Does Aldi Own Trader Joe’S In 2022? (You’Ll Be Surprised)
Trader Joe’s, with its decidedly Californian, laid-back feel, cheap prices, and unique goods, has achieved cult status among the masses, with Facebook groups and entire websites devoted to the chain of 500-plus stores in 43 states.
Aldi Will Own Trade Joe’s in 2022
Aldi has Trader Joe’s. But it’s not the Aldi that is familiar to North American shoppers. Aldi Nord is the owner of Trader Joe’s. This was created when two brothers from Germany, Albrecht Discount Chain, split. Aldi Sud oversees Aldi US operations.
Are there two Aldi’s around?
Two Aldi entities exist. Before we get to the specifics of which Aldi company took over Trader Joe’s, let’s first understand a bit more about the Albrecht family’s history.
The Albrecht matriarch started the family’s first grocery in Essen in 1900, but Germany had suffered two World Wars. The Albrecht brothers Theo and Karl returned from World War II and assumed the management of the shop.
No doubt seeing the bad state of things around them, the brothers wisely opted to carve out a niche in pantry basics for ultra-low prices. They were eventually able to expand the company and open more stores in Germany.
They lived together until the 1960s. Then, the brothers could no longer agree on selling cigarettes. Karl was against the idea. He believed that it would draw shoplifters.
Theo assumed control over Aldi Nord while Karl was at Aldi Sud’s helm.
What Year Did Aldi Nord Retake Trader Joe’s Restaurant?
Aldi Sud ended up expanding to the US in 1976, which is significant to note because within three years, Aldi Nord had acquired Trader Joe’s.
We can guess that they wanted an entry point to the States that didn’t confuse customers by sharing a name and chain.
Joe Coulombe, the founder and CEO of Trader Joe’s in 1979 (there is a Joe! His business was sold to Theo Albrecht who is the CEO of Aldi Nord.
AldiReviewer.com’s author reached out directly to Trader Joe’s, in an attempt to understand how closely Aldi Nord’s operation and Trader Joe’s’. TJ’s rep replied that both organizations operate independently.
Trader Joe’s is a subsidiary of Aldi Nord but operates under its own jurisdiction.
What is Trader Joe’s?
Theo Albrecht bought Trader Joe’s in California as a way to make a sound investment.
Joe Coulombe founded Trader Joe’s. He is a Stanford University graduate who started in convenience and drug stores. Coulombe bought six Pronto Markets that he managed and sold them to him.
It was late 1950. Coulombe changed his business model over the following years to make his store stand out from the crowd of 7-Elevens selling unique and quirky finds.
Then in the late 1960s, the chain was renamed Trader Joe’s, a nod to a popular tiki restaurant in the Los Angeles area (“Trader Vic’s”). Aldi Nord offered their services shortly after.
It’s not hard to understand why. Coulombe’s business model included more than simply finding random things and then putting them all together.
He curated expensive goods from discontinued items or overstocks, so he could save money and pass it on to the customer. This sounds familiar?
Whether or not that type of product (high-end/gourmet foods at low prices) made the Aldi Nord purchase of Trader Joe’s intentional, today it’s one of the biggest draws for both Aldi Sud and Trader Joe’s stores, and part of the reason middle-to-upper-class shoppers flock to both.
Does Trader Joe’s sell the same things as Aldi?
Although there are some who claim Aldi US sources its store-brand products from one of the same wholesalers as Trader Joe’s, no direct evidence has been found. However the two stores sell some identical items and it is possible that Aldi could have copied.
The most famous example is Trader Joe’s cult favourite Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. They launched it in 2017. Aldi produced their own version two years later, using their Stonemill seasonings name, called Everything Bagel seasoning.
Other similar products are available, however, such as cheap wine (Trader Joe’s has Two-Buck Chuck brand, and Aldi sells their Winking Owl brand at $2.50/bottle), expensive cheeses, fancy-looking breads, almond butter, and naan bread.
Aldi’s stock may be limited in space, so it seems that Trader Joe’s stores have a larger selection of the same items. Image granola, pickles and fruit spreads elevated.
While Trader Joe’s offers a wider range of pantry staples, it is lighter in Trader Joe’s. But, if you take a look at the online ” For the Pantry » page from Trader Joe’s, there are only a handful of useful tips. Aldi offers the same all-purpose flour 5-lb bags for $1.15.
While there may be some overlap in the product offerings of both, they each compete for that disposable income dollar and have made it their mission at all costs to sell at extremely low price points.
It is possible that Trader Joe’s / Aldi occupy 2 very different niches. However, they occasionally drift into one another’s paths.
Is Trader Joe’s Better Than Aldi?
Store label goods make up 90 percent of Aldi’s stock, while 80 percent make up Trader Joe’s. A lot of people wonder how they match up on quality.
Aldi is almost the clear winner in this one crucial area. The reason? Trader Joe’s has a bad reputation for selling poor produce
A writer at thekitchn.com even wrote an entire article about the dismal quality of TJ’s fresh fruits and veggies, commenting on the over-packaging of fresh stuffs and how things are bagged in bulk (potentially leading to waste at home).
Aldi’s produce is not without its fair share. However, they are now sourcing local and getting shipments daily.
Besides the produce, though, we’d say Aldi and TJ’s are about equal in terms of quality! Both stores deliver, especially in the fun, unique food categories. Shoppers love to eat Trader Joe’s Black Truffle Cashew Pesto, vegan Bolognese or French Onion mac & Cheese.
Aldi customers love to buy Girl Scout cookies dupes. They also like the center-cut, very affordable bacon that costs only $4 per package! and pineapple mimosa bottles.
Trader Joe’s is owned by Aldi Nord, a separate entity from Aldi Sud, which operates Aldi US and all its stores here in the United States.
The distinction can sometimes be confusing, and even misleading. Although the distinction may seem confusing at first, it has led to fierce competition and made grocery shopping much more fun.
Does Aldi’S Own Trader Joe’S?
Aldi Nord holds Trader Joe’s store in the States. But the Aldi Sud-run stores you can see in the States is independent from Trader Joe’s. May 1, 2019
Where Is Aldi Opening New Stores In 2022?
Aldi U.S. aims to increase its U.S. store count by 150 in 2022. Its expansion along the Gulf Coast regions will see the deep discount retailer reach the 38th US state. Aldi U.S. is based in Batavia. The chain plans to open the store in Lafayette in Louisiana on Tuesday, February 10, 2022.
Are Trader Joe’S And Aldi Owned By Brothers?
Aldi U.S. BB#.116756 is commonly thought to be a brother or sister company of Trader Joe BB#.162286. However, it’s not. While the two chains have some similarities, with both following a low-price, private-label-dependent strategy, they are independently owned and operated.Jul 19, 2019
.Does Aldi Own Trader Joe’S In 2022? (You’Ll Be Surprised)
