Trader Joe's (owned by German discount chain Aldi Nord) is America's snack-filled safe haven. From friendly workers to a wide array of cheeses to surprisingly good skincare products, there is something for just about anyone at the grocery chain. Oh, and it sells some of the most affordable products you'll ever buy for the quality. While Trader Joe's lines its shelves with buzzy kombuchas and bottled green juice, did you know that the company actually manufactures and bottle its very own wine and beers? Now, we know that Trader Joe's makes its own private label food, but some of the products are incredible (go try the creamy cauliflower jalapeño dip now) and some of it is a bit of a bust (we're looking at you, turkey meatloaf muffins). Of course, same goes for Trader Joe's beers. Some rival that of popular brands like Corona, and others are just, well, not good. One of the many cool things about Trader Joe's is that the chain will allow you to build your own six pack, where you can pick and choose different beers to take home. Perfect for a fun tasting! Before you speed over to your local Trader Joe's, check out how we've ranked of 13 of its most popular beers. 13. Boatswain Chocolate Stout From the get-go, this beer might sound tempting, especially for those who aren't major beer lovers (the word "chocolate" generally works well as an attention-grabber). Sadly, though, this stout is ill-received by most who try it. As per the beer's label, it is brewed with actual cocoa powder, but those who have tried it often cite a lack of chocolate flavor altogether. At 5.4% ABV, it's not terribly strong, and it actually may be one of the cheapest beers on the market. YouTube channel The Midwest Brew Review stated they purchased a six pack for just US $3.99. After tasting the Boatswain Chocolate Stout, team concluded that this "no real beer flavor" or chocolate. YouTuber Recipes With Ben similarly compares the stout to water, stating "there's no chocolate whatsoever, there's no roastiness." The bottom line is that, though an entire six-pack of this stout can be purchased for less than US $5, it doesn't seem to be worth it. 12. Boatswain American IPA Trader Joe's calls the Boatswain American IPA an "abundantly hoppy, respectably bitter ale." With a 6.4% ABV and lots of hops, it's safe to say that this is a slightly heavier beer. As an IPA, it is expected to taste citrusy and slightly bitter, but many reviews on BeerAdvocate are negative, calling the beer out for its overly-malty taste and all-around non-IPA flavor profile. One particularly sardonic review says of this beer's flavor: "Prominent hand sanitizer flavor with notes of old varnish & rancid malt." At best, customers use the word "decent" to talk about this beer's taste, although at such a cheap price, they wonder if we should expect more? According to YouTube food reviewers Kristen and Jen, who host The Kitchen & Jorn Show, the Boatswain American IPA is like a "Kirkland brand IPA," which is to say that it earns a rating of "just okay." 11. Boatswain Double IPA If a six-pack of beer is sold for just US $4.99, do you really even care how it tastes? Okay, you probably do, especially since almost all of Trader Joe's beers ring in around that price. According to the Trader Joe's website, the Boatswain Double IPA "includes just the right amount of malt to balance the hops' bitter profile." Its ABV is 8.4% which is fairly high, so this beer isn't ideal for those who prefer to sip on Bud Light or have to drive home. The Midwest Brew Review says there's an aroma of "caramel" or "burnt sugar," while Recipes With Ben calls the smell "piney," and the taste "very sweet ... way too unbalanced" for an IPA. The Midwest Beer Review guys agree, calling it "smooth" but "weird." 10. Trader José Premium Lager This Trader Joe's brew is similar to a Corona, though reviewers say it doesn't quite hit the mark. As indicated by the name, Trader José Premium Lager is a lager, which means that it should be a refreshing, lighter, and mild beer, with a "clean and crisp taste," according to BeverageFactory. This lager has an ABV of 5% which is appropriately on the lighter side. While Trader José Premium Lager is slightly refreshing and mildly fruity, there's something about it that just doesn't taste quite right. On both BeerAdvocate and Untappd the beer receives mediocre reviews at best, with most users commenting on its slightly skunky smell and general mediocrity. 9. Trader José Dark Lager The Trader José Dark Lager has an ABV of 5.3%, which may be unexpected for a dark beer, this is due to the fact that it's actually an American amber or red beer, according to BeerAdvocate. With an average rating of 3.3 out of five on the beer rating site, this brew is pretty well-received compared to other Trader Joe's beers we've covered so far. Upon tasting it, brewer Ethan Osborne tells Thrillist that it "finishes fairly clean," with a minimal taste of hops. After their first sip, the hosts of YouTube channel KyBrewReview describe the beer as "not that bad," and pleasantly surprising. They call the lager "sweeter than I expected" and "roasty," but ultimately give the beer a rating of about five out of 10, neither loving nor hating it. Midwest Beer Review had a more positive experience with this dark lager, comparing it to New Belgium's Fat Tire. They say the smell is "malty" with a hint of "caramelization," and ultimately agree that it is a "pretty decent" beer. 8. Drive Thru Red Ale With a quirky name and a cute, colorful VW-esque bus on the label, the Drive Thru Red Ale is the kind of beer you'd expect from Trader Joe's. According to Craft Beer Club, American red ales are characterized by a "​​sweeter, butterscotch or caramelized flavor," while remaining quite hopy. The Drive Thru Red is a dry-hopped red ale, on the heavier side with an ABV of 7.2%, giving it a slightly bitter, dry taste. The Kitchen & Jorn Show hosts gush over the beer's richness, ultimately rating it as "really great." Likewise, The Midwest Brew Review calls it "pleasant" with a "sweet floral" aftertaste. Though Recipes With Ben reports detecting none of the suggested hops, they don't mind the ale's sweet and malty aroma. Overall, Trader Joe's Drive Thru Red Ale is a generally well-received beer, with a rating of 3.37 out of five on BeerAdvocate, where reviewers comment on its amber color and hint-of-caramel aroma. 