Aldi is the common name of two German-based supermarket chains founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht. When the original company split in 1960 over a disagreement about selling cigarettes in stores, Theo took over locations in northern Germany (Aldi Nord), and Karl took over markets to the south (Aldi Süd).

In the US, Aldi Nord owns the Trader Joe’s brand, though it operates as an independent subsidiary. Aldi Süd operates under the name “Aldi” and has a broader national footprint, with approximately 2,500 locations compared to around 600 Trader Joe stores.

Besides sharing a similar lineage, both chains also employ a common business model of offering competitively priced private-label products while stocking far fewer national brands. Unlike Trader Joe’s, Aldi creates multiple house brands for various product categories, including Benton’s (cookies), Casa Mamita (Mexican foods), Bremer (frozen foods), and Clancy’s (snacks).