ALDI is now open in Ocean Springs. Here’s a look inside the new grocery store.
Eager shoppers poured into the new ALDI grocery store Wednesday morning to be among the first to see what the buzz was about.
The grand opening of the grocery store at at 3801 Bienville Blvd. is Thursday, Aug. 25, with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. and prizes for the first 100 customers, who will receive a sample of ALDI Fan Favorites products and a golden ticket that could be worth up to $100.
Shoppers will be able to enter a sweepstakes throughout the weekend for a chance to win a $500 ALDI gift card.
Some shoppers at the soft opening had moved to the area and are military, so they were already familiar with ALDI. Christian and Olivia Coleman of Ocean Springs were stationed in Germany last year and were among the first customers to check out.
They forgot how it works, he said. “We have the bags at home.”
Those who were intimidated by the idea of paying 25 cents to use a shopping cart or bagging their own groceries quickly adjusted and chatted with other shoppers about the new store or called their family and friends on their cell phones to share the experience.
Ocean Springs is the first ALDI store on the Coast and Moore said additional stores are planned for the area. ALDI is among the fastest growing grocery chains and is on a path to open 80 to 100 new stores across the Gulf South over the coming years, said said Heather Moore, vice president of ALDI’s Loxley division in Alabama.
A first look around ALDI in Ocean Springs
The store looks and feels different than the big grocery stores.
“They’re very small in comparison,” Moore said. At about 12,000 square feet, “You get in and out,” she said.
The aisles are extra-wide and essentials are found all around the perimeter of the store. Canned goods and other staples, cleaning supplies and housewares are in the middle. “Super easy to shop,” Coleman said.
Right inside the door is selection of quick meals like pizza, pulled pork, Hawaiian chicken and ravioli for those who don’t know what to make for dinner.
Shipments of fresh produce arrive every day and the fruits and vegetables are the first things shoppers see. Beyond that is the bread and pastry section, along with cookies, crackers and snacks. Spread across the back are cheese, meats and dairy, and frozen foods are on the right side of the store.
Off brands save money
ALDI stocks 1,650 products, Moore said, 90% of which are brands exclusive to the store.
The name brands are laid out right next to the store brand so shoppers can see the price difference.
A can of Pringles chips, for instance, is $2.53 while the Clancy brand is $1.12. Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup is $1.26 compared to 58 cents for the store brand.
Moore said ALDI makes it easier for customers to try the off brands with the store’s “Twice as Nice Guarantee.” If customers are not completely satisfied with any food product they try, she said, ALDI will refund their money and replace the product. A receipt is required to receive the refund.
Several popular brands like Coke products and Gulf Coast Favorites such as Blue Bell ice cream are featured throughout the store.
25 cents for a shopping cart
ALDI has a lot of things that make the store unique and Moore said, “All of that is around to keep our costs down for our customers.”
One of the most talked-about differences is the 25 cent fee for a shopping cart. Moore demonstrated how a customer inserts a quarter into the handle of the cart. The coin stays in the cart while they shop, and when they return the cart, their same quarter pops out. No need for employees to go collect carts, she said, and no carts rolling around the parking lot and into parked vehicles.
“It’s actually pretty brilliant,” said Kristy Brewster, a first-day shopper from Ocean Springs. She shopped at ALDI stores in the Oxford area when her daughter was at Ole Miss.
She said she likes the low prices the best.
“I’ll be here all the time,” she said.
Another big difference is the checkout experience. Shoppers have a choice to bring their own bags, boxes or even a laundry basket to pack their groceries. If they choose not to bring one, a paper bag costs 12 cents, a plastic bag 15 cents and a recycle bag $1.99.
Employees ring up the groceries and place them in a cart. At the long shelf beyond the cash registers, customers can pack their groceries, or they can take them to their car and pack them in the trunk.
Aisles of fun at ALDI
Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. two aisles in the middle of the store are stocked with ALDI Finds.
“We call it a treasure hunt,” Moore said. The area features seasonal foods and products like a wind spinner and a hammock for summer, housewares and toys.
No membership cards are needed at ALDI.
Customers can download the free app to shop online. Delivery is available now and in two weeks curbside pickup will be activated.
The store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
This story was originally published August 24, 2022 at 1:27 PM.