7. Howling Gourds Pumpkin Ale Woohoo, there's a pumpkin beer on this list! And it's actually a good one! While it isn't shocking that Trader Joe's has created a seasonal pumpkin-flavored beer (EatingWell shared the chain had over 30 of them in 2021) it doesn't have the greatest reputation for flavored beers, so people were skeptical about Howling Gourds Pumpkin Ale. If you're a pumpkin fan, start your car and get to your local Trader Joe's (you know, if it's fall when you're reading this and you're over 21), because customers are pleasantly surprised by the seasonal brew. Got 'em? Crack open this pumpkin ale and inhale the cinnamon and spices that are characteristic of spooky season treats. Upon first smell, Youtuber Specops56 detected a strong whiff of pumpkin spice (which typically includes notes of allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove), and said the same of the taste, which the beer reviewer calls "and easy drinking beer" that is pretty decent. Likewise, The Kitchen & Jorn Show hosts comment on how the beer has a detectable pumpkin spice smell without being overly pumpkin flavored and its smooth creaminess. As far as pumpkin beers go, this one seems to hit the nail on the head. Well done, Trader Joe's, well done. 6. Stockyard Oatmeal Stout The Stockyard Oatmeal Stout is one of the beers that has been on Trader Joe's shelves longest, having been sold in stores since the early 2000s. Though stouts tend to be less popular than other varieties with the general population, the Stockyard Oatmeal Stout is actually fairly highly rated by Trader Joe's customers. Although it is dark in color, it has a fairly modest ABV of 5.2%. PorchDrinking.com describes this beer as a "creamy stout that you'd be happy ordering a pint of at an Irish pub." Many of the reviews mention the notes of chocolate and coffee that make this stout distinct. Recipes With Ben calls this stout roasty, mild, and not bad, but doesn't believe it's robust enough to be considered a true stout. Brewer and beer-enthusiast Ethan Osborne agrees, explaining to Thrillist, "there's not enough malty backbone to really back up the flavors in the beer. That's why you get that nice aroma, or that nice initial flavor, and then it kind of evaporates in your mouth." For true stout fans, this may be a skip, but for anyone on the fence or willing to drink something a little less intense, this might be the stout for you. 5. Josephsbrau PLZNR Czech-Style Lager You may be wondering how a Czech-style lager differs from the Ameriacan or German versions. According to the experts at VinePair, Czech lagers generally have "slightly sweet, toasted biscuit and bready aromas and flavors, as well as moderate to low carbonation." Accordingly, the majority of reviewers on BeerAdvocate report a bready taste or smell for this yeasty lager. With a modest ABV of 5.4%, this lager isn't too heavy, as confirmed by Recipes With Ben, who calls it sweet and crisp, with a slight graininess that aligns with "what a Czech-style lager should taste like." While beer connoisseurs share their approval for this lager, regular old beer drinkers may find it a bit ho-hum. Hosts Kristen and Jen of The Kitchen & Jorn Show have two words for this beer: boring and bitter. Even the positive reviews on BeerAdvocate include phrases like "​​nothing outstanding" or "perfectly serviceable ... without anything standing out." The general takeaway is that, for less than US $2 per beer on average, there isn't much to hate about it, but it's probably not going to become a regular inside your refrigerator. 4. Trader Joe's Vintage Spiced Ale This ale ages like fine wine — that's to say that its flavors become more complex (and better) as it ages, according to BeerAdvocate. Each year, Trader Joe's unveils a new aged spiced ale, and the 2021 version was received well by nearly all who tried it. Let's point out that this ale had a robust 9% ABV (the highest of any beers on this list) which may mean that mainly beer enthusiasts and ale aficionados put this bottle to the test. Nonetheless, it's received high ratings on both BeerAdvocate and Untappd, the later of which features almost 990 ratings with an average of 3.8 out of five. As stated by BeerAdvocate, the 2021 Vintage Spiced Ale is "a rich, dark, and full-bodied ale with a fine and generous coffee-colored, beige foam." It's brewed, of course, with spices, and several who have tried it note hints of plum, stating that it's got a slightly fruity, albeit bold, flavor. 3. Boatswain Hazy IPA Let's note that the beers sold exclusively by Trader Joe's are all from various brewers and companies. (If that sounds confusing, it's because it kind of is.) The Boatswain brand is one of the more common and popular ones sold by the chain, and its beers are made by a brewery located in Wisconsin (via Trader Joe's). The Boatswain Hazy IPA gains approval from many beer-lovers, as hazy IPAs tend to. According to Trader Joe's, this beer boasts "complex notes of tropical fruit and citrus zest." Hops are added "late into the brewing process," which the company explains "helps preserve the maximum amount of hoppy flavor and helps create an almost creamy mouthfeel." In their Louisiana Beer Reviews series, YouTuber Ronald Theriot says that the Boatswain Hazy IPA is medium bodied with a dry finish. The beer reviewer calls the golden-colored beer "appropriately sweet," with a three out five rating on their personal scale of sweetness. Like most Trader Joe's products, this beer is generally agreed upon as a bang for your buck option, racking in at around $6 or less for a six pack, depending on where you live. With a rating of four out of five on BeerAdvocate, it's safe to say that this is an all-around decent beer. 2. Simpler Times Lager Trader Joe's Simpler Times Lager is like the chill, unproblematic, fun-to-be-around member of the beer family. Trader Joe's describes it as "crisp and easy to drink," while being "full-flavored and well-balanced." The grocery chain recommends you pair it "with seafood, spicy dishes, and summer's heat." Unsurprisingly, most who have tried this light lager agree! At 6.2% ABV, this lager is the perfect medium between heavy and light, without an overpowering taste or smell. Essentially, you won't really have to worry about becoming too full or food pairings, while still feeling like you're drinking a beer. When the hosts of Midwest Brew Review sipped on Simpler Times, they gushed over how it's cheap (around US $6 for a six pack) yet "delightful" and "easy to drink," making it a cheaper, slightly stronger alternative to tossing back a few Bud Lights. They did detect a "slight metallic smell," while Youtuber Jerry the Beer Reviewer reported a "light, sweet, bready kind of aroma," and a slightly tart taste with hints of apple, but not in a sour apple kind of way. Overall, this seems like a well-rounded, no-frills beer that's refreshing but not weak, which is why it earns a spot in our top three. 1. Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen Josephsbrau Bavarian Style Hefeweizen is a mouthful and a good one at that. With a sweet-spot 5.3% ABV, this is an unfiltered wheat beer, which, according to its label, includes notes of citrus, bubblegum, clove, and banana. When a beer is unfiltered, that doesn't signify that it's by any means unfinished. In fact, Beer Connoisseur states that when beers are filtered, it is often the case that a "complexity of both flavor and aroma are lost." As such, this beer packs a full-bodied, grainy flavor that crowns it number one on our list. OffBrandGuy.com calls this hefeweizen wheat ale "simply a decent beer," after making a sound note that, when enjoying a brew from Trader Joe's, you aren't "spending your dollar on branding and marketing, you're spending it on quality beer," compared to a name-brand. And quality beer this is, judging from the high ratings it has earned on BeerAdvocate. In their reviews, Recipes With Ben was pleasantly surprised by the taste of this hazy brew and The Kitchen & Jorn Show easily rates it a respectable "really great." See here for more: https://www.tastingtable.com/780367/trader-joes-beer-ranked-from-worst-to-best/?utm_campaign=clip

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Denmark (owned by the German Schwarz Group) has announced that it plans to launch an online business from the start of 2023, which will offer a range of non-food items. The discounter made the announcement at the launch of a new high-bay warehouse at its facility in Køge Nord, around 35 kilometres south of Copenhagen, trade publication Dagligvarehandlen reported. Launch Of Online Business "At the beginning of 2023, we will launch our online business in Denmark, which will focus on non-food," Dagligvarehandlen quoted Lidl Denmark chief executive Jens Stratmann as saying. "It will be a great investment for the company and something that will differentiate us from our competitors." According to daily newspaper Børsen, the retailer's online offer will feature around 2,000 SKUs, plus as many as 10,000 seasonal items. It will offer home delivery services. Warehouse Capacity Expansion The launch of the warehouse extension in Køge means that the discounter has doubled its storage capacity in the Zealand region of Denmark, an area in which it plans to expand its store estate. "With our new high-bay warehouse, we have now secured the future of our warehousing capacity and logistics, which can support our plans to open approximately 60 new Lidl stores in the metropolitan area over the next number of years," Stratmann said in a press release. The expansion means that the warehouse is extended by 6,400 square metres, to cover a total of 46,400 square metres. It has a capacity of almost 19,000 pallets. The logistics centre in Køge handles all goods for Lidl's stores on Zealand and Bornholm. See here for more: https://www.esmmagazine.com/retail/lidl-denmark-to-sell-non-food-products-online-from-2023-155131

Discount Retail Chain File (owned by Turkish hard discounter BIM) entered the Turkish Aegean Region with the investment it made in Izmir Bornova in August of last year, continued its growth in Izmir with the stores opening in Gaziemir and Urla. Soft discounter File, which started to expand to different cities of the Aegean Region within this year, started its new investments in the central districts of Afyon, Manisa and Uşak. With these openings, the number of File's stores in the Aegean Region rose to 6. File, which has a total of 172 stores throughout Turkey, is still growing in Marmara as its main investment region with 144 stores. File has 4 stores in the Black Sea region and 2 stores in the Mediterranean Region. After the Marmara, the second region where the File is the most common is Central Anatolia. File, which opened its first soft discount store in Ankara in November 2019, has increased the number of branches in the capital to 13. File also has 3 stores in Kayseri. See here for more: https://www.ortakalan.org/gonderi/48752#

Discount Retail Chain Aldi South Group (German family owned) contactless stores and other retailer stores are gaining traction, more so in Europe, but there are some trickling into the U.S. The latest company with an injection of VC is AiFi, which enables retailers to deploy and scale autonomous shopping cost-effectively. It does this in grocery stores, sport stadiums and convenience stores via a camera-only resource that does not require weighted shelves, significantly decreasing the cost and time it takes to get up-and-running, co-founder and CEO Steve Gu said. In addition, its advanced tracking algorithms work in up to 10,000 square feet of space to support various shopping methods, including an app, credit card, gated or hybrid entry. Santa Clara-based AiFi raised US$65 million in Series B funding with participation from retail partners Aldi, Zabka and Verizon Ventures, which is enabling the company to utilize 5G technology. This round gives the company a total of US$80 million in funding and comes four years after we reported on AiFi emerging from stealth and two years after it took in what Gu had called its “pre-Series B.” He intends to use the new funding to strengthen the company’s deployment team in order to launch stores faster and more efficiently. On that front, Gu believes AiFi has cracked the formula: in 2020, it would take six months to get a store ready to accept customers, and the company is now able to reduce that to less than one week. In addition, AiFi will invest in product development and feature enhancement. “Autonomous checkout is just the beginning,” he said. “From the data we are getting, people are starting to see the way you manage an autonomous store is similar to an e-commerce website.” The capital infusion comes at a time when AiFi is experiencing growth. Two years ago, the company had no public-facing stores, and now it has 40 stores, including 30 with Zabka. Back then its largest store was 3,000 square feet, and in January, it launched a 