ALDI US plans expansion; Southeastern Grocers seeks to diversify suppliers

Southeastern Grocers (SEG), which operates nearly 600 supermarkets in the Southeast U.S., is seeking to expand and diversify its suppliers by hosting a virtual Local and Diverse Supplier Connect event to “collaborate with underrepresented suppliers, and in turn, provide stores with an expanded variety of locally relevant and diverse products."

Interested suppliers can apply until 11 September,  the company said in a press release. 

The event will be held on 1 November, 2023 to source products across grocery, household, fresh, frozen, personal care, pet, and baby merchandise, among other categories.  

SEG already works with nearly 300 diverse and local suppliers operating across the U.S. states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi, but it said it wants to further diversify its sourcing. It has partnered with ECRM and RangeMe to source, qualify, and connect suppliers with the appropriate buyers.

“During the upcoming participants will have the opportunity to engage with SEG buyers and category managers to share their company background, product information, and marketing plans,” SEG said. 

Aldi U.S. is acquiring approximatley 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores from SEG, highlighting the increasing trend of shoppers seeking out discount groceries as a response to inflation. 

In August, SEG announced it was selling 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores to ALDI US. Aldi CEO Jason Hart the company is currently evaluating which locations will be converted to the Aldi format to “better support the neighborhoods we’ll now have the privilege of serving."

“For those stores we do not convert, our intention is that these continue to operate as Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket stores," he said.

Batavia, Illinois, U.S.A.-based ALDI U.S. also announced plans to add 120 new stores this year to reach a total of more than 2,400 by the end of the year. The acquisition and expansion comes amidst a growing trend of shoppers seeking out discount groceries as a response to inflation.

Photo courtesy of Southeastern Grocers