#40 Aldi Süd

At a time when consumers are overloaded with choices, the discount supermarket chain has built a global empire by offering fewer: between 1,000 and 1,500 items at near-wholesale prices, versus a typical U.S. supermarket's 30,000 items. To keep costs down, its products are mostly private-label, and only cash and debit cards are accepted. Aldi Süd now operates nearly 4,000 warehouse-style spaces in 10 countries. It's set to open 80 new U.S. stores this year, for a total of more than 1,200.

	WHEN FOUNDED 1960	HEADQUARTERS Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany	CEO Presidents Jason Hart and Chuck Youngstrom	NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Private

Aldi Süd

total revenues for most recent fiscal year
Private

what the company is most famous for
Invented the "hard discount" category where a limited number of mostly private-label products are sold in warehouse-style spaces.

why it's innovative
By offering fewer, rather than more products, accepting only cash or debit cards, and offering near wholesale prices, Aldi has become a global force in the supermarket sector.

web
http://www.aldi.us