Food - Drink
The Connection Between Trader Joe's And Aldi
By JESSIE MOLLOY
Turns out Trader Joe’s and Aldi have something else in common than passionate fans, dedicated unofficial social media channels, popular house brands, or affordable prices. Trader Joe’s is actually a subsidiary of Aldi Nord — the sibling company of Aldi Süd, or Aldi, as it’s known in the U.S.
Aldi was originally a suburban German corner store owned by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht after World War II. In the 1960s, however, the brothers split the business, coexisting regionally in the north (Nord) and south (Süd) of Germany, but keeping separate territories in the rest of Europe.
Aldi Süd expanded into the U.S. in 1976 — three years before Aldi Nord bought Trader Joe's — making the U.S. the only country besides Germany where both brands operate. Although Aldi Nord owns Trader Joe's, the two brands are run separately, with Trader Joe’s operating under its own jurisdiction.