ALDI opens new store in Cape Coral
Cape Coral and area residents can now shop for groceries in a new store.
ALDI, a worldwide grocery chain with more than 1,600 stores in 35 states, opened its first Cape Coral location Thursday at 1843 Pine Island Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and special promotions for the public.
Following the ceremony, the first 100 customers received a golden ticket, containing ALDI gift cards of various amounts. Customers got to tour the store and see for themselves the wide array of fruits and vegetables, including organic produce items.
“We’re thrilled to join the Cape Coral community and offer customers the benefits of the ALDI shopping experience. Our high-quality products and everyday low prices make for a combination our competitors just can’t match,” said Chris Hewitt, Royal Palm Beach division vice president for ALDI in an e-mail. “Our stores are simple to navigate, so it’s easy for shoppers to get in, get what they need and continue on with their day knowing they left with a shopping cart full of groceries that fit their lifestyle and save them money.”
ALDI, based in Germany, has made Southwest Florida a prime target for expansion, having built stores in Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres and Port Charlotte in recent years.
“We look at a lot of factors before choosing an ALDI location, like population density, proximity to competition, cost of property and traffic patterns,” Hewitt said. “We want to be conveniently located for our growing customer base, and Cape Coral is a great location for ALDI.”
Hewitt said ALDI streamlines its approach to staffing and will employ 20 to 25 people.
The Cape Coral store got input from customers on its look, offering more in the way of its produce, dairy and bakery sections and more room for customers’ favorite products.
ALDI will also feature a modern design, open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally friendly building materials such as recycled materials, energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting.
“A typical ALDI store has 10,000-11,000 square feet of sales floor space. And with six aisles, our Cape Coral store is easier to shop than a big box,” Hewitt said. “Shoppers will find what they want.”
Much of what ALDI sells is own-brand products. Food products are free of added MSG, certified synthetic colors and partially hydrogenated oils, and more than 90 percent of the products available are ALDI exclusive brands.
ALDI is in the midst of an accelerated growth plan, according to company reports, and by the end of 2018, there will be nearly 2,000 ALDI stores.
The new Cape Coral location will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.