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Anyone Shop at ALDI?

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2

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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,282
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    Aldi also has a good selection of chocolates for the chocolate lovers. 
    South Jersey Pine Barrens. XL BGE , Assassin 24, Weber Kettle, CharBroil gasser, AMNPS 
  • nth78
    nth78 Posts: 154
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    Their produce is very good at good prices.  I'm leery of buying meat there
  • nth78
    nth78 Posts: 154
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    RRP said:
    WeberWho? said:
    We just had an ALDI open up here in town about a month ago.  Any must purchases?
    TRUST ME>>>this will come across as a real nasty comment and yet I don't mean it to be...go there and then you decide how often you want to be an ALDI shopper. Rather than for me to bash them then take a score card to mark down how many brands you recognize. BTW no need to take a large sheet of paper for that score sheet! They carry foreign products which may or may not suit your food consumption expectations. Get my drift? 
    Honestly with the amount of crap our government allows in foods, some foreign food may be preferable 
  • Ivanhoe
    Ivanhoe Posts: 223
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    We pack and ship name brand navel oranges to Aldi's in bags and bulk in bins. Exactly the same oranges going to Safeway,Kroger,HEB,Publix,Sams Club,Costco...etc. We only service a few of the distribution centers, but when they promote, they can make the fruit really disappear. We don't have any Aldi's out here on the left coast, so I can't compare them to what I've seen here locally.
    Tulare, CA - Large BGE
  • piney
    piney Posts: 1,478
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    Ivanhoe said:
    We pack and ship name brand navel oranges to Aldi's in bags and bulk in bins. Exactly the same oranges going to Safeway,Kroger,HEB,Publix,Sams Club,Costco...etc. We only service a few of the distribution centers, but when they promote, they can make the fruit really disappear. We don't have any Aldi's out here on the left coast, so I can't compare them to what I've seen here locally.
    I've hauled my share from Ivanhoe, Tulare, Kingsburg etc. and I have seen this many many times, but people still think non-name brands are inferior.
    Lenoir, N.C.
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,026
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    My wife's relative use to work for a potato chip factory here in the Twin Cities.  Everyday at 4pm they had to switch out the name brand bags for the "off brand" bags.  Same exact chip different name and price!  
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,618
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    WeberWho? said:
    My wife's relative use to work for a potato chip factory here in the Twin Cities.  Everyday at 4pm they had to switch out the name brand bags for the "off brand" bags.  Same exact chip different name and price!  
    yeah, but those are still made in 'merica.  Foreign is baaaaad.
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,026
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    Legume said:
    WeberWho? said:
    My wife's relative use to work for a potato chip factory here in the Twin Cities.  Everyday at 4pm they had to switch out the name brand bags for the "off brand" bags.  Same exact chip different name and price!  
    yeah, but those are still made in 'merica.  Foreign is baaaaad.
    So what's your take on the most American made truck - Toyota Tundra ;)=)
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    Went to the ALDI while in Europe. Qas not overly impressed while there.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    WeberWho? said:
    Legume said:
    WeberWho? said:
    My wife's relative use to work for a potato chip factory here in the Twin Cities.  Everyday at 4pm they had to switch out the name brand bags for the "off brand" bags.  Same exact chip different name and price!  
    yeah, but those are still made in 'merica.  Foreign is baaaaad.
    So what's your take on the most American made truck - Toyota Tundra ;)=)
    Edmunds says for 2014 the Tundra is in a tie with the Ridgeline and F150.  The ford has a higher Kogod index.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    YukonRon said:
    Went to the ALDI while in Europe. Qas not overly impressed while there.
    did the european aldis have american labeled products =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 16,989
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    There were some. Condiments, Ketchup, Mayo, etc
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    no ones mentioned their warranty yet, you dont like something they give you your money back AND another one, ive even seen them let you pick out something else. imagine if you didnt like your first cook on an egg, brought it back, they gave you your money back, and a new egg =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
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    It's axtually a great idea I think. Store was super clean, had to check it out myself. There was a lot of great deals and some really interesting things. I didn't see any thing "foreign?" Just a lot of brands I never heard of. But you couldn't jjst shop they're, they wouldn't have everything on your list.  


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • Roadpuke0
    Roadpuke0 Posts: 529
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    Going to deliver my equipment tomorrow to start building another new store in my area and have been doing re-fits on existing stores. They area making a new push and appearance in northern Illinois. Sorry still can't bring myself to shop there. 
    Plumbers local 130 chicago.     Why do today what you can do tomorrow

    weapons: XL, Minie, old gasser, weber, v10 Bradley smoker and sometimes talent!

    Bristol, Wisconsin 
  • Sookie
    Sookie Posts: 335
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    It's a "generic brand" store.  It doesn't mean that it comes from another country.   I worked in a plant that made a famous fabric softener.   It had a cute little bear on the label.  I watched day after day as tanker trailers hauled the SAME product out of the plant to be bottled and labeled, and put into stores like Aldi's. 

    I don't do all my shopping there, but I am absolutely ok with going there for staples:  Milk, eggs, cheese (I recently got some Gouda there that was very good), canned green beans, chicken soup, flour, sugar, etc.   To echo a post earlier, some of their produce has come a long way.    It is not an extensive selection, but some every day items are really well priced there.

    To echo another above post, their stores are clean.  I can be a snob about some things.  Picking up a few things at Aldi's isn't one of them. 

