Surfing FM radio today, I came upon Christopher Kimball interviewing Benjamin Lorr, author of the above-titled book. The conversation was mostly about the interesting history of Trader Joe’s. Having caught only part of that segment, I looked up the Amazon listing, and saw that the audiobook is free to Audible members. Being one, I immediately added it to my library and have finished the first section. It traces the inception and evolution of grocery stores and supermarkets. Much of it is about TJ’s and how it has bucked the current along which most chains float. The section ends with the sake to Aldi, and the second section begins with Aldi’s inroads in America.
The prose is on the florid side and the book begins with a bunch of quotes not specific to its subject. Get past that, and a TMI description of cleaning out the fresh seafood case at a Whole Foods, and the material is quite absorbing. Caveat: I have never worked in any aspect of the agricultural or food industries. Those who have may find the content of this book less revelatory.
I hope that (and I imagine it did) it gave detail to the difference between the two divisions of Aldi and how one owns Trader Joe’s and that the other owns/runs the Aldi stores. It amazes me at how many people believe the store owner is the same Aldi that owns Trader Joe’s and then those who believe that spread the misinformation. I long ago gave up trying to straighten the confusion out because as is the case with too many things these days, people will believe what they want to, not which is the truth. (rant over)
For instance, many large grocery store chains in the US are owned by Dutch company which one had the name Royal Ahold. Every time I think that name, I want to laugh and say what a royal ahold. LOL
Giant Food (of Maryland) a formerly very special family-owned chain, was purchased by Royal Ahold (I agree with your :characterization: ). The quality nosedived and has stayed there. I try to avoid it. Sad.
There are different Giants that originated in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Evidently they’re both owned now by Royal Ahold as separate subsidiaries . The Wikipedia article isn’t a model of clarity.
ALDI and Trader Joe’s do not share the same parent company, have no joint ownership, and are independently operated. But, the two stores do share a common family heritage.
In the U.S., Trader Joe’s has been owned by Aldi Nord (an actual human being, not a corporation) since the late 1970s, while ALDI stores in the U.S. launched under the ownership of Aldi Süd (another human being) in the mid-70s. The chains have always operated completely independently of one another, and have never shared joint ownership
The book explains the Albrecht history. Aldi split not because of a fraternal feud but to avoid one. The business had grown so large that the brothers would often disagree because different regions/nations required different management systems. So they met to address these concerns, and decided that dividing the company was the best option.