6,000-square-foot Aldi store in London. Last November, AiFi went live in Paris with a first-of-its-kind, 10/10 Flash concept store with Carrefour. It expanded to National Football League stadiums and music festivals, where stores have reduced average transaction and queue time by 50% and increased per capita sales by 170%. In addition to Aldi, Carrefour and Zabka, which Gu pointed out currently has the highest number of autonomous stores around the world powered by computer vision, AiFi is also working with Compass Group to open Market x Flutter, Ireland’s first completely frictionless store. All of that movement has resulted in revenue growth of five to six times year over year, and the need for AiFi to increase its headcount from 40 employees in 2020 to 115 people all over the world today. Meanwhile, Gu mentioned the global pandemic was a factor in helping retailers and consumers realize the importance of autonomous stores. On the retail side, it was also a benefit, as stores struggled to hire people. Labor shortages resulting from the “The Great Resignation” was actually the second wave that hurt retailers, the first being people not going into stores because they didn’t want to touch things in the store, Melody Brue, retail technology analyst at Moor Insights, said. She concurs with AiFi’s data from pilot phases of stores reducing checkout time and increasing purchase volume. In addition, it enables smaller stores to keep more accurate inventory that results in better management of the supply chain. “We are getting so much data about how a customer shops, in what parts of the store people buy more and what products sell the best,” Brue said. “There is a lot of intelligence from this type of shopping that would take longer for a typical store manager to gather. If chips are selling better in aisle two than aisle four, that might be harder to recognize.” With regard to continued funding into the autonomous retail space, it still seems to be flowing, as evidenced by AiFi and some additional companies, including French convenience store startup Boxy, which announced US$28 million in funding a few weeks ago, and Focal Systems, which works with retailers like Walmart. In December, it raised $25.8 million for its retail automation. “We’ve definitely seen big investments into automation, artificial intelligence and retail, and in some ways, it had a fintech element to it,” Brue said. “It looks like there has been a little bit of a dip-in-and-wait, for example, AiFi’s initial funding was a small round, and now it is getting a much bigger tranche. Venture capital investment over the past couple of years has been thematic in that way of investing in areas that add convenience and efficiency into people’s lives, and from a financial and retail perspective, that is getting a lot of traction.” See here for more: https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/11/aifi-autonomous-retail-series-b/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Ireland (German family owned) announced the opening of its new store in Caherciveen, Co. Kerry, its 150th store in Ireland since entering the Irish market in 1999. The store represents an investment of over €5 million (US$6 million) in the local area and is creating up to 20 permanent jobs with market leading pay, the discounter noted. In addition, up to 50 jobs were supported during the construction phase of the new store, it added. Speaking at today’s store opening, Niall O’Connor, group managing director, Aldi said, "It’s a significant milestone for our Irish business to reach a store count of 150 after first opening our doors in Cork and Parnell St, Dublin in 1999. "We’re excited to continue our growth strategy, with plans to invest €320 million (US$ 384 million) over the next three years in the opening of 30 new stores, bringing unbeatable prices, value and employment to more towns across Ireland.” Layout And Design Featuring Aldi’s Project Fresh layout and design, the new store, Aldi’s 8th in Co. Kerry, boasts a large shop floor spanning 1,198sqm. There are also 72 car park spaces available for customers, in addition to 8 bike parking stands. With sustainability in mind, Aldi highlighted that it has invested in ventilation heat recovery which will be used to power underfloor heating, in addition to installing 90sqm solar panels on the roof. The new environmentally friendly store will be powered by 100% green electricity. Aldi’s Investment in County Kerry Aldi now operates eight stores in Co. Kerry and has made a capital investment of €38 million (US$46 million) in the county since it first opened a store in Rathass, Tralee in 2004. Aldi currently employs over 140 full-time staff in Kerry. See here for more: https://www-checkout-ie.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.checkout.ie/amp/retail/aldi-announces-the-opening-of-its-150th-irish-store-165757

Wholesale chain Makro (owned by German Metro Group), which has been operating in Colombia for more than 26 years, begins the year by launching its new campaign 'Owners of savings', with which it seeks to make it easy for consumers to save in its 22 stores nationwide or through online sales channels. Makro will invest US$39.8 million to open up to four stores this year in Colombia. With this campaign, it is sought that both the professional client and a family or a person with some whim or desire, can buy in its stores, which offer a wide assortment of products and different purchase options according to their needs, both in quantity and per unit. The new campaign also offers multiple digital channels for online purchase of its products such as store.makro.com.co, where the customer can choose between the store pick-up service, available in the 22 stores nationwide, or Makro Homes, available in 8 stores. In addition, consumers can also place their orders through the Rappi and Cornershop platforms. "Owners of savings" bases its strategy on the omnichannel relationship, savings by quantity and unit, and renovation of its stores, which means that the more a customer buys, the cheaper the next unit they buy will be, depending on the reference specific. In addition, as is customary in Makro, no document will be needed at the entrance or at the checkout to pay for the products. Makro is the place where those who sell buy, as are professional clients such as restaurants, hotels, cafes or bars. With this innovative strategy, anyone can buy bakery products, charcuterie, canned goods, legumes, grains, meat, cava, among others. In addition to the strategy, every day of the week you will find offers from different categories and sections of the store. For example, Mondays, during the month of January, are for cleaning; on Tuesdays discounts on own Private Label brands, on Wednesdays on fruits and vegetables, on Thursdays on breakfast products and on Fridays on liquors and charcuterie. In the case of the weekend, on barbecue Saturdays, grilled beef cuts are made available to customers, and Sunday is the day of the fishmonger, among other offers. This is so that consumers can show that in Makro they are the owners of savings and will enjoy the usual stores, but now remodeled. In conclusion, shopping at Makro gives you access to high-quality products every day. See here for more: https://igomeze.blogspot.com/2022/01/colombia-duenos-del-ahorro-la-nueva.html?m=1

