Aldi Grocery Chain (Durham, Matthews, Lexington: low income, hotel, buy)
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They sell their own brands and as they are European (mostly German) generally have far fewer additives than many products in US brand grocery stores.
Their produce is cheap and better than I see in for eg Lowes.
Chocolate, cereal,chips,dip,butter, bagels, pizzas,coffee,wraps etc etc are just as good if not better than many US brands.
Sell by dates are no different than any other store.
I shop there every week and only visit other stores for a few specific things that they don't carry.
ITA with you
You are Right Aldi is a german owned company and they have been in Europe years along with their sister store LIDL ( I haven't seen them in the US but you can correct me if I'm wrong).They have been here in Ireland over 10 years and are in many European countries including the UK. Along with the lower food additives have you checked out (I'm not sure if its available stateside) they have a whole range of natural bathroom products no nasties such as parabens contained in them-shower gels moisturisers etc.These are all of the highest standard in fact one of their own Brand moisturisers received an award for effectiveness in Europe and beat many prestigious brands including Helena Rubenstein.So cheaper it maybe but its not inferior by any means and the ethos of having cashiers only keeps the overhead costs down .
I will be looking out for their locations when I move.
Yes, I know Aldi is OWNED by a German company. Do you really think they import all of their stuff? How would they keep prices down that way? No - they have American companies manufacture many of their products and they put an Aldi label on it. American standards on food additives and chemicals are WAY different than European standards. Read your labels, people. Regardless, when I talk about quality I'm talking more about their real foods.
Last edited by SunnyKayak; 04-05-2011 at 09:55 AM..
Reason: consumer complaint
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,814 posts, read 34,719,908 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coastalgirl
Yes, I know Aldi is OWNED by a German company. Do you really think they import all of their stuff? How would they keep prices down that way? No - they have American companies manufacture many of their products and they put an Aldi label on it. American standards on food additives and chemicals are WAY different than European standards. Read your labels, people. Regardless, when I talk about quality I'm talking more about their real foods.
If you aren't picky about the way food tastes, or if you don't care whether it's whole or processed, I'm sure Aldi is fine. Again, foodies should not shop there.
Really, I do care about the way that food tastes. Yes, many products in Aldi are from the USA. I listed some companies, all American brands with excellent reputations. However, many products are European. The EU has strict food standards. There are even strict standards for chocolate manufacturers. Yet the prices are cheaper on these products. Why? Buying in massive quantities. Aldi is international. Besides Europe & the US, there are Aldis in Australia.
I think that you've made your point of view clear,
Last edited by SunnyKayak; 04-05-2011 at 09:51 AM..
Reason: post in reference has been edited
If you aren't picky about the way food tastes, or if you don't care whether it's whole or processed, I'm sure Aldi is fine. Again, .
This foodie shops at Aldi, because I don't need a brand-name or to pay 4 times the Aldi price to see the quality of a product. I do as much shopping as I can at Atherton Mill or other farmer's markets, get what I can at Aldi, and fill in based on what else I need - either at Trader Joe's or Bloom or EarthFare or HT. World Market also has good deals on imported food.
I don't know why you feel the need to tear down Aldi. Don't shop there, that's fine - but to insinuate that only people who don't care how food tastes (!) can shop there is ridiculous.
I would just let this go (hello, pointless internet arguments!), but Aldi was a lifesaver for us at a time when I had very little money to spend on groceries. I'd hate to think that someone in the same position wouldn't go because they thought Aldi only had processed garbage that doesn't taste good. They have real, whole, good foods. Yes, some of it is imported. I *do* read labels - product of Denmark means product of Denmark.
To the OP (remember the OP?), it's safe to go and try it out, especially at the locations I mentioned in my previous post. Go a few times to get a feel for it. Take your own bags, or use their boxes or buy their bags. The carts are a quarter to use, but you get that back when you're done.
Last edited by SunnyKayak; 04-05-2011 at 09:53 AM..
Reason: referring post edited
This is not the right place for consumer complaints. Such posts present defamation issues and they don't give the other side the opportunity to present their side of the argument.
telling peep to not shop is same thing becareful with your words
This foodie shops at Aldi, because I don't need a brand-name or to pay 4 times the Aldi price to see the quality of a product. I do as much shopping as I can at Atherton Mill or other farmer's markets, get what I can at Aldi, and fill in based on what else I need - either at Trader Joe's or Bloom or EarthFare or HT. World Market also has good deals on imported food.
