Long Island Getting 5 Additional Aldi Locations

Aldi, the budget-friendly German grocery chain, is making a major push on Long Island. With shoppers increasingly seeking savings amid still-elevated food prices, the discount retailer plans to invest over $9 billion to add 800 new U.S. stores by the end of 2028 - including at least five more locations on Long Island.

The expansion reinforces Aldi's growth as one of America's fastest-rising grocers. It currently operates around 2,372 stores nationwide after opening about 100 annually over the past decade. The company's recent $9 billion investment alone will fund nearly 330 new Northeast and Midwest locations.

"During inflationary times, we offer a great value with a great product," said Chris Daniels, vice president of Aldi's South Windsor Division overseeing eastern New York and New England. He notes the grocer has seen "double-digit growth" in sales and foot traffic at established Long Island stores over the past two years.

Aldi's no-frills, private-label focus allows it to keep prices low compared to traditional supermarkets. As grocery bills remain over 25% higher than four years ago, "you're seeing a lot more trading down [and] purchasing of private-label products," said food industry expert Jeff Metzger.

Long Islanders can expect new Aldi stores opening soon across both counties. In Suffolk, upcoming locations include Central Islip (October/November), East Northport (November/December), and Medford (early November). The grocer signed leases for 20,000+ square-foot spaces previously occupied by businesses like Barnes & Noble and Michaels.

In Nassau, Aldi is taking over a former A.C. Moore crafts store spot for a new 21,000 square-foot outpost in Bethpage, slated for fall 2025. Another future store will inhabit the former King Kullen supermarket building in Lake Ronkonkoma, also opening summer 2025.

"We're happy with our presence in Suffolk County and there might be a few more locations that we're looking into," Daniels said, though noting limited real estate availability in Nassau made further expansion there tougher.

Still, with over a dozen existing Long Island stores performing well, Aldi seems poised to quickly expand its local presence as shoppers seeking savings turn to its affordable private-label goods. The no-frills grocery chain is counting on its unique low-cost approach to keep succeeding while consumers watch their spending closely.