While Trader Joe's and Aldi each have their uniquely dedicated fans, the two grocery chains have a lot in common. Both stores have a simplistic format and stock shelves with affordable private-label items rather than the name-brand products usually found at major grocery stores. Both stores are slow to change — , while Trader Joe's has vehemently kept to its low-tech operations.
Dedicated Aldi customers keep their eyes locked on the " " for random gems that won't be on shelves the following week. Similarly, Trader Joe's fanatics will camp out in the frozen food aisle to ensure they get the last bag of On top of that, the average Aldi store size is between 17,000 and 18,000 square feet, and Trader Joe's locations are at most 15,000 square feet. (Yet major grocery chains like Safeway stand at 46,000 square feet.
) What many shoppers might not realize is that these commonalities are not by coincidence. Aldi and Trader Joe's share more than just a format; they share a history. A business deal made between Trader Joe himself and one leg of the Aldi empire made it so that the two grocery chains remain under the same ownership today.
How Aldi and Trader Joe's are connected The Albrecht family founded the grocery chain eventually known as Aldi and brought the brand to the U.S. in 1976.
However, in the midst of their success, brothers and owners Karl and Theo Albrecht chose to split the company in 1960 due to a disagreement over whether or not to sell cigarettes in their stores. The .