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Ireland (owned by the German Schwarz Group) has announced that it has agreed a multi-million-euro deal with Dublin-based Dublin Meat Company to distribute its ‘Fit Foods’ ready meals. The contract is worth €11 million and will see the Irish supplier’s Fit Foods ready meals on shelves across Lidl’s 214 stores in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Commenting on the new deal with Lidl Ireland, Enya Rooney, senior buyer at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland said, “Dublin Meat Company’s creativity and innovation really shines through in the high-quality meals they produce and customers are responding really well to the range. "At this time of year people are getting back to healthy eating and we are proud to exclusively supply this product in the Irish Market," she said. Dublin Meat Company Dublin Meat Company is a 100% Irish owned family run business, founded by brothers Brian and David O’Leary. In 2015, the company said that it noticed changes in its customer’s eating habits and an increased demand for convenient, healthy meal solutions. Seeing this as an opportunity, a range of macro-friendly, and more importantly, tasty ready meals were developed, and the Fit Food range was born, it said. Lidl Ireland began working with Dublin Meat Company in January 2021, bringing the range of healthy ready meals to its customers across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The freshly prepared meals are packed in 100% recyclable trays and come in a range of different flavours including: Meatballs with Wholemeal Pasta, Clean Chicken Curry and Thai Red Curry with Brown Rice to name but a few. Breakfast Club Range In 2022, Dublin Meat Company will expand the range available at Lidl to include a new Breakfast Club range. Speaking on the deal, Brian O’Leary, managing director, Dublin Meat Company, said, “Working with Lidl was the next step in growth for our business. Its professionalism and support in backing small Irish businesses like ours has allowed for exponential growth and exposure of our brand throughout the four corners of Ireland," he added. See here for more: https://www-checkout-ie.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.checkout.ie/amp/retail/lidl-ireland-announces-e11m-deal-with-fit-foods-supplier-159399

Discount Retail Chain ALDI USA (German family owned) can definitely save you money. And their products get solid reviews. Is saving money by shopping at Aldi really worth your time? Today’s review is of ALDI, a discount grocery store with almost 2,000 stores in 35 states here in the US. About ALDI ALDI is the oldest discount grocer in the world and is a major brand across Europe. The first supermarket opened in Germany in 1961, and now more than 10,000 stores exist in 20 countries. The first U.S. store opened in Iowa, in 1976. There are over 1900 stores in 36 states. ALDI continues to grow, even though they’re competing with a number of other discount grocery stores. This no-frills market focuses on keeping customers happy and prices low. With only four or five aisles of merchandise, the stores are much smaller than the mall-like grocery stores now popular with many shoppers. Similar to a warehouse store, some items are displayed in large cardboard boxes or on the pallets they arrived on. About 90% of the inventory is ALDI brands. But keep in mind many “off” brands are the same food or product as a big name brand but with a different label. Dozens of new stores are popping up and existing stores are getting a “refresh”! Check for an Aldi store near you and look to see if a grand opening is scheduled for your area. Is ALDI a Good Place to Shop? The “warehouse” store minimalist structure allows Aldi to keep prices low on the everyday items you buy. They also encourage shoppers to bring reusable bags or pack groceries into boxes they have in the store. Since single-use plastic bags are being banned in more states because of the environmental impact, shoppers aren’t as inconvenienced by Aldi’s policies. They have to get used to bringing their own bags or pay for paper bags in any place they shop. ALDI hires fewer employees because they don’t need anyone to collect carts from the parking lot either. Bring a quarter with you if you need a cart. You’ll insert one to unlock a cart, but get it back when returning the cart after you finish shopping. If you’re worried about the quality of what you’ll find at Aldi, their “Double Guarantee” on products should ease your mind. If you are not 100% satisfied, return the product. Your money will be refunded, and you’ll get a free replacement product. You won’t see this supermarket advertising very much. They have online and in-store flyers with sale items, but they are just a few pages long. This saves more money which they pass along to customers. The few employees ALDI does have to perform cashier work, also stock shelves during quiet times, and take out the garbage. While Aldi works hard to save you money, they also take care of their employees. The part-time starting wage in Western New York is US$13.90/hour or $2.10 higher than the state’s minimum wage. Don’t worry about long lines though; they have the fastest check-outs ever because ALDI items have multiple barcodes. You’ll bag your own groceries too. Again, more ways they save money, so you pay everyday low prices. You can’t use checks, but you can pay for your groceries with cash, debit cards, and most major credit cards. You can also use Apple Pay and Google Pay at Aldi. They also