A Supermarket News story reported last week that German retailer Lidl is ramping up for its entry into the U.S. market by establishing new U.S. offices, advertising job openings and meeting with suppliers in Europe to determine their ability to distribute to the new stores.
Although Lidl parent company Schwarz Group confirmed 2018 as the year it plans to open stores in the U.S., Supermarket News believes that may be a conservative time frame. The story cited Lidl’s $56.6 million investment in a new headquarters and test kitchen in Arlington, VA, as well as the launch of training for 200 employees in connection with the expansion.
Lidl serves as Aldi’s biggest competitor in Europe, with approximately 10,000 stores. Aldi has had stores in the U.S. since 1976 and recently stepped up its expansion efforts throughout the country.