Aldi to invest over £40m in Scotland over the next two years – Scottish Business News

Aldi is set to continue its expansion in Scotland, confirming today it plans to invest more than £40m over the next two years, opening three new stores in Arbroath, Baillieston and Kirkintilloch in 2025.

The investment supports the retailer’s growth ambitions north of the border and will allow it to keep up with growing consumer demand.

In 2024, Aldi celebrated 30 years in Scotland, having opened its first store in Kilmarnock in 1994. Since then, it has grown into a household name, known for its commitment to delivering exceptional value and quality Scottish food and drink.

This year, Aldi welcomed 58 million customers through its doors in Scotland and now has one Aldi store for every 49,000 people in Scotland, with over 60% of households in Scotland shopping at its stores*.

In addition to the new stores, the supermarket has also committed to extending or refurbishing six of its existing stores over the next two years, with an extension planned for Galashiels, refurbishments planned for Linlithgow, Glenrothes and Stirling and further upgrades in Hamilton and Carluke.

In 2025, the supermarket will launch a recruitment drive for over 100 new logistics team members to work at its Bathgate Regional Distribution Centre.

In January this year, Aldi was awarded the Which? cheapest supermarket award for the third year in a row and has since scooped the monthly award every month this year so far, with December’s results to be announced in January. Aldi was also commended at the Scotland Food and Drink Awards 2024, picking up the ‘Best for Scottish’ award, which celebrates retailers’ sourcing of quality Scottish products, for the third time in the last four years. Aldi was also awarded Confectionery Product of the Year for its Specially Selected Scottish Sicilian Lemon Shortbread Rounds.  

Aldi’s commitment to Scottish products was also recognised in the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) Shelfwatch survey, which found throughout 2024 that Aldi stocked the most Scottish produce of all retailers, compared to the Co-op, Lidl, Morrisons, Marks & Spencers, Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s. The survey, which was conducted on behalf of farmers and crofters, also found that Aldi was the only retailer to stock 100% fresh Scottish pork, had the highest percentage (89.7%) of Scottish potatoes, and stocked 100% Scottish milk and eggs.

Much of this success can be attested to Aldi’s commitment to championing locally produced food and drink, with the retailer currently working with more than 90 Scottish suppliers and stocks over 450 Scottish products.

Aldi announced a series of new supplier partnerships in 2024, including Dundee-based Baba’s Sauce and Glasgow-based Pie Sports, a division of Pars Foods. The retailer also partnered with Aberdeen-based Fierce Beer to launch ‘Fierce and Friends’, which saw the brewery work with craft breweries across the UK to create beers brewed exclusively for Aldi Scotland.

In September, Aldi also announced it would be doubling its everyday pork range. In partnership with Browns Food Group, one of Scotland’s leading pork suppliers, and with support from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), Aldi’s extended pork range is now available across all of its 109 Scottish stores.

As well as a commitment to quality food and drink and building partnerships with local suppliers, Aldi Scotland is also committed to giving back to the local communities. In 2024, the supermarket donated more than £50,000 to amateur sports clubs via its Scottish Sport Fund and over £10,000 to foodbanks through its popular Supermarket Sweep initiative. Both initiatives will return in 2025, with Supermarket Sweep celebrating its tenth year.

Sandy Mitchell, Regional Managing Director for Aldi Scotland, said: “I’m very proud to reflect on a highly successful 2024, during which time we welcomed 58 million customers to our Scottish stores, forged valuable partnerships with a range of new suppliers, and celebrated 30 years of Aldi in Scotland.

“It’s remarkable to look back on how far we’ve come since opening our first store in 1994. I am extremely pleased that our presence within the Scottish market has continued to be recognised and celebrated this year, with numerous awards demonstrating our unwavering dedication to providing locally sourced, high-quality Scottish products at affordable prices.

“As we look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to reaching more customers than ever before, with the opening of more stores and increased investment in Scotland.

“This move is a testament to our belief in Scotland’s vibrant economy and the exceptional quality of its suppliers. We remain committed to championing Scotland, creating local jobs, and strengthening our relationships with local partners as we continue to expand and enhance our offering.”

* Kantar data found that Aldi is shopped by over 3 in 5 households in Scotland, with 1.62m out of 2.68m people buying from the retailer.