The untold truth of Aldi

Aldi hasn't always had the best reputation as an American grocery option. For years, they were considered inferior to better-known chains, and many assumed their lower costs also meant lower quality. But lately, Aldi has been changing things up in a major way. They're shedding their misfit label and working hard to become the number one grocery destination for many American shoppers — and it's working.

In 2017, Aldi announced they were planning on becoming a major competitor in the US grocery store market. At the time the announcement came, they had around 1,600 stores across the country, and their game plan included raising that to 2,500 and investing a mind-blowing $3.4 billion into current and future American endeavors. The push into the American market certainly isn't anything new; the German company had first gained a foothold in their home country before spreading across Europe, and there's a fascinating history behind this up-and-coming US chain.