Minchinbury. Regulations restrict growth

The lack of suitable sites for new stores is crimping expansion and forcing Aldi to change its business model and move into established shopping centre rather than develop stand-alone stores because planning regulations are the single greatest impediment to its growth in the medium to long term. The German-based retailer has opened stores at the rate of 25 a year and expects to open its 300th store by the end of 2012..Aldo has a market share of between 5 per cent and 10 percent.

Region. Aldi applies to sell liquor in NSW

German supermarket chain, Aldi, which has numerous stores across Western Sydney, has applied for the right to sell alcohol in its NSW stores, in its latest attempt to disrupt the Woolworths and Coles grocery and liquor duopoly. The retailer has been selling liquor in Victoria for seven years, offering about 70 varieties of non-refrigerated beer, wine and ready-to-drink spirits, most of which are Aldi brand products.

Region. Aldi's profit and expansion

German supermarket chain, Aldi, will allocate more than $1 billion in capital funding to its Australian operation, based at Minchinbury, to support its aggressive growth strategy particularly in NSW and Victoria. Aldi, which has some 30 of its total 230 stores located in Western Sydney, has posted a net profit of $91.94 million for calendar 2009, an improvement of 27 per cent on the $72.6 million booked in 2008. Industry analysts say Aldi may have increased its share of the national grocery market to 4-5 per cent from just under 3 per cent. Aldi is spending $35 million on a product development and quality assurance centre in Minchinbury, $145 million on a warehouse and distribution centre in Prestons and $140 million on a warehouse and distribution centre at Dandenong, Victoria.

Region. New head for Aldi

In January 2011, Tom Daunt, Aldi Australia’s MD buying, will succeed Michael Kloeters, who has headed the German discount firm since it opened in Australia in 2001. Mr Kloeters has been appointed to the company’s international supervisory board. Aldi, which has distribution centres at Minchinbury and Prestons, has over 200 stores operating across New South Wales, ACT, Queensland and Victoria.

Minchinbury. Aldi opens $35 million centre

Aldi Stores has officially opened its $35 million state-of-the art, 4700 square-metre product development and quality assurance centre, at its Australian head office in Minchinbury. Michael Kloeters, group MD, said the opening was a milestone in Aldi’s eight years of operation in Australia. The centre, which took 14 months to construct, also houses Aldi’s expanding buying team, whose numbers will have increased by over 25 per cent, by the end of the year, to cater to demand.