I would just let this go (hello, pointless internet arguments!), but Aldi was a lifesaver for us at a time when I had very little money to spend on groceries. I'd hate to think that someone in the same position wouldn't go because they thought Aldi only had processed garbage that doesn't taste good. They have real, whole, good foods. Yes, some of it is imported. I *do* read labels - product of Denmark means product of Denmark.
I think it's great that it's there for people who can't afford to buy food at other places. Just FYI, something in a package from Denmark isn't real or whole. Imported food in general isn't going to be a whole food. Whole foods are unprocessed (not canned, boxed, etc) fruits, vegetables, eggs, less-processed meat and unprocessed grains. I'm happy to have an Aldi cookoff with any interested foodies!
This foodie shops at Aldi, because I don't need a brand-name or to pay 4 times the Aldi price to see the quality of a product. I do as much shopping as I can at Atherton Mill or other farmer's markets, get what I can at Aldi, and fill in based on what else I need - either at Trader Joe's or Bloom or EarthFare or HT. World Market also has good deals on imported food.
I don't know why you feel the need to tear down Aldi. Don't shop there, that's fine - but to insinuate that only people who don't care how food tastes (!) can shop there is ridiculous.
I would just let this go (hello, pointless internet arguments!), but Aldi was a lifesaver for us at a time when I had very little money to spend on groceries. I'd hate to think that someone in the same position wouldn't go because they thought Aldi only had processed garbage that doesn't taste good. They have real, whole, good foods. Yes, some of it is imported. I *do* read labels - product of Denmark means product of Denmark.
To the OP (remember the OP?), it's safe to go and try it out, especially at the locations I mentioned in my previous post. Go a few times to get a feel for it. Take your own bags, or use their boxes or buy their bags. The carts are a quarter to use, but you get that back when you're done.
ITA I'm a foodie and I get lots of continental cheeses and continental meats etc there, and I have brother in the food industry and they supply all supermarkets and it is about buying power.In Europe Aldi have used well known TV chefs in the UK and Ireland to promote their produce and have adverts of these chefs using their products in receipes
I just wanted to add that the cart thing is done all over Europe too regardless of store it can cost €1 or €2 - its to ensure that carts are not left all over parking lots and cause damage to cars and also in many European countries you have to pay for plastic bags its a tax to discourage pollution and people are encouraged to re-use their own bags or use cardboard boxes.
.....Whole foods are unprocessed (not canned, boxed, etc) fruits, vegetables, eggs, less-processed meat and unprocessed grains. I'm happy to have an Aldi cookoff with any interested foodies!
If your point is that it is better to limit yourself as much as possible to whole foods, preferably locally sourced and home grown, then I agree with you. However you seem to make the jump that people who shop at Aldi are incapable or don't care about good quality food. I don't see the connection.
In addition, I would also add that with very very few exceptions, you won't find this any of the other grocery stores in Charlotte either despite paying much higher prices for the same thing. All of the chain groceries in this area operate on mass buying to protect the corporate profits. I've seen tomatoes for sell in Harris Teeter in the summer that were not from NC, but were plastic tasting things imported from Canada.
My point is that to make sweeping generalizations such as Aldi shoppers don't care about how food tastes, is an opinion. It would be an opinion, IMO, that isn't grounded in any relevant fact. I've never had an issue with food purchased at Aldi, they serve a particular niche of the market, and do a very good job at it.
You know why ALDI doesnt try to build fancy new stores located on the most expensive real estate like Harris Teeter does?.....Its to keep cost down. Aldi does not have a large brand name selection. After trying most of their products I find them a good as the store brands most of the time and always cheaper. I have even got bread there and found it much softer that bread from Harris Teeter and other stores. Why try to pick out your favorite brand of mayo for example from 5 different makers when the one brand found at ALDI taste good. If you want to save some real money and be just as satisfied try ALDI and then see.
If you like Aldi, that is totally fine, it's just not a store for foodies.
So you say. I like a lot of stuff there, but not everything by any means. If I can get avocados for 65 cents and fresh pineapple for 1$, what difference does it make where I buy it? Their German beer is good. Their chocolate is also good.
I don't buy into their processed food though. We have one that just opened in Fort Mill and it is a nice place.
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