If you’ve ever pushed an ALDI cart (after fishing out a quarter) and wondered what the name means, you’re not alone. ALDI stands for Albrecht Diskont, or “Albrecht Discount” in German. It’s named after brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht, who took over their mom’s grocery store in post-WWII Germany. Focused on affordability, they built their business around offering quality groceries at low prices.
In 1960, a cigarette debate split the company into ALDI Nord and ALDI Süd. Today, they’re separate entities, with ALDI Nord owning Trader Joe’s. ALDI’s quirks—private labels, cart rentals, and BYO bags—keep costs low, honoring the brothers’ vision.