accept Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), Link, and SNAP. What You’ll Find in Aldi Stores No matter the time of year Aldi has specials for you! Baby back ribs and dry rub seasonings, stadium brats, steak, and chicken are family favorites when it comes to cookouts. Coffee, sweet tea, craft beer, and wine are just some of the beverage options you’ll find. Pantry staples, fresh meats, produce, and dairy products will help you fill your meal plan and prep for the week. While fresh fruits, crackers and cheese, snacks, frozen treats, children’s lunch supplies, and more will help keep everyone happy. You’ll find plenty of paper products and seasonal items too! Download the ALDI app to see new items being stocked, check on weekly in-store specials, and create shopping lists. ALDI Offers Organic and Specialty Foods Aldi also offers several organic foods at great prices in their SimplyNature brand products. There are gluten-free options throughout the store, and you’ll notice plant-based Earth Grow products, specialty chocolates, and fair trade coffee as well. ALDI also carries almond milk, soy products, and other foods for those with allergies, or different dietary preferences and restrictions. What Else You’ll Notice at ALDI If you enjoy strolling through the grocery store sipping on a coffee and if you often pick up a prescription while you are there, you’ll notice a difference between your regular store and ALDI. There’s no coffee bar, deli, or bakery. And you can’t do your banking at an ALDI store either. Shopping isn’t an “outing” or “experience” at this discount food market. You go in, get what you need, and check out – it’s as simple as that and such a time saver!. Smaller ALDI stores may not have enough stock of items you want to buy. Be prepared to stock up when they have items you want, be flexible with replacements, or stop at a different store if it’s something you need that day. ALDI does display seasonal items in the store throughout the year. Often at deep discounts compared to other retailers. Again, you may not have as big of a selection but what you find will likely be at an excellent price. One of the other big things you’ll notice is no one uses coupons at ALDI. This is seen as a negative by some people, but others are thrilled they can get reasonable prices every day without worrying about coupons. Look for the red ALDI Savers tag for sale items. How Much Can You Save Shopping at ALDI? In 2014, money guru Clark Howard had a team check the claim that you could save 42% on your grocery bill by shopping at ALDI. They found that buying “staple” items at Aldi compared to brand-name products saved shoppers over 40%. But if you compared it to other store brands, the savings were closer to 20%. To check their results, we bought four items – pretzels, organic salsa, dark chocolate, and sunflower seeds. After comparing the prices on the same four items (store brand) from a local store, ALDI prices were 23% lower than the other store. This is a small sample but is in line with what Clark Howard’s team found when purchasing fourteen items. More Examples of Low Prices Although prices may vary from store to store, here are examples of prices for popular items at my local ALDI one week. Breakfast Foods A package of six English muffins is $.99 and six bagels are $1.49. Top them off with some peanut butter ($2.19 for 2.5 pounds) and grape jelly ($1.29 for 30 oz). You might prefer to make pancakes (the mix is $1.49 for 2 lb box) with syrup ($1.29 for 24 oz) or grab freezer waffles ($1.19 for 10 ct) on a busy morning. A dozen eggs cost $.79 and a pound of bacon is $3.79. If you prefer cereal, you can buy a box for $1.19 and a gallon of milk for $1.79. Almost two pounds of ground coffee (a large can) is $4.89 and a pound of organic bananas is just $.59. Lunch Foods A loaf of white bread costs $.89 and just shy of a pound of lunch meat is $3.99. A pound of cheese slices is $2.79 and a bag of baby carrots is $.99. A 12 oz. box of cheese cracker is $1.49 and a pound of green grapes cost $.89. Cups of yogurt are only $.32, a 3-pound bag of Empire apples is $2.89, and chocolate chip cookies are $1.35 for a 13 oz bag. Dinner Foods You can buy a 2-pound box of organic spaghetti for $1.39, a jar of sauce for $.85 and a pound of ground burger for $2.49. A pound of chicken breast costs $1.89 and a 12 oz. bag of chopped lettuce is only $.99. Avocados are just $.79 each and a whole cantaloupe is $1.49. If you typically buy all name brands, at ALDI you could be saving up to 40% of your bill. If you spend $100 a week – that’s $40 back in your wallet! Even if most of what you buy is store brands, 20% off is still significant to consider. ALDI Food Product Reviews How’s the Food Taste? If you look online, you’ll find people love specific ALDI products but complain about others. Determining what “tastes good” is so personal it’s tough to say. The great thing is, if you aren’t happy, you can get your money back and try a new product with their Double Guarantee. We tasted each of the four items we bought and saw little difference between the brand we usually use and the ALDI products. Specifically, the chocolate tasted better, and the salsa had great flavor. The pretzels were fresh and lightly salted as advertised and the seeds were uniform and had just the right amount of crunch. Is Shopping at ALDI to Save Money Worth Your Time? Only you can determine if saving 20-40% off your grocery bill is worth it to you. ALDI can save you money, but you will need to be flexible about products sometimes. You may have to go to another store to finish your shopping for some weeks or change your meal plan. It’s definitely a fast shopping experience at this market though. Our overall opinion is that ALDI offers some great quality items at a very low cost. It’s also interesting how many of our friends talk about how much they like shopping and saving at ALDI now! If you have a store near you or if you see one on your travels, stop in. In some stores, you can pick up some great wine deals too. Bottom Line, if you want the big discount shopping club savings and feel, but in a local market, ALDI is an excellent choice. See here for more: https://womenwhomoney.com/aldi-review-discount-grocery/

Discount Variety Retail Chain Pepco Group (listed on WSE: PCO) is pushing for a rapid expansion of its network of stores and strict cost control to support its results, its CEO said after the company reported growth in its quarterly revenue, Reuters reports. The owner of the discounters PEPCO and Dealz reported a 12% increase in its total quarterly revenue in constant currencies and a 0.7% increase in sales revenue. After the announcement of the results, the share price fell by 3.8% to 42.58 zlotys ($ 10.77) per share, close to the price from the initial public offering and to a historic low. The reason for this decline is concerns about consumer demand and interruptions in supply chains, said mBank BM analyst Janusz Pieta. Pepco Group said that after dealing with its most important trading quarter, it is confident that it will achieve profit growth to historic levels. Despite the growing focus of retailers on online commerce, the group is committed to expanding its physical stores and sticking to current prices, despite accelerating inflation, in an effort to attract customers and gain more market share. "Simple math shows that many other things our customers spend money on have become more expensive. From this point of view, I think it is especially illogical to raise prices, because people have less money to spend with us, instead of more, "said Andy Bond. Bond, who is stepping down at the end of March for health reasons, notes that such an approach requires cost discipline, citing distribution, store management and supply chain efficiency as areas that can be saved. Pepco Group reported a record quarter in terms of opening new stores 161, 146 of which are under the PEPCO brand. Many of these outlets are located in strategically important markets in Western Europe such as Italy, Austria and Spain. "We expect to open more stores this year than the market expects," Bond said. "I would not like to give an exact number, but it will certainly be significantly more than 400." The group, which was listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in May, said its revenue for October-December reached 1.35 billion euros (US$ 1.62Bn). See here for more: https://m-investor-bg.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/m.investor.bg/evropa/334/a/pepco-zalaga-na-mashtabna-ekspanziia-na-magazinite-si-343646/amp/

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Italy (German family owned) and part of the Aldi Sud Group, multinational reality of reference of the large-scale retail trade among the most important world operators, greets 2021 with important milestones, confirming the importance and uniqueness that the Italian market has for the company. Three drivers that have guided Aldi's growth, pillars of the development strategy: investments in the territory, enhancement of collaborators and attention to sustainability, in particular to the environment and communities. In 2021 Aldi crossed the finish line of 138 stores in 6 regions of Northern Italy- Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and Emilia-Romagna - thanks to 31 new openings, with an average of 2.6 openings per month. The expansion of the last year confirms the success of the “Aldi Price” also in Italy: 30 brands, 130 fruit and vegetable references and a food offer for 80% Made in Italy to guarantee quality and low prices. A promise of convenience rewarded by the Altroconsumo 2021 survey, which for the fourth consecutive year confirmed Aldi Discount Salvaprezzo in Italy - Cheaper products. Michael Gscheidlinger, Aldi's country managing director Italy, underlines: “ Italy is special, unique, a territory with which Aldi collaborates with passion. We have achieved important results despite the difficulties of the pandemic, which still has a strong impact on our lives. Our growth creates jobs, stimulates the local economy and brings a new offer to Italian consumers. Sustainability and responsibility are the guiding values ​​for our near future. 2022 will see us strongly committed to expanding our network of points of sale and consolidating our quality offer, selected and with discount accessibility for all". At the end of 2021, over 2,400 collaborators work in the network of stores in Italy and in the two logistics centers of Oppeano (VR) and Landriano (PV), with an increase of about 20% compared to the previous year. With 800 new positions open in 2021, the group has significantly accelerated its recruiting and support plan to store teams, but also to key departments such as logistics, marketing, IT, real estate development, purchasing and HR. The value positioning that Aldi is progressively conquering on the Italian market is also confirmed by Universum Global's Most Attractive Employer 2021 certification, which awarded the company as one of the most attractive realities for young Italian university students and professionals. Towards climate neutrality. Aldi's commitment to the environment saw a significant milestone in 2021: the opening of the first CO2-neutral point of sale in Moniga del Garda (BS) which meets the new construction prototype standard, the highest level of energy efficiency of the company. The store concept adopted, which has more than 15% lower energy consumption than the average of the other stores, will also be replicated in 2022. The opening of the Moniga del Garda store, in addition to being related to the 2030 "Zero Carbon" international strategy for reducing global warming, has contributed to further limiting Aldi's impact on the environment in the last year: compared to 2018, energy consumption fell by 7% thanks to continuous energy efficiency activities. The presence of 80 photovoltaic plants guaranteed, in 2021, a production of over 3.5 million kWh of green energy, with a reduction in CO2 emissions of 1,887 tons. Since the company's entry into Italy in March 2018, over 6.8 million kWh of energy have been produced from solar photovoltaic sources, equal to onereduction of 3,655 tons of carbon dioxide in the environment. These results reinforce Aldi's commitment to the environment in Italy in view of an important goal: the achievement of carbon neutrality in 2022 also through CO2 offset projects in collaboration with ClimatePartner. Furthermore, new results were achieved in the context of the "Aldi, Missione Im-Ballo!" Packaging material optimization project. : to date there are 57 items in the assortment with plastic-free packaging, in recycled or recyclable materials, including those born from the partnership with Plastic Bank and made 100% with plastic waste recovered from the oceans. In a year in which the effects of the health emergency have had a strong impact also