Should You Shop at Trader Joe's or Aldi? We Find Out Which Is Cheaper (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Aldi and Trader Joe? ›

Trader Joe's and Aldi were fairly aligned with respect to most pantry and meat products, and the winner of the lowest price seesawed from item to item. The big exception is that Trader Joe's seems untouchable when it comes to discount prices on coffee, oils and nuts.

The one big thing Trader Joe's and Aldi have in common

They both provide shoppers with exclusive products, sure, but that's probably not so unexpected to those that shop there. Apart from the unique products on the shelves, the two stores also share another quality. They've both owned by the same people.

That is: Trader Joe's more or less only sells products under its own brand name, with few exceptions. Trader Joe's is definitely cheaper than the average grocery store, but you might have to wait in a longer checkout line to take advantage of them.

Why is Aldi so cheap? At most supermarkets, you'll find tons of name-brand items, but at Aldi, a whopping 90% of the products are private label. By avoiding brand names, Aldi can skip going through another company and offer you cheaper prices.

At Trader Joe's, you won't find a lot of branded items. Instead, you'll discover a store full of unique and interesting products, along with everyday basics, in the Trader Joe's label. Our buyers travel the world searching for products we think are exceptional and will find a following among our customers.

A popular misconception about Aldi U.S. BB #:116756 is that it's a sibling company, or at least a cousin, to Trader Joe's BB #:162286. It is not. While the two chains have some similarities, with both following a low-price, private-label-dependent strategy, they are independently owned and operated.

Trader Joe's's alternatives and competitors. See how Trader Joe's compares to similar products. Trader Joe's's top competitors include Tres Lecheria, Thrive Market, and Whole Foods Market.

Both Aldi Nord (owner of Trader Joe's) and Aldi Süd (as Aldi) also operate in the United States with 1,600 stores between them as of 2017, and the U.S. is the only country to have both Aldi companies operating outside of Germany.

Aldi is a Germany-based discount retailer with close to 2,000 store locations in 36 states. Aldi claims its prices are 50% less than traditional supermarkets. Independent research in markets like Houston and Chicago revealed that Aldi's prices are around 15% cheaper than Walmart.

Bring your own bag

Since many of Trader Joe's products are budget-friendly to begin with, $25 off may put a sizeable dent in your grocery bill.

Is meat more expensive at Trader Joe's? ›

For produce, Trader Joe's prices were 18 percent lower than the average prices at all surveyed stores. For meat, Trader Joe's prices were about 16 percent lower than average.

In general, meat at Trader Joe's can be a bit more expensive than competitors. But in many cases, the California-based grocery chain offers higher-quality options, such as organic and grass-fed meats.

Lack of brand variety: Due to its emphasis on private label products, Aldi may not always have the range of popular brands that some customers prefer. This can result in consumers shopping elsewhere to access their favorite brands.

Weaknesses of Aldi

Aldi faces positioning problems. For instance, many customers see it as a store for cheap and low-quality products. Aldi's emphasis on low-cost private label items could turn off some customers who prefer branded items.

Aldi is barebones

Shopping at Aldi is a no-frills experience, but that cuts down on costs, which is ultimately to the customers' benefit. You might not even see shelves in some aisles. Instead, items are displayed in the boxes they were shipped in.

Weaknesses. Limited store presence: While Trader Joe's operates over 500 stores in the United States, its store count is relatively low compared to other major grocery chains. This limited presence can restrict the company's reach and make it difficult for some customers to access its stores.

Trader Joe's average customer is a married person in an urban area who is 25 to 44 years old, earning $80,000.

So what is the reason Trader Joe's employees are so nice? The answer seems to be that the company treats its employees well, and so employees want to return the favor to the customers. Lucky us. NBC News reports that customers are likely to save as much as 20 percent on groceries.

Sometimes during your TJ's visit, you'll hear the bells ringing — either once, twice, or three times. The bells act as a "Trader Joe's Morse code," according to the store. There isn't a PA system in place, so the bell is the way the team members communicate with one another across the large space.

Experienced customers will share that the days to shop at TJ's are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. All fresh fruits and vegetables arrive every morning and are restocked every day. The most popular items, which often include some non-refrigerated foods, are often gone by mid-afternoon.

Does China own Trader Joe's? ›

Trader Joe's is owned by German billionaires Karl and Theo Albrecht, who also own the Aldi food chain. The change apparently does not affect products containing multiple ingredients, of which some may be from China.

Crew. As a member of the Crew, you do a little of everything—and handle a lot. So does everyone along with you. From running the register, to stocking shelves, to creating a beautiful display; all while making sure that every customer has a fun, friendly and informative shopping experience.

However, Trader Joe's sells a higher quality of produce all-round over Aldi, which is partially why it tends to be more expensive. Their non-perishable and packaged products are generally more expensive than Aldi's, though as above, the difference in prices is negligible.

They Provide a Seamless In-Store Experience

Beyond the friendly staff, the in-store experience has been optimized with the customer in mind. For example, a typical supermarket has 40 to 50,000 SKUs (stock-keeping units). A Trader Joe's store typically has about 4,000, so only about 10% of the total number of products.

Aldi Nord purchased like-minded, low-cost grocery chain Trader Joe's in 1979 as a way of entering the American market where Aldi Süd had already established itself a few years earlier when it opened its first store in Iowa (per CNBC).

In the U.S., Trader Joe's has been owned by Aldi Nord since the late 1970s, while ALDI stores in the U.S. launched under the ownership of Aldi Süd in the mid-70s.

That's why ALDI has everything you need to stay on track, from heart healthy breakfast options to fresh, organic dinner items. We offer a wide variety of fresh produce, gluten free products, high-protein snacks and low carb options to fit every lifestyle at a great price.

Aldi won in every single produce matchup. Aldi beat Walmart on chicken breasts and ground beef by about 40%. Aldi won in almost every miscellaneous category—except diapers, where they tied. Walmart stands out in pantry items, with their chicken broth and gluten-free bread coming in at least 30% cheaper than Aldi.

Which is cheaper? In general, Aldi's prices for its private label brands are slightly lower on produce, meat, and dairy products than Costco. However, for brand name products, Costco typically offers the better price. Aldi is typically known for having some of the lowest prices on meat around -- especially ground beef!

Aldi was the least expensive grocery store and Dollar General turned out to be the most expensive. Nutritionist Dr. Jessica Soldavini explains that shoppers can still choose healthy items despite out-of-control inflation.

What are Trader Joe's mystery bags? ›

Trader Joe's also offers a line of “mystery bags” around the holiday season — purchase a sealed cardboard envelope containing three bags and see what states you get!

Customers do not need to bring their own bags to shop at ALDI. However, we ask people to bring their own reusable grocery bags or buy a few of ours at checkout. This saves money by avoiding the cost of the bag and it cuts down on waste to help the environment.

Trader Joe's: $3.59/gallon.

Trader Joe's Organic Chicken Breasts come from chickens raised specifically for us primarily on family farms, under the strict USDA guidelines for Organic Certification.

2 | Don't assume it's a health food store

Because Trader Joe's offers a wide selection of healthy items it's easy to assume that it's a health food store. It's not. They do a great job of offering a wide variety of food, from healthy, minimally processed choices to super-processed junk food.

Is Trader Joe's Meat Quality Good? Trader Joe's meat has adequate quality compared to other meats in different grocery stores. The meat quality standards here require no artificial ingredients, preservatives, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), MSG, antibiotics, or artificial growth hormones.

How much is beef and broccoli at Trader Joe's? Trader Joe's beef and broccoli price is $6.99. Pricing may vary by store location. This may seem like a lot for a freezer meal, but it likely costs less than getting Chinese take-out.

In fact, Aldi and Trader Joe's are both completely independently owned and operated. Aldi originated in the early 1900s as a solo standing German grocery store. Trader Joe's, on the other hand, was launched in the late 1970s in the United States.

What does Aldi mean in German? ›

In 1962, they introduced the name Aldi—short for Albrecht-Diskont, which translates into English as "Albrecht Discount".

Both companies would open stores in the United States, with Karl's Aldi Süd beginning American operations in 1976 and dropping the Süd, and Theo's Aldi Nord starting a few years later in 1979 as Trader Joe's, named after founder Joe Coulombe (it's still owned by a German family trust established by Theo Albrecht).