Lidl, the European supermarket powerhouse that’s acquiring land up and down the east coast as it plans for a 2018 U.S. launch, introduced a website last month outlining its preferred site criteria and guidelines for potential suppliers.
The website invites submissions of properties available for purchase in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia that meet the following characteristics:
- Minimum 3.5 acres for a 36,000 square foot store with at least 150 dedicated parking spaces
- Signalized intersection with full access and high visibility
- An established retail location
- Dense population within three miles
- Traffic counts of at least 20,000 vehicles per day
- Zoning for a grocery use
In the Greater Philadelphia Market, it seems clear from the site plans Lidl has shown up on that the company plans to compete head to head with Giant and ShopRite, the dominant supermarkets in the region. In addition, a published report last week said Lidl has plans to open across the street from Aldi in the Lehigh Valley. Aldi is Lidl’s main competitor in Europe.
Lidl has established its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, VA and regional distribution hubs in Fredericksburg, VA and Mebane, NC.