Aldi buys parent company of Winn-Dixie
Aldi has agreed to buy the parent company of Florida-based grocer Winn-Dixie and plans to convert some locations to the Aldi format.
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- Aldi announced in August 2023 its intention to acquire Southeastern Grocers’ Winn-Dixie and Harveys grocery stores.
- The sale of these stores to the Germany-based grocery store chain was completed in March.
- Since then, Aldi has opened and redesigned 40 stores.
- Aldi hopes to open 800 stores nationwide in the next five years.
- An estimated 50 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations are expected to switch to the Aldi format this year.
- Winn-Dixie stores in Panama City and Lakeland have begun converting to Aldi stores.
Aldi announced its intention to acquire Southeastern Grocers’ Winn-Dixie and Harveys grocery stores in August 2023. The sale of those stores to the Germany-based grocery store chain was completed in March.
Since then, Aldi announced a five-year expansion plan in March and said the company had “made significant progress towards its goals.”
In the first half of 2024, Aldi opened and remodeled over 40 stores across the country, and plans to double that number in the second half of the year to bring the company closer to its goal of opening 800 stores nationwide over the next five years.
In addition, Aldi had previously announced that “approximately 50 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations will convert to the Aldi format this year,” and that this conversion process has already begun for the first stores, including stores in Panama City and Lakeland.
An Aldi spokesperson said footfall in the company’s southeast had increased by over 20% since the 2023 acquisition was announced and that Aldi has seen “a significant increase in new customers coming through our doors.”
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“In fact, a quarter of all U.S. households now shop at Aldi,” the spokesman said. “That’s twice as many as six years ago. As Aldi grows, so does our loyal fan base.”
Aldi and Southeastern Grocers leadership continue to work together to ensure a smooth transition, the spokesperson said. The conversion and hiring processes are underway, and Aldi stressed that it is committed to “hiring as many Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket employees as possible from the converted stores.”
“Once these stores reopen as Aldi, customers can expect a fast, hassle-free shopping experience with great products at the lowest possible prices,” the Aldi spokesperson said. “While we are proud of our growth and progress to date, we still have a lot of work ahead of us over the next five years as we aim to expand our footprint by 30% nationwide.”
