They are kind of new to this area and I was surprised to see that the same family that owns Aldi, also owns Trader Joe's. Not making any comments, I was just a little surprised.
Yeah, I have shopped at the one here in Columbus, OH for years. They are brilliant at what they do. The Charles Shaw wine is probably the best value in vino on the planet.
I prefer the Vintjs - a little bit more money but I find the flavor tremendously better. (Vintjs = Vin(wine) Trader Joes) We don't have an Aldi nearby (and actually the TJs isn't very convenient either though I'll go once every other month or so, esp when I need to stock up on cheap wine) I used to shop at Aldi when I lived in Belgium - could get great discounts, including bottles of wine for 30francs. Which, if I remember the exchange rate, was slightly less than a dollar
I was surprised too but when you look at the model, it makes sense. Same concept with more upscale product.
Yes we used to call it Two Buck Chuck...Well now it's Three Buck Chuck but damn good--Merlot and Shiraz is killer for price..Also the Name Tag beer is consumer report best buy...I of course think any beer tastes good after a 6 pack so I really don't follow advice on beer..
Private label = better margins. Both Trader Joes and Aldi sell mostly private label products, so they make greater profits than regular grocers who rely on branded goods. Trader Joes has smaller stores and higher sales per square foot. Aldi can operate with 5 employees per shift, very lean. Bag your own groceries, small stores, limited sku's, bring your cart back if you want your quarter back. A great concept.