Aldi is a German company. Founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1913 (officially 1946/1948 in its modern form) in Essen, Germany, the company later split into two separate entities: Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd. While they operate in Austria and many other countries, the company's roots and headquarters are German.
It's a first in Germany. The brothers now own 300 stores, and decide to split the operations into Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Süd (South) – which now operate independently. They decide to think of a new name and come up with 'Aldi', short for Albrecht Discount. Aldi Süd are operating in Germany, Austria and America.
Originally founded as a single family business in Germany, Aldi split in 1960 into two separate companies after the Albrecht brothers disagreed—reportedly because Theo Albrecht (Aldi Nord) wanted to sell cigarettes, while Karl Albrecht (Aldi Süd) opposed it.
Aldi and Lidl are not related. They are both German- based grocery chains with locations in the U.S. that specialize in low prices and private-label products.
Aldi UK is owned by Aldi Süd GmbH, a German company that is part of the larger, family-owned Aldi group, which was originally split into two separate entities (Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd) by the founding Albrecht brothers, Karl and Theo, in the 1960s. Aldi Süd manages operations in the UK, Ireland, Australia, the US, and Southern Germany, focusing on low-price, no-frills shopping.
ALDI: The German Grocery Store Taking the US by Storm
What is the 13 rule in Aldi?
The Aldi £13 rule refers to its significant pay increases for UK store assistants, making it the first supermarket to pay above £13 per hour, with rates rising to £13.35 nationally and £14.71 within the M25 from March 2026, with even higher rates for experience, all part of its pledge to lead on pay and offer paid breaks.
It's called the "Aisle of Shame" (or "Aldi Finds") because shoppers often abandon their grocery lists and budgets to impulse buy delightful but unnecessary items like home goods, apparel, and seasonal gadgets found in the middle aisle, leading to a "shameful" amount of extras they didn't plan for, but it's an affectionate term for the store's addictive treasure hunt.
No, Asda is not a German company; it's a major British supermarket chain, founded in Yorkshire, England, and currently owned by UK-based TDR Capital and the Issa brothers, though it was owned by US giant Walmart for many years before returning to British ownership. While German discounters like Aldi and Lidl compete in the UK, Asda remains fundamentally British.
Aldi's exit from Denmark is part of its strategic decision to focus on the eight European markets where the discounter achieves better results and sees long-term potential.
Split. The brothers split the company in 1960, reportedly over a dispute about whether they should sell cigarettes. Karl believed they would attract shoplifters, while his brother, Theo, did not. This led to Theo running Aldi Nord and Karl running Aldi Süd.
Aldi founders Karl and Theo Albrecht were conscripted to fight for the Nazis during World War II. They returned home in 1946 and began running a grocery store that they had inherited from their mother, who had opened it in Essen back in 1913.
Some say it's how "old crows" who have long shopped at the store find each other. Others believe it refers to the sound a crow makes when it spies something shiny and interesting. Either way, the caw caw call is a method AOS shoppers -- kindred spirits, if you will -- use to find one another in the store.
Aldi unveils its top selling products of the year, with more ready salted crisps purchased than any other flavour and bananas named the top selling item of 2025.
Trader Joe's is an American grocery store chain headquartered in Monrovia, California, with 608 locations across the US. The first Trader Joe's store was opened in 1967 by founder Joe Coulombe in Pasadena, California. Theo Albrecht, the co-founder of Aldi, bought the chain in 1979.
Yes, Aldi mostly sells its own private-label products, but they're really delicious. And, most of the time, I find Aldi brands—like Specially Selected or Sundae Shoppe—are just as high quality and far less expensive than better-known brands.
The Aldi £13 rule refers to its significant pay increases for UK store assistants, making it the first supermarket to pay above £13 per hour, with rates rising to £13.35 nationally and £14.71 within the M25 from March 2026, with even higher rates for experience, all part of its pledge to lead on pay and offer paid breaks.
The Schwarz Group is the biggest supermarket in Europe, with an annual revenue of €172.24 billion in 2023. Headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany, the Schwarz Group operates two major supermarket brands: Lidl and Kaufland.
Aldi's top competitors include Albertsons, REWE Group, and Jiajiayue Group. Albertsons operates as a grocery and pharmacy retailer providing online grocery shopping, delivery, and pickup services.
