New Aldi planned east of Interstate 75. It’ll be the fifth one in the Bradenton area
Aldi, which opened its first Manatee County grocery in 2010, has filed paperwork with Manatee County Building Services seeking approvals to build its fifth local store.
The new Aldi is planned for 8510 Heritage Green Way in Heritage Harbour, Manatee County’s second largest master-planned community.
Lakewood Ranch, Manatee County’s largest master-planned community, will see the opening of its first Aldi on June 22 at 7214 University Parkway on the Sarasota side of the county line.
Asked for information on the new Aldi planned for Heritage Harbour, Matt Thon, Haines City Aldi divisional vice president, replied in an email.
“We can confirm we are planning to open a new Aldi store in Bradenton, Florida, later this year. Aldi stores are purposefully designed for simplicity and efficiency. A typical store is approximately 12,000 square feet of retail space, making Aldi stores much easier to navigate than traditional grocery stores.
“The consistent size of Aldi stores across the country is a part of our formula for success. Every Aldi has a similar, easy-to-navigate layout, so you’ll always feel like you’re shopping at your local store,” Thon said.
“We will be sure to reach back out once we have more information to share about the new store opening,” he said.
Aldi opened its first Manatee County store in 2010 at 4705 Cortez Road W. as the country was emerging from the Great Recession.
“With the economy the way it is, people are looking to save any way they can,” an official said at the time.
In 2022, there are a different set of economic challenges, including inflation and supply chain issues.
Other Manatee County Aldi stores are at 4525 53rd Ave. E., 5715 14th St. W., and in Palmetto at 605 10th St. E.
Although there is a Costco about one mile from the proposed new grocery, Aldi has never been hesitant about doing business in highly-competitive areas.
The Aldi at 4525 53rd Ave. E. does well despite having a Walmart Neighborhood Market and a Publix at the same intersection. The new Aldi in Lakewood Ranch which will be opening soon is directly across the street from a Publix.
Founded in 1961 in Essen, Germany, Aldi now has nearly 2,000 stores in 36 states.
“Aldi is on track to become the third-largest grocery retailer by store count by the end of 2022. Aldi has set the industry standard for quality and affordability. Our priority focus is saving people money on the food and products they want most, and we do this by offering shoppers a curated selection of ALDI-exclusive brands,” the company says on its website.
