Aldi Competitor Lidl To Plant Its Retail Grocery Flag On U.S. Soil In 2017

Fast-growing German discount supermarket chain Lidl is laying the groundwork for expansion into the U.S. retail food market. The company, a competitor of highly successful discount grocer Aldi, has begun recruiting store managers at hiring events in North Carolina and Virginia. Aldi operates 1,600 stores in the U.S. and is expanding rapidly. Lidl has 10,000 stores in 27 countries in Europe, and expects to open 120-150 stores on the East Coast by the end of 2017. The increased competition will put pressure on conventional grocery retailers like Kroger and Wegmans.