is delivering value for its stakeholders, visit www.unfi.com.
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Whole Foods Market Daily Shop to Launch in NYC
The prepared foods section of a Whole Foods Market. (Photo: Whole Foods Market)
Whole Foods Market is introducing a new, quick-shop store format designed to provide customers in urban neighborhoods a quick, convenient shopping experience with easier access to the fresh, high-quality offerings they expect from Whole Foods Market. The new format, called Whole Foods Market Daily Shop, will initially launch on the Upper East Side in Manhattan with additional locations in New York City to follow. The first store, located at 1175 Third Avenue, is expected to open this year. Following the New York City launch, Whole Foods Market plans to bring the format to other cities across the country.
Ranging between 7,000 to 14,000 square feet, the quick-shop stores are about a quarter to half the footprint of an average 40,000 square foot Whole Foods Market store, paving the way for expansion in dense, metropolitan areas. In bustling hubs like Manhattan where proximity matters, these stores will bring Whole Foods Market closer to existing customers, while extending the company’s reach to others in surrounding neighborhoods.
Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will provide a convenient option for grab-and-go meals and snacks, weekly essentials, and a quick, easy destination to pick up ingredients to complete a meal – with all items meeting the company’s rigorous quality standards. Though smaller, the stores will still offer Whole Foods Market favorites, including an ample selection of fresh, seasonal produce, meat and seafood, prepared foods like sandwiches and pre-packed meals, breads, alcohol, and supplements, as well as a handpicked range of local specialties and our own 365 by Whole Foods Market brand. In addition, the location that is expected to open this year will be the first Whole Foods Market store in Manhattan to offer Juice & Java, a venue for coffee, tea, fresh pressed juices, smoothies, sandwiches, soups and various desserts.
“At our new store formats, we’re tailoring every square foot to the unique, fast-paced needs of urban lifestyles. We’re excited to introduce a new way for our customers to quickly pick up their Whole Foods Market favorites – from grab-and-go meals to that last-minute dinner ingredient – making the early morning or after work grocery trips more efficient and enjoyable,” said Christina Minardi, executive vice president growth & development, Whole Foods Market & Amazon. “Expanding our footprint with Whole Foods Market Daily Shop is key to our growth, fostering deeper customer connections, and advancing our purpose to nourish people and the planet.”
The new format stores will not replace the traditional Whole Foods Market store format. In fact, this quick-shop format is one more way Whole Foods Market and Amazon are innovating every day to build a best-in-class grocery shopping experience that offers multiple ways for customers to conveniently shop for the products they know and love.
In 2023, Whole Foods Market added its 17th store in New York City at One Wall Street, underscoring the company’s dedication to enhancing the urban customer experience and expanding its urban real estate footprint. Whole Foods Market currently has more than 530 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom with more than 75 stores in the pipeline.
Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 530 stores across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.
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