September 19, 2018
Aldi, the European discount grocery store quickly spreading its footprint throughout the U.S., has another plan underway to gain ground in the market through a new partnership with Instacart.
Like numerous other local and national grocery stores, Aldi will begin working with Instacart this fall to bring delivery service to 5,000 zip codes across 35 different states. In Philadelphia, this could include the chain's more than a dozen locations throughout the city and Pennsylvania/South Jersey suburbs.
The move is a direct attempt to thwart similar retailers as Aldi works toward its goal of becoming the country's third largest grocer by 2022. The availability of Amazon and Walmart delivery make it an enviable feature for the chain, as well as curbside pickup, with Aldi is also experimenting. Amazon announced free Whole Foods delivery earlier this year.
Aldi currently has about 1,600 stores in the U.S., and the Instacart partnership plans to cover at least 80 percent of them by the end of 2018. Though testing already started earlier this year in Chicago and Atlanta, more ground will be covered under the delivery plan by Thanksgiving, Business Insider reported. The rollout will come with a deal, of course, offering $10 off to first-time Aldi Instacart customers.
Aldi will soon be making an even bigger footprint in Philadelphia with plans for a North Broad Street location, the chain's closest location to downtown. The new store will be around 25,000 feet and take up the first floor of an upcoming complex at 1300 Fairmount Avenue.
