Is Aldi on your radar?
Limited assortment stores (eg. Aldi and it's subsidiary Trader Joe's etc) experienced a 4.4% increase in sales to $29.9bn in 2012, and Aldi — the leading retailer in this space with more than 1,000 stores in 31 states — is adding 80 new stores a year, says Willard Bishop managing partner Jim Hertel.
"Aldi's growth is occurring under the radar, and it's providing value to mid- and up-scale households. We estimate that same store sales are up in the high single digits or even the low double digits."
Aldi stores carry about 1,400 regularly stocked items, from fresh produce and meat to everyday essentials like bread and peanut butter, 95% of which are sold under exclusive ALDI private labels.