Adding confidence to the idea that the Inland Empire is a fast growing area of Southern California with the potential of huge economic growth, Aldi, a German based grocery store chain has opened several stores in the area. The company known for low prices, entered the local marketplace for the first time Thursday with locations in Fontana, Yucaipa and San Bernardino holding grand openings, along with six other stores in Southern California. In addition a location in and another in San Bernardino are set to open between April and July this year.
The grand openings in the Inland Empire come as the company, based in the U.S. in Illinois, is poised to open about 45 stores and employ more than 1,100 people in the Southern California region by the end of the year. Other stores coming soon include Covina, La Puente and Cerritos.
Aldi is a discount store with lower prices sometimes as much as 30 to 40 percent lower than other grocery chains. The only thing different is that to keep the prices down they ask that you bag your own groceries. Shoppers also need to pay a 25-cent deposit to use a shopping cart. The money is returned when shoppers return the cart to the rack — a system the company says cuts down on the need to hire people to wrangle carts from parking lots and discourages people from walking off with them. Most shoppers at the new stores were not bothered by bagging their own or with the 25-cent deposit once they realized the savings.
In Fontana, a long line snaked out the door shortly after a ceremony officially heralded the opening. Inside, shoppers said they were pleased to see low prices on the products, 90 percent of which are under Aldi’s signature label brands.
All in all Aldi looks to be a welcome addition to the Inland Empires growing economy.