from an economic and social point of view, Aldi has consolidated its mission of solidarity by renewing the partnership with the Banco Alimentare Onlus Foundation on the occasion of the 25th National Day of Colletta Alimentare, donating over 390 tons of products, for a total of over 1,300 tons donated between 2018 and 2021. Finally, the company's commitment to supporting medical-scientific research is strengthened: in addition to the partnership with the AIRC Foundation for the "Red Oranges for Research" and "Pomegranate for Research" campaigns , with donations of over 140 thousand euros from 2018 , Aldi will also participate in the "Io Vivo Sano" educational project of the Umberto Veronesi Foundation in 2022, aimed at primary and secondary schools of I and II degreewith the aim of promoting correct lifestyles among the new generations and encouraging responsible health choices. Efficiency, support for the economy and employment, but also sustainability and long-term partnerships are the pillars of Aldi's commitment to Italy and the guidelines for growth for the future. See here for more: https://www.fruitbookmagazine.it/aldi-continua-lespansione-in-italia-per-il-2022-attesa-la-climate-neutrality/

Discount Retail Chain Giant Tiger (family owned) will support its design and product development groups with better collaboration. The family discount store has over 260 locations across Canada and employs over 10,000 people. Giant Tiger, which is based in Ottawa, Canada, required a solution to drive product development from concept to adopted product, improve data integrity, centralize digital assets and support the generation of comprehensive product tech packs. The retailer has selected CGS’ BlueCherry Next Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) to help support the design and product development groups in bringing collaboration among all stakeholders, suppliers and vendors. BlueCherry Next PLM is an enhanced part of the end-to-end BlueCherry enterprise suite for apparel and consumer lifestyle brands and retailers. The retailer chose the BlueCherry Next PLM solution for its features including the seamless, designer-friendly integration with Adobe Illustrator and its intuitive, flexible and configurable user interface. The implementation of BlueCherry PLM helps support the retailer's current and future business requirements, helping to increase efficiency, collaboration and visibility across the supply chain. “With more than 35 years of experience in the apparel and consumer lifestyle market, CGS understands the value of having the right solutions in place to efficiently and effectively run business operations,” said Paul Magel, president, Business Applications and Technology Outsourcing division, CGS. “We are excited to welcome Giant Tiger to our thriving BlueCherry community of consumer goods brands and retailers and look forward to building a long-lasting relationship with the team.” The CGS BlueCherry Next PLM is a highly configurable, no-code product lifecycle management solution designed to meet today’s consumer brands, retailers and manufacturers’ needs. The solution powers collaboration, improves speed-to-market and controls costs, while providing total visibility, control and compliance in a brand's supply chain. BlueCherry Next PLM draws from its enterprise solution heritage to deliver a broader set of integrated line planning, design, product development, sourcing and production capabilities to meet the demands of today's rapidly changing marketplace. See here for more: https://risnews.com/giant-tiger-supports-design-and-product-development-collaboration?utm_source=omeda&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NL_RIS+Executive+Insight&utm_keyword=&oly_enc_id=8775F0135745H1C

Discount Variety Retail Chain Fix Price's (listed on LSX: FIXP) like-for-like sales stores unaffected by restrictions due to the latest wave of the pandemic increased by 9% in this period. The company’s revenue for the full year amounted to RUB 230.5 billion (US$3 billion), up 21.3% coopered with 2020, driven by store network expansion and like-for-like sales growth. Retail revenue was up by 22.5%, to RUB 203.3 billion (€2.6 billion), while wholesale revenue grew by 12.9% year-on-year to RUB 27.1 billion (US$ 345 million). 'Resilience And Flexibility' According to Dmitry Kirsanov, CEO of Fix Price, the company’s performance demonstrates the “resilience and flexibility” of its business model to deliver strong operational and financial performance in a challenging operating environment. Kirsanov added, “Amid challenges including high inflation, FX volatility and elevated freight costs, as well as COVID-related restrictions in some regions that directly affected our stores located in shopping malls, our ability to deliver on those things we can control remains superior. “Management used a range of tools, including fast assortment rotation, product engineering and the introduction of new price points to anticipate and respond to external headwinds and maintain margins.” Fourth-Quarter Performance In the fourth quarter, like-for-like sales were up by 3.2% year-on-year, while like-for-like traffic decreased by 3.5% due to COVID-related restrictions in Russia and continued subdued consumer sentiment. Like-for-like sales at company-operated stores in Russia grew by 5.3%, while stores unaffected by COVID-related restrictions saw like-for-like sales up by 6.5%. Revenue during the quarter increased by 14.5% year-on-year, to RUB 66.5 billion (US$ 865 million), driven by new store openings and LFL sales growth. Retail revenue accounted for RUB 59.1 billion (US$ 767 million), up by 15.1% compared to the same period last year, and wholesale revenue increased by 9.6% to RUB 7.4 billion (US$ 96 million). Kirsanov commented, “In Q4 2021, our focus on optimisation of price points, as well as delivering the full range of New Year goods proved successful, supporting gross margin growth for the quarter on a year-on-year basis. As a result, we expect EBITDA margin for the full year to be in 19% area.” Outlook The company hopes to maintain the pace of its store network expansion in 2022 to support further operational and financial growth. “Following the 737 net new stores we opened in 2021, slightly above our guidance of 730, we plan to open 750 net new stores this year,” Kirsanov said. See here for more: https://www.esmmagazine.com/retail/fix-price-sees-lfl-sales-revenue-up-in-fy2021-160779