Lidl to begin opening stores this summer

Lidl announced last month that it would open the first 20 of its U.S. stores this summer rather than waiting for 2018. It had been previously thought that the company would open about 100 stores in the first quarter of next year.

Lidl has been aggressively purchasing property in Eastern states from New Jersey to Georgia, and it has been reported that they now have real estate representatives in Texas. The stores to open this summer are reportedly planned for Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Schwarz Group, one of Europe's largest retailers and the parent to Lidl, established its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, VA and is building distribution centers in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Its strategy so far has been to purchase ground so that its 36,000 square foot stores will be in direct competition to traditional supermarkets as well as small-format and discount grocery retailers.

"We are thrilled to introduce residents across the East Coast to a unique shopping experience," said a company representative. "Grocery shopping involves too much compromise. Customers are being forced to choose between quality, price and convenience, and this is a compromise they shouldn't have to make. At Lidl, we are committed to delivering outstanding quality goods to our customers at market leading prices."

Lidl preparing for entry into U.S. market

A Supermarket News story reported last week that German retailer Lidl is ramping up for its entry into the U.S. market by establishing new U.S. offices, advertising job openings and meeting with suppliers in Europe to determine their ability to distribute to the new stores.

Although Lidl parent company Schwarz Group confirmed 2018 as the year it plans to open stores in the U.S., Supermarket News believes that may be a conservative time frame. The story cited Lidl's $56.6 million investment in a new headquarters and test kitchen in Arlington, VA, as well as the launch of training for 200 employees in connection with the expansion.

Lidl serves as Aldi's biggest competitor in Europe, with approximately 10,000 stores. Aldi has had stores in the U.S. since 1976 and recently stepped up its expansion efforts throughout the country.