German discount supermarket chain Lidl has announced the locations of its first nine U.S. supermarkets.
Lidl plans to open five stores on 15 June in Kinston, Greenville, Rocky Mount, Sanford and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; one each in Spartanburg and Greenville, South Carolina; and additional locations in Virginia Beach and Hampton, Virginia.
In total, the retailer has said it plans to open 100 stores along the East Coast by next summer, putting it squarely in competition with another European-based discount retailer, ALDI. Entering the U.S. market just a few years ago, Aldi now has more than 1,600 stores in 35 states.
“Every day in our stores, customers will enjoy the smell of Lidl’s freshly baked breads, a selection of sustainable products like our certified fresh and frozen fish, and top-quality wines from around the world available at market-beating prices,” said Brendan Proctor, president and CEO of Lidl US, in a statement.
In mid-May, Lidl announced that its entire selection of fresh and frozen seafood in the U.S. will be certified sustainable.
“We are proud to work closely with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) in this step to ensure suppliers meet our high-quality standards,” Lidl U.S. Chief Commercial Officer Boudewijn Tiktak said.
Brian Perkins, MSC’s regional director for the Americas, had high praise for Lidl after its announcement.
“Lidl’s commitment to certified sustainable sourcing for all fresh and frozen seafood in its core assortment will indeed set a new standard in the U.S. market,” Perkins said. “When people purchase MSC-certified seafood, their choice supports fishermen around the world who are working hard to meet the world’s most rigorous standard for environmental sustainability of wild capture fishing.”
