It feels nearly impossible to leave the grocery store without spending at least $100 now, no matter how small your list is. Thankfully, a little relief might be on the way.
Aldi just announced that it’s expanding at a breakneck pace this year, bringing affordable groceries and seasonal items to almost 200 new neighborhoods. The chain’s prices are way lower than most of its competitors — think Kroger, Publix, and Albertson’s — so it might take a little stress off people’s wallets. Here’s what we know about Aldi’s 2026 expansion, including the two states that will be getting Aldi stores for the first time.
Why Is Aldi Expanding?
Aldi is extremely popular and has a cult-like following. People love its inexpensive but high-quality groceries, and the chain is giving other supermarkets a run for their money. Like Trader Joe’s, it sells private label items, but it’s generally considered less pricey than its competitor.
Previously, Aldi announced an ambitious goal of operating 3,200 stores in the U.S. by the end of 2028, and it’s well on its way to that number. In 2025, it opened 175 new locations, according to a press release. This year, the company just announced that it plans to open 180 more, which would bring the total number of Aldi stores to 2,800.
Approximately 80 of the new locations this year will be converted from Southeastern Grocers storefronts, a company that Aldi acquired in 2024. So far, 90 other locations have become Aldi stores, and it plans to convert a total of 200 Southeastern Grocers by the end of 2027.
Where Are the New Aldi Locations?
Unfortunately, Aldi has not released a list of new locations yet — some are still early in the planning process, presumably. But we do know some details about this massive expansion.
There are two new states that Aldi is expanding to for the first time this year: Maine and Colorado. “ALDI will enter Maine as its 40th state in the U.S., opening in the city of Portland,” the company said in a press release.
As for Colorado, there’s a much larger expansion planned: 50 stores over the next five years in the Denver and Colorado Springs areas. Colorado residents on r/Denver are thrilled with the news. “Finally. We need some competition bad in Colorado in the grocery space,” said one Redditor about the news. “I love Aldi so much and I’m a big fan of the aisle of shame! I’m SO excited!!!” responded another.
All these new locations mean Aldi is also planning to open three new distribution centers over the next few years. They will be located in Baldwin, Florida; Goodyear, Arizona; and Aurora, Colorado.
They will support the other main areas of Aldi expansion in 2026:
- Phoenix: 10 new stores opening this year, with 40 new stores total by 2030
- Las Vegas: Doubling the amount of stores from 4 to 8 by 2030
- The Southeast: Converting 200 Southeastern Grocers by 2027
Tech Upgrades
Besides this glut of new Aldi locations, the company is also making big upgrades to its technology.
Aldi plans to launch a new website early this year. By the sound of things, it will be more robust and offer much more functionality; right now, it’s not nearly as helpful as other grocery stores’ sites. According to the press release, customers will be able to “effortlessly plan their trips, easily locate the products they need, and save valuable time — whether shopping online or preparing for an in-store visit.” It’ll also offer easy re-ordering and expanded nutrition information.
There will also be upgrades to the curbside pickup system. Shoppers will get better personal recommendations each week, and there will be a new option to get your grocery order delivered to your door.
In short: Aldi really took “new year, new you” to heart.
