I ventured over to Smith Hill yesterday to finally check out Aldi's: a place that fellow students told me to check out, but had never done so, out of sheer laziness & some doubt. After a more-than-successful experience though, my friend and I had to find out more about this place. How does it exist?
Aldi's, in fact, is owned by the same German brothers who own Trader Joe's. Aldi's sells quality products at a low price by "stocking fewer items, eschewing national brands for cheaper generic labels and not accepting credit cards."(TIME) That being said, the shelves didn't appear sketchily scarce, nor were all of the brands unrecognizable (Bolthouse Farms, Organic Valley, etc.). One's shopping experience at Aldi's doesn't seem second-rate either, because of its cleanliness and organization. Doesn't this all just make sense? An affordable, pleasant shopping experience due largely to the fact that it just doesn't stock as much? It's stocks how much it needs. No more, no less.
Trader Joe's, the brothers' other store, follows the same model, yet offers a few other products, mostly branded by the company itself. However, they too practice not overstocking and a quality shopping experience.
Aldi's & Trader Joe's are gaining popularity in the supermarket world, according to TIME Magazine. I hope the rest of the grocery store world catches on quickly...then maybe grocer food waste won't be as bountiful.
