Aldi seeks suppliers in US to support growth

In an interview with Supermarket News, Joan Kavanaugh, Aldi's Vice President for Purchasing in the USA, has said the discount retailer is aggressively seeking out new suppliers to support ongoing expansion and a continuing pressure to keep costs low. “Florida is a new geographic market for us, and our supply base in that region is not as strong as we'd like it to be,” she said. “So we're really focusing on adding new suppliers, and we have a very in-depth programme on how we're going to go about that.” For suppliers, Aldi offers sales volume and consistency, Kavanaugh added, since "we don't play the high-low game." Kavanaugh is also heading up a programme to improve Aldi's competitiveness in certain categories. Starting this year, the retailer will be more aggressive in pursuing seasonal holiday sales, including a marked increase in the number of items stores will offer. Its new ad agency McCann Erickson's work will be seen in store circulars as soon as April and in TV spots this autumn. Inside the store, Aldi's private label products are being reintroduced under brand names and packaging that communicate particular product attributes rather than their category, as previously merchandised. This allows Aldi to better align its products with the store and allows the company to tier certain offerings.

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