Aldi is one of the fastest-growing names in the retail industry worldwide. As a German brand hitting the US market just 40 years ago, the fact that it has entered a niche full of well-established supermarkets, you may be surprised to hear that it’s on track to become the third-largest chain in the whole of America.
Why shop at Aldi?
This is a huge testament to the brand – and as they prioritize simple shopping, great private label products, and a focus on minimizing costs at the corporate level to bring as many savings as possible, it’s not hard to see why you may want to stop by.
With only 900 core products, you may be thinking that Aldi won’t have everything you need under one roof, but the great news is that there’s a decent range and a whole host of additional products to enjoy. As many of them are private label products, let’s take a look at what can you expect.
What are private label products at Aldi?
It can be essential to know what a private label product is before you go out and buy one. In short, any product that has a retailer’s own brand attached to it, as opposed to a branded product, is classed as being private label. Sometimes these can have a random brand or a specific brand, like the Great Value foods at Walmart. Buying unbranded products and adding your own is far cheaper than making deals with the owners of labeled brands to be able to sell on their stock – and that’s why more and more stores are adding these kinds of items to their inventories and how Aldi is able to bring such fantastic prices to communities everywhere.
What are the perks of private label products?
The absolute best thing about these products is that a huge number of them are actually identical to the branded ones that we know and love. This is because everything comes from manufacturers, so it’s not a leap to imagine that some of the private label products are created and packaged by the same source. Many supermarkets have their own manufacturers, but this isn’t a downside – it means that they will have a higher level of involvement in the quality and production that goes into every item they sell on to you
In the latter case, if you shop with a supermarket you trust, you can rest assured that the private label foods you buy are of a very high standard. The alternative is that they are exactly the same as the big brand alternatives, so it’s a win-win all round.
The best products to buy at Aldi
Now that you know what private label products are, you may be interested in knowing what products top the list at Aldi.
1. Canned Goods
One of the first products to be sold as private label is canned goods – and these are some of the highest quality items you can buy. With affordable fruits, vegetables, soups, tuna, baked beans, and so much more, you can enjoy both a long shelf-life and low costs. All canned goods come in anywhere between 30-70 cents in every Aldi store, and they even have their very own Fit & Active range for those looking to better their diet. This line includes products with reduced sodium, fat, sugars, calories, and sometimes more – and the price point is only a little higher.
2. Organic Foods
For the cheapest ethically created foods in America, Aldi’s organic range is not only as much as a full dollar cheaper than their competitor’s products, but they also all come with the highest seal of approval: the USDA Organic label. You can find everything from snacks to boxed goods, from dairy to fresh meat and produce, and so much more.
3. Snacks
The Aldi snack isle is full of fantastic snacks – and as you’re only likely to find a select few branded items here, you may be wondering about the quality of their private label chips. Well, the great news is that they have an alternative version of almost any kind of chip you can think of, so you’ll be spoiled for choice. You can go one step further if you’d like something a little different, as they also stock cheddar puffs, popcorn, gluten-free pretzels, and even rice snacks.
4. Cheese
While you can find a host of family favorites at Aldi (with cheddar, edam, and more in slices, blocks, and shredded for convenience), their range of specialty cheeses is where this supermarket really shines. On any given week you can find aged cheddar, Brie, smoked Gouda, and even flavored soft cheeses, and the deli offers cured meats like smoked salmon and prosciutto to go alongside them.
Don’t forget that they will also stock cream cheese, cottage cheese, and ricotta, so you won’t be limited.
5. Wine
The last private label product from Aldi that we wanted to focus on is wine. You can expect to find award-winning bottles from around the world (with tests conducted by the Beverage Testing Institute for their annual World Wine Championship), and nearly all of these come in at around $10-$15 a bottle. As an honorable mention, Aldi’s own brand whiskey has also won awards for outstanding quality and value, so be sure to check it out.
