Known for low prices, trendy specials and quarter-operated grocery carts, global supermarket chain Aldi opened its first metro Baton Rouge location today on North Rieger Road near Total Wine & More. The store is Aldi’s 12th in Louisiana and will be quickly followed by a location on O’Neal Lane that opens in mid-January. An Aldi opened in Central at the end of August.
If you’re not familiar with the German-born brand, think of it as practical-meets-trendy in a compact, no-frills setting. The prices are low, allowing you to fetch, say, an 8-ounce container of blackberries for less than $2 and a 12-ounce bag of coffee for less than $5, along with inexpensive flannel PJs, housewares and seasonal packaged foods on the “Aldi Finds” aisle.
Aldi’s operating model is based on streamlined efficiency, including small-footprint stores that are cheaper to operate, self-bagging and grocery carts that shoppers rent for a quarter. (Get your quarter back when you return the cart.) Aldi also does not provide single-use grocery bags, so plan to bring your own or buy reusable ones at the store.
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“We’re super proud to be in Louisiana,” says Heather Moore, Aldi Loxley Division vice president. “Response has been phenomenal.”
Moore says additional locations are planned for greater Baton Rouge.
“We are going to have a lot more stores in Baton Rouge eventually,” Moore says. “This is a great market. This is just our start. In the coming years, we’ll be adding to that.”
The store’s 20,000-square-foot size (about half the size of a typical chain supermarket) allows shoppers to scan its entirety as soon as they walk in. Most customers start with the produce section and advance through the aisles and along the perimeter, ending with frozen foods, dairy products, and soon, alcohol. (The store is still waiting on permits from the state, Moore says, but they’re expected any day.)
While you’ll recognize common brand names, including some local products, about 90% of the store’s 1,650 items are made up of its private labels.
“Customers get to know them as they shop with us,” Moore says.
A favorite habit of regulars, Moore says, is to shop the Aldi Finds aisle. Comprised of both food and non-food items, its inventory changes regularly. Many of the inexpensive housewares—and occasionally even small furniture—go viral on TikTok or get featured by publications like Apartment Therapy. Right now, the section is stocked with things like Christmas sweets and snacks, flannel sheets and New Year’s Eve party goods. In January, expect to see foods and goods related to the Super Bowl.
Here’s a look at some of what we found on our sneak preview:
Cheese
Reasonably priced imported cheeses along with prosciutto, salami and cured meats, are a favorite buy among Aldi regulars, Moore says. Stock up on these items to create affordable charcuterie boards, and round them out with the store’s jarred olives, cornichons, crackers, fresh fruit and gourmet chocolates.
Breads
Pick up sliced sandwich bread, bagels, rolls, buns, muffins and specialty loaves like chocolate chip brioche and chocolate croissants.
Produce
Fresh produce is delivered seven days a week, Moore says. The section includes organics, boxed greens and a range of fruits and vegetables.
Aldi Finds
Christmas throws, pet products, home goods and bar- and kitchenware were just some of what was on hand this week in the Aldi Finds section. Stock rotates at least every couple weeks, Moore says.
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Cosmetics and toiletries
Aldi stocks practical items like make-up, lotions, moisturizers and toiletries including toothpaste, toothbrushes and hair-care products.
Fresh fish and meats
WIth a distribution center less than four hours away in Loxley, Alabama, Louisiana Aldi stores receive deliveries of fresh fish, chicken, beef, pork and more seven days a week.
Know before you go
Aldi is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 10201 N. Rieger Road. Don’t forget to bring a quarter to access a grocery cart (you’ll get it back when you return it). Expect to bag your own groceries, and to purchase bags if you don’t bring your own.