Aldi, Tractor Supply Co. proposed for Route 70 in Toms River

David P. Willis | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Aldi is on the move at the Jersey Shore Aldi hopes to build a store on Route 70 in Toms River. Where else is Aldi going?

TOMS RIVER - Now in the midst of a construction spree around Monmouth and Ocean counties, Aldi wants to open a store on Route 70 in Toms River.

The Toms River Planning Board still must approve the proposed Aldi location on the eastbound side of Route 70 near Massachusetts Avenue.

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The application by Gateway 70 LLC is scheduled for a hearing in August. Besides Aldi, Gateway also wants to build a Tractor Supply Co. store next door too.

The 5.86-acre property, now just an undeveloped patch of woods, is located between Wawa and Tri-City Plaza, which is anchored by Stop & Shop.

Based in Essen, Germany, Aldi is growing fast in the U.S. It is spending upward of $5 billion to open 900 new stores and remodel more than 1,300 existing stores nationwide by 2020. By the end of 2022, Aldi will have 2,500 stores nationwide, making it the third largest grocer in the U.S., the company said.

According to plans on file with the Toms River planning department, the proposed Aldi store will be 22,152 square feet with 99 parking spaces. Tractor Supply is proposed for 19,097 square feet with 86 parking spaces.

Aldi owns 42 stores in New Jersey, including seven in Monmouth and Ocean counties. And the Shore will see more. Aldi also has plans for new stores in Wall, and Marlboro, and will build new ones to replace old locations in Hazlet and Howell. Check out the video at the top of this story for more on Aldi's plans.

The company also is in the middle of renovating its store on Route 37 in Toms River with a new facade and interior. The remodel will feature the Aldi's latest configuration, which highlight fresh food, produce, daily and baked goods.

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Why is Aldi, which has been in the U.S. market for 40 years, on an expansion spree? Lidl, its top competitor in Europe, is opening stores in the United States. Stores are under construction in Eatontown and Hazlet with a third planned for Lacey.

"They want to make sure they get the beachhead in the U.S. before Lidl figures out what they want to do and hits the ground running," said Phil Lempert, a supermarket consultant and founder of SupermarketGuru.com.

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Aldi, with its focus on its own private label brands, has gained in popularity as well. Young shoppers, particularity millennial and Generation Z customers now in their 20s, are concerned about food, ingredients and value, Lempert said.

"They see no difference between a brand name and a store brand," he said. Of the items at an Aldi store, 90 percent are its own brand. "You can save 30 to 50 percent on your shopping list if you shop Aldi's brands. Across the world, they win high quality awards, taste awards," Lempert said.

Meanwhile by expanding in New Jersey and places like Toms River, Aldi seeks to attract more baby boomers and Gen Xers. "The refresh of their stores is really designed to keep them in front of Lidl."

Have you seen a construction project in Monmouth or Ocean counties and wanted to know what was going there? Contact business writer David P. Willis dwillis@gannettnj.com, and we will look into it for a future column. Meanwhile, join the What's Going There group on Facebook and stay in touch with the latest developments.

David P. Willis: 732-643-4039; dwillis@gannettnj.com.