ALDI Completes Purchase of Delhaize Group's Bottom Dollar Food Real Estate Sites

BATAVIA, Ill., March 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ALDI, the nation's low price grocery leader*, today announced it has completed its purchase of 66 real estate assets from the Delhaize Group. The transaction includes the land, buildings and leasehold improvements associated with Delhaize's recently retired Bottom Dollar Food operation.

"ALDI has been offering fresh, affordable groceries in Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey communities for 20 years. With the completion of this real estate transaction, we are able to ramp up our expansion plans in the region to meet the growing demand for the ALDI difference: high-quality groceries at everyday low prices in an easy-to-shop store," said Jason Hart, CEO, ALDI. "While we are excited to pursue opening ALDI stores at 30 of these locations, we will continue working with those communities where we will not be using the sites to ensure a smooth transition."

In December 2013, ALDI embarked on an accelerated growth plan to open 650 new stores by the end of 2018, with the goal of operating nearly 2,000 stores across the country. ALDI also is planning to invest more than $3 billion to pay for land, facilities and equipment. When the expansion is complete, ALDI will have stores coast-to-coast and anticipates serving more than 45 million customers per month. The expansion is expected to create more than 10,000 new jobs at ALDI stores, warehouses and division offices.

"At ALDI, we are committed to being an employer of choice as we know the significant contributions that our people add to the business by providing excellent service day after day," said Hart. "To attract and retain the best talent, we are proud to offer our employees generous compensation that is higher than those of other grocery retailers in the market. In addition, associates working at least 25 hours per week receive full health benefits, and all ALDI employees are invited to participate in our 401(k) program."

Growth is accelerating at ALDI due to the appeal of its unique business model that lets smart shoppers save up to 50 percent** on more than 1,300 of the most commonly purchased grocery items, including more than 70 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, including organic produce. In fact, ALDI has been recognized as the nation's low-price grocery leader for four consecutive years, as well as one of the top three favorite grocery store chains in America, according to consumer surveys* conducted by Market Force Information, Inc., the world's leading customer intelligence solutions company.

"Not only are we growing our geographic footprint, but we're expanding our product offerings as well. We continue to increase our healthy food and on-trend options, including fresh produce, USDA choice meats, dairy products and baked goods, along with our new SimplyNature line that includes several organic items, and our liveGfree line of gluten-free products," added Hart. "With everything ALDI has to offer, it's no surprise to us that more and more people are discovering that they don't have to sacrifice quality and taste to save money by shopping at ALDI."

ALDI generates savings for its customers through a low-overhead approach that focuses on offering high quality, premium products and includes cost-saving measures such as:

• Volume purchasing: By concentrating its full buying power on 1,300 of the most commonly purchased grocery items in the most common size, ALDI secures sizable discounts.
• Exclusive brand products: More than 90 percent of products at ALDI are their own exclusive brands rather than national brands.
  • In the ALDI Test Kitchen, ALDI ensures that its products meet or exceed the quality and taste of national name brands.
  • All ALDI food products are backed by the Double Guarantee. If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product AND refund the purchase price.
• Special Buys: Each week, ALDI offers 20-30 food and non-food products at a great value that include everything from small kitchen appliances and seasonal items to outdoor furniture and gardening tools.
• No hidden costs: ALDI has a streamlined approach that avoids non-essential services such as banking, pharmacies, check cashing and bagging clerks. Those savings result in lower prices for consumers.

A list of the company's intentions for each of the 66 real estate locations follows.

About ALDI Inc. A leader in the grocery retailing industry, ALDI operates nearly 1,400 US stores in 32 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast. More than 30 million customers each month save up to 50 percent** on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing. ALDI sells more than 1,300 of the most frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality. ALDI is so confident in the quality of its products, the company offers a Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product and refund the purchase price. ALDI was named the 2014 Retailer of the Year by Store Brands Magazine for its strong commitment to value and innovation-focused private brand product development. For more information about ALDI, visit www.aldi.us.

*According to a survey of more than 6,000 consumers conducted in March 2014 by Market Force Information.**Based upon a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores.

ALDI intends to re-open the following sites as ALDI stores:

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

The following sites will be evaluated for sale, sublease or assignment:

New Jersey

Ohio

Pennsylvania

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SOURCE ALDI Inc.