Since entering the Australian market in 2001, the privately-owned ALDI has operates some 350 outlets and annual sales of around $5.3 billion and could increase that to more than $9 billion by 2019, according to a report by UBS, a global financial services company.
To-date ALDI, headquarted at Huntingwood, has focussed on the eastern states, where its share of the grocery market has reached seven per cent.
Plans to boost sales and market share of Australia’s $85 billion grocery market include attracting more customers to existing stores, opening new outlets on the east coast and moving into westwards to South Australia and Western Australia
ALDI intends to open 70 to 80 stores in Western Australia in coming years and about 50 in South Australia in the coming years.
"What you've seen with Aldi is a lot of their stores are actually stand-alone stores, or outside of big shopping centres, so as a result those types of stores generally impact the independents more, but obviously Coles and Woolworths will be impacted as well," Mr Gilbert said.
He said competition in the supermarket sector was increasing and that means better value for consumers.
The chain has gone up market with its range of products.
Initially, it appealed to the lower socio-economic sector with a limited range of house-brand products but is now attracting wealthier consumers and young families with children.
ALDI has leased 1544 square metres of space in the refurbished Miller Central shopping centre on a 15-year lease.
