ALDI, the Germany-based grocery chain that today announced its purchase of the Winn-Dixie and Harveys supermarket chains, says the deal bolsters its plans to grow in Alabama.
“This acquisition is an opportunity to continue the growth we already had planned for the region as part of our strategic and deliberate national expansion,” the company said in a provided statement. “ALDI has been committed to continued growth in the state of Alabama.
That commitment includes a 564,000-square-foot regional headquarters and distribution center in Loxley that the company says will serve as many as 100 stores across the Gulf Coast.
“With 40 ALDI stores and an additional two slated to open by the end of 2023 in Alabama, we have invested more than $349 million in the state and created more than 580 jobs to date,” ALDI said.
The ALDI deal, part of a larger divestiture of Florida-based Southeastern Grocers to various entities, includes about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.
That includes 39 Winn-Dixie stores in Alabama.
“Like ALDI, Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket have long histories and many loyal customers in the Southeast and we look forward to serving them in the years to come,” said Jason Hart, CEO of ALDI, in a news release about the sale. “The time was right to build on our growth momentum and help residents in the Southeast save on their grocery bills. The transaction supports our long-term growth strategy across the United States, including plans to add 120 new stores nationwide this year to reach a total of more than 2,400 stores by year-end.”
The company said some existing Winn-Dixie locations will be converted to ALDI locations, while some Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores will remain.
“ALDI will operate Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores with the same level of care and focus on quality and service, as we also evaluate which locations will convert to the ALDI format to better support the neighborhoods we’ll now have the privilege of serving,” Hart said. “For those stores we do not convert, our intention is that these continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores.”
ALDI, known for its low prices and some of the brands it stocks that aren’t available elsewhere, says the transaction to buy Winn-Dixie and Harveys should close in the first half of 2024.
