Aldi - Do You Shop There?

[Sully]

We recently ventured into Aldi to see what the fuss was about. Browsing through the aisles looking at "foreign name" brands (foreign as in unknown to us) we were a bit dubious about the quality etc. So we ended up buying a few items we needed and a few bits to try. So far everything we tried has been good, some instances better than the known name brands. All in all we walked out with $100 of groceries, which would have been in the $130-140 vicinity at the leading chains.

A few things we liked and would buy again:

Crunchy Nut Cornflakes equivelent

Just Rightequivelent

WheatBix (apparently comes from the Sanitarium factory)

Cornflakes (apparently comes from Kellogs anyway)

Cocoa Pops equivalent

Milk

Raisin Toast (real good - I would say one of the best I have had)

Bread products

4 Pack of Frozen Meat Pies and 24 pack of party pies (just as good as 4&20) - the Chicken ones are ok, better than Brumbys, but have had better.

Quiche

Hot Dogs and Cheerios

Chicken Nuggets - better than quite a few brands actually

Tinned Spaghetti & Baked Beans (kids love 'em and only $0.60 a 440g tin)

Tomato Sauce

I could go on but these are the items I found that stood out since they can be so variable in the leading brands, and definately much much better than "Homebranded" products. A good qty of the items we bought are 'Product of Aus' too so at least not all the $$ is going overseas.

Anyone else recommend produts that they like and regularly use? I will look into the meat department next and try a few bits. I thought I would share our experiences as we all like to save a bob or few on food and dont want second rate crap that ends up being wasted anyways as no-one eats it.

Cheers

Sully (No affiliation with Aldi of course)

 

[quantocks]

I shop at ALDI all the time and then grab a few bits and pieces from Coles/Woolies that they don't stock. But it's cheap as and saves us a fortune. The pasta packs are good for 2, it all comes in a box and all you do is mix it all up after you cook the pasta and I think they are 2 bucks!

also give cake bars a go, probably good for your work lunch and the kids school lunches!

the only thing I really dislike about ALDI is at Chatswood during peak times the place is chock-a-block full of tightarses and it takes forever to get out of there

 

[kabooby]

We have found the chips to be good from there. As good if not better than kettle and a fraction of the price. The only thing I had a problem with was the deodorant. It was not very good.

Kabooby

 

[Katherine]

I so want a Aldi in Western Australia... My parents live in Yamba and make a monthly trip to Grafton to go to Aldi, they took me there when on holidays. I like the fact it gives you an impression it is a brand name as they all have brand names on them. There chips and nuts etc are great.... and there is a certain cheese I really like! But the dodgy box of belgium like chocolates that my parents got me from xmas were horrible (and I know where they got them)....

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

+1 for Aldi


There is not much that isnt good. We buy 90% of our food there, even the meat and vegies, but I still go to the butchers to get sausages and thick cut rump.

The good thing is that most of the items are Aust made, and from the same factories as the Big name brands.

We estimate that we easily save over 30% by going there..

 

[bradsbrew]

The Aldi cheese especially the fetta and yoghurts are very nice in taste and price.

Cheers Brad

 

[cliffo]

+1...

Curly Fries (yum yum!!!)
Meat is better than Woolies
Simmer/Pasta Sauces are good
Best frozen pies I've ever had (Premium ones, not the cheap ones)
Wheat "Biscuits"
Imitation "Just Right"

They've got some really good stuff.

 

[sinkas]

We recently ventured into Aldi to see what the fuss was about. Browsing through the aisles looking at "foreign name" brands (foreign as in unknown to us) we were a bit dubious about the quality etc. So we ended up buying a few items we needed and a few bits to try. So far everything we tried has been good, some instances better than the known name brands. All in all we walked out with $100 of groceries, which would have been in the $130-140 vicinity at the leading chains.

A few things we liked and would buy again:

Crunchy Nut Cornflakes equivelent

Just Rightequivelent

WheatBix (apparently comes from the Sanitarium