  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
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    Sookie said:

    It's a "generic brand" store.  It doesn't mean that it comes from another country.   I worked in a plant that made a famous fabric softener.   It had a cute little bear on the label.  I watched day after day as tanker trailers hauled the SAME product out of the plant to be bottled and labeled, and put into stores like Aldi's. 

    I don't do all my shopping there, but I am absolutely ok with going there for staples:  Milk, eggs, cheese (I recently got some Gouda there that was very good), canned green beans, chicken soup, flour, sugar, etc.   To echo a post earlier, some of their produce has come a long way.    It is not an extensive selection, but some every day items are really well priced there.

    To echo another above post, their stores are clean.  I can be a snob about some things.  Picking up a few things at Aldi's isn't one of them. 

    So I was really interested in the off brand stuff. Almost 90% of the boxes looked the exact exact exact same as the Kellogg's or general mills or whatever but only the name was different. Rest of the box was identical. I should have taken some pictures. 


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
  • bboulier
    bboulier Posts: 558
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    My son and his wife shop there frequently.  The prices are good and product quality is generally comparable to better known brands (and may be the same product as you would get at Trader Joe's under the 365 label).  I have seen some taste tests of their products and they mostly compare well.  Also, contrary to what someone has commented, food items are mostly made in the USA.
    Weber Kettle, Weber Genesis Silver B, Medium Egg, KJ Classic (Black)
  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    WeberWho? said:
    My wife's relative use to work for a potato chip factory here in the Twin Cities.  Everyday at 4pm they had to switch out the name brand bags for the "off brand" bags.  Same exact chip different name and price!  
    Natural Lite beer is actually Bud Lite just in a different can.  You pay more for the marketing and name brand stuff.   
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 19,045
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    I've tried a few times.  The one near me is very clean and well kept. However, the small selection of items makes it an after thought most times.  I also do not like the layout.  I feel like I'm in a bull chute.  It funnels you through the store and out.

    If it was close I would use it more, but I much prefer Fresh Market.
    A bison’s level of aggressiveness, both physical and passive, is legendary. - NPS
  • Navymom
    Navymom Posts: 167
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    I shop Aldi often mainly for the produce, eggs and milk. Really hasn't been anything I was disappointed with. Selection is not a large as the big chains but it works for us.
    Wear maroon, live maroon, bleed maroon.
    Fightin' Texas Aggies Fly Navy.
    Denton TX
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,026
    edited July 2015
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    WeberWho? said:
    My wife's relative use to work for a potato chip factory here in the Twin Cities.  Everyday at 4pm they had to switch out the name brand bags for the "off brand" bags.  Same exact chip different name and price!  
    Natural Lite beer is actually Bud Lite just in a different can.  You pay more for the marketing and name brand stuff.   
    Natty Ice tastes like skunky beer.  Bud Lite tates like water with a hint of beer flavor =)


    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
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    At least with natty ice you get drunk faster and don't care you're drinking urine.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
  • Cookinbob
    Cookinbob Posts: 1,691
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    Aldi brands are all house brands, with the exception of some produce like Dole, etc.  I am not a regular shopper there, though I will drop in occasionally for a deal on produce or something.  By carrying only one brand of everything, they are masters of efficiency, and as a result can sell good quality at very good prices, and make a profit in a business with razor thin margins.  As someone else said, be selective.
    XLBGE, Small BGE, Homebrew and Guitars
    Rochester, NY
  • Sip & Chat
    Sip & Chat Posts: 32
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    for the aldi meat haters try their appleton farm hams, as good or better than the store bought hams like cooks brand, carando etc
    That is the truth, Hams are fantastic.
  • Hunter1881
    Hunter1881 Posts: 406
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    I have only been to ours one time. Was not impressed. But after this thread I think I am going to give it another shot.
    Henderson TN. 1 large BGE, 1 Webber Gasser (recently seems to have converted into a warming oven)
  • revolver1
    revolver1 Posts: 372
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    I shop there routinely.  Dark roast coffee  is a good value.  BBRibs are routinely very meaty and 2.99/lb.  some produce is very good.  Salad mix .99.  Their Kirkland poultry I think is Tyson.  I use their ads for price matching at other stores.  
    Dan, Columbia,Mo.
  • Firemanyz
    Firemanyz Posts: 907
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    They have a GREAT and LARGE gluten free selection. Everything the sell that is GF thT we have tried is good. Only side issue is its not all in one area, they mix it in with all the regular products. 
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,754
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    happy with the grassfed burger last night, 6.99 a pound where i normally see it 10 bucks plus. the muenster cheese tastes like sargentos at 1.99 for 12 ounces. sweet babyrays was 1.79.  the cheese is an american product, the beef is that nasty australian stuff, who knows where they make sweet babyrays =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • jcaspary
    jcaspary Posts: 1,479
    edited July 2015
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    I shop there on a weekly basis.  As said their produce is great and many of their products are the name brands.  I buy a lot of chicken there but not a lot of beef.   Beef is good I just bought a side of beef and don't need it.  Don't know anything about Australian.  I've eaten it and it is fine.  Most of the time I'm not picky especially when I make fajitas or something like that.  If I want a special cut of beef I will go to a butcher for a special occasion.  Their ribs, pork loins, and butts are great. I also don't mind the quarter for the cart which j get back when I turn it in. I don't have to worry about coming back to my car and see a cart up against it.  Yeah it feels like a warehouse but I get over that when I spend $70-$80 for food compared to $90 plus. 
    XL BGE, LG BGE, and a hunger to grill everything in sight!!!
    Joe- Strongsville, OH