Are ALDI Süd and ALDI Nord Getting Back Together?
There is chatter that one of the biggest retail reunions could be in the works. Last week, German business publication WirtschaftsWoche reported that ALDI Nord and ALDI Süd are engaging in discussions about a possible merger. Those businesses split 65 years ago when brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht allegedly disagreed about management decisions.
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According to that May 31 report by WirtschaftsWoche, some family members tied to ALDI Nord and ALDI Süd have been in talks for weeks, floating a possible structure as a joint holding company with shares split between the respective family trusts.
As for a timeline, sources told the business publication that the companies may take the first steps of working together on technologies ahead of a formal merger. While a potential deal is speculative for now, ALDI U.S. is pushing its own boundaries, pursuing an ambitious growth plan of opening 800 new stores, converting some of the Winn-Dixie locations it acquired last year and embarking on a phase with a new leader, as Atty McGrath takes over as CEO in September for the U.S. business. Current CEO Jason Hart is moving into a role as global COO of Austria-based ALDI South Group, at a time that is shaping up to be interesting with the merger hearsay.
Representatives of ALDI Süd and ALDI Nord have not publicly commented on the recent reports.
Batavia, Ill.-based ALDI U.S. serves millions of customers across the country each month with more than 2,500 stores in 39 states. The company is No. 25 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named ALDI among its 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
