ALDI Announces Product Reformulation of its Exclusive Brand Food Products

Grocery Store Removes Certified Synthetic Colors, Partially Hydrogenated Oils and Added MSG

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Oct 01, 2015, 10:07 ET

BATAVIA, Ill., Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ALDI, the nation's low-price grocery leader*, announced that it has removed certified synthetic colors, removed partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) and removed added MSG from all of its exclusive brand food products. This announcement is part of the company's efforts to expand store offerings and address customers' preferences and needs about particular ingredients in their food. With 90 percent of ALDI products being sold under private labels, ALDI is able to ensure that customers have a wide selection of options free of these ingredients and available at the low prices they are known for.

"At ALDI, we are dedicated to the well-being of our customers by providing high quality groceries at the lowest possible prices and offering foods shoppers can feel good about serving their families," said Jason Hart, CEO, ALDI. "Our decision to remove these ingredients from all of our exclusive brand foods delivers on our ongoing commitment to meet the evolving preferences of our customers. Since more than 90 percent of the products we sell are under our exclusive brands, eliminating these ingredients will have a real impact on the over 30 million people who shop in our stores."

"Today's shoppers are more involved with food than ever before. They want to know everything about their food and the companies that supply them – especially as it relates to ingredients and the impact on their families," said Phil Lempert, editor of SupermarketGuru.com and food industry analyst. "ALDI is leading the supermarket industry in rightly responding to the science that shows the implications of these ingredients, and meeting the needs of the increasingly savvy consumers who don't want artificial or potentially harmful ingredients in the products they buy."

As a retailer focused on private label brands, ALDI continues to take a leading role in responding to consumer demand by removing these ingredients from the vast majority of their products. The company began removing these ingredients in 2014, and customers will begin to see these products in stores this fall, with all reformulated product lines in stores by the end of 2015.

Over the past several years, ALDI has enhanced its product offerings to provide customers with even more options they can feel good about, including:

Fresh Produce: Increased fresh, organic produce offerings, including organic bananas, apples, tomatoes, avocados and salad mixes.
New Product Lines: Introduced its SimplyNature line of products, which is free from more than 125 ingredients, as well as a gluten-free line of products under the ALDI exclusive brand, liveGfree.
Labeling: Highlighted nutritional facts on the front of all ALDI exclusive brand food packages for shoppers to easily find key nutritional information.
Dietitian's Picks: Established the ALDI Dietitian's Picks that showcases existing products hand-selected by registered dietitians for their nutritional value to help guide shoppers in their purchasing decisions.

Additionally, ALDI partners with registered dietitians through its Advisory Council to provide tips, recipes and meal-planning ideas that make healthy eating easy and affordable for families.

"I'm happy that ALDI is listening to people's concerns about synthetic dyes and eliminating them in all of their products," said Sally Kuzemchak, registered dietitian, author and ALDI advisory council member. "Shopping at ALDI makes it easier for busy parents to stock up on quality ingredients at a great value for their families."

ALDI customers will learn about the product reformulation through updated food packaging, the ALDI Fresh catalog, weekly advertisements and through our social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and the ALDI Simply Smarter Living Blog.

About ALDI Inc.
A leader in the grocery retailing industry, ALDI operates more than 1,400 US stores in 32 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast. More than 30 million customers each month save up to 50 percent** on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing. ALDI sells more than 1,300 of the most frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality. ALDI is so confident in the quality of its products, the company offers a Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product and refund the purchase price. ALDI was named the 2014 Retailer of the Year by Store Brands Magazine for its strong commitment to value and innovation-focused private brand product development. For more information about ALDI, visit www.aldi.us.

*According to a survey of more than 6,000 consumers conducted in March 2014 by Market Force Information.
**Based upon a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores.

SOURCE ALDI