How many new grocery stores can you handle at one time? Today marks the opening of the first two ALDI supermarkets in Nevada — one in Henderson and another in North Las Vegas. A third opens in the Southwest May 15. The German brand already has more than 2,500 locations in the U.S., earning notoriously loyal customers by putting a new spin on food shopping.
🍇 How is ALDI Different?
ALDI is a little smaller than your typical American supermarket — with about five shopping aisles to browse. (To give you an idea, the Henderson location is inside a former Bed Bath & Beyond). The chain has its own private label products (with a few third-party brands mixed in here and there), which keeps costs down.
ALDI is also big on seasonal products and cycling through different options to keep the selection interesting. For example, there will be an emphasis on lighter cheeses — like goat cheese and fresh mozzarella — during summer.
None of the in-house products have artificial flavors, sweeteners, or colorings (although during a preview tour, I noticed that wasn’t entirely true of the third-party brands). So you’ll get better tasting, better quality “knockoffs” of Fruit Loops and Bagel Bites at a lower cost.
Produce arrives daily and ALDI has noticeably great-tasting fruit, much of it from Mexico and California. There’s also a dedication to wild-caught seafood and grass-fed beef. So no complaints there.
The shopping carts require a deposit of 25 cents, which encourages people to not leave ‘em out in the parking lot. Upon checkout, the cashier shifts contents from one cart to another and you bag items yourself, ideally in reusable bags. (Paper bags are about 12 cents each.)
The ALDI approach has generated a fervent following. More than 3 million fans belong to the “Aisle of Shame,” a Facebook community that loves to discuss all things ALDI, especially those in the ALDI FINDS aisle, which has the greatest turnover and includes non-food items like toys and housewares.
The first 100 customers at both ALDI locations today get a goodie bag, gift card between $5 and $100, and a quarter-sized Vegas-themed poker chip to operate the shopping cart.
🍊 What’s New for Whole Foods?
Whole Foods opens its latest location at Downtown Summerlin on May 15, anchoring an all-new retail plaza on the corner of Sahara and Town Center. So far, a Starbucks has been announced with more shopping to come. The plaza is designed to be a walkable space of more than seven acres with trees and at least one prominent art installation.
The Whole Foods will be the largest one in the state and plans to carry more than 100 Nevada-sourced products. The first 300 shoppers on opening day get a tote bag and a Secret Saver card with offers up to $100 off.
🍜 H Mart Debuts Too
The first-ever H Mart in Las Vegas opens today — on the corner of Decatur and Sahara (near Herbs & Rye if you need a reference point). Founded by a Korean immigrant, H Mart is now the largest Asian supermarket chain in the United States, based on a winning mix of retail shopping and food halls.
- City Cast Las Vegas enlisted our own H Mart expert, executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson, to share the best eats, deals, and insider advice with co-host and culinary historian Sarah Lohman. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]
