German discounter Aldi plans to open 20 supermarkets in Portugal this year and create 450 additional jobs.
Matosinhos, Guimarães, Palmela (Quinta do Anjo) and Loulé are some of the locations for the new stores, the retailer noted.
Aldi has opened three new stores since the beginning of 2022, taking the total to 108.
It plans operate 200 stores by 2025, covering new areas, such as Lourinhã, Alcobaça, Viana do Castelo, Famalicão, Abrantes, Oliveira do Hospital and Beja.
In addition, the retailer plans to continue with its strategy of boosting its offer in urban centres through proximity store formats.
To support its network expansion, Aldi is also making investments in its logistics support infrastructure.
Distribution Centre
It recently opened a new distribution centre in Moita, which it says is the largest in the country and one of the largest of the Aldi Nord group.
With a total area of 57,000 square metres, the new centre will enable the food retailer to supply more than 100 shops in a more efficient manner.
Aldi Portugal is also investing €50 million in a new logistics centre in Santo Tirso, spanning 40,000 square metres. It will feature 80 loading/unloading docks for trucks and 200 parking spaces and is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Aldi Portugal CEO, Wolfgang Graff, expects the second half of 2022 to be "a period of great growth and consolidation".
Commenting on the current difficulties experienced by the food retail sector, he said that the company is "continuously seeking alternatives to mitigate the risks and minimise possible impacts on consumers".
Local Production
The retailer continues to focus on local production and strengthening its relationship with suppliers and local communities.
The recently launched private-label Solo napkins and Aldi organic charcoal are the most recent examples of this continued commitment, the retailer noted.
The Solo napkins are produced in the district of Coimbra, more precisely in Lousã, the oldest paper manufacturing region in Portugal. The product features a new packaging with Portuguese tiles in various colours.
In line with Aldi’s commitment to sustainability, these napkins are made from paper from responsible sources, with the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification.
Elsewhere, the Aldi organic charcoal is produced in Portugal, through an innovative process of slow pyrolysis, which transforms wood and other forest waste into charcoal.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
