Aldi plans to open more than 180 new stores by the end of this year as the German discount grocer continues aggressive expansion following a record number of U.S. openings last year.
On Monday, the company announced a new growth phase that will include entering Colorado and Maine, opening three new distribution centers and continuing a Southeast expansion as part of a previously announced $9 billion growth initiative.
Aldi, which has its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, Illinois, is marking its 50th year in the country with plans to have nearly 2,800 stores by the end of this year and 3,200 by the end of 2028, according to a statement Monday.
The 2026 openings are planned across 31 states.
Early last year, Aldi announced plans to add a record 250 new stores in 2025.
Aldi is boosting its U.S. presence as it competes with another German grocer, Lidl, along with the likes of Kroger, Albertson’s, Walmart, Target, Costco and Whole Foods.
“One in three U.S. households shopped at Aldi this past year, and in 2026 we're focused on making it even easier for customers to shop our aisles first," Atty McGrath, CEO of Aldi U.S., said in the statement. “That means bringing Aldi to even more neighborhoods, upgrading our website and planning additional distribution centers to keep our shelves stocked with the products our shoppers love.”
Details of the next expansion round unveiled Monday include plans to enter Maine with a store in Portland this year, and to open 50 Colorado stores in the Denver and Colorado Springs area within the next five years.
The grocer said it plans to open 10 stores in the Phoenix market this year, with plans for 40 new stores by the end of 2030, while also planning to double its store count in Las Vegas after debuting four stores there in 2025.
Aldi also said it plans to convert almost 80 former Winn-Dixie and Harvey Supermarkets locations to the Aldi format in 2026, after already opening nearly 90 since acquiring parent company Southeastern Grocers in 2024. Aldi said it plans to convert more than 200 stores from the Southeastern Grocers deal by the end of 2027.
To support the store expansion, Aldi said it plans to open a distribution center in Baldwin, Florida, in 2027, one in Goodyear, Arizona, in 2028, and one in Aurora, Colorado, in 2029. Aldi also said it is expanding its existing distribution center in Haines City, Florida.
“These strategic investments are all about making sure customers can continue to count on us for the quality, affordable groceries and enjoyable shopping experience they love,” McGrath said in the statement. “As we look ahead to our next 50 years in the U.S., we'll continue to earn shopper loyalty by staying true to what's made Aldi successful: keeping things simple and delivering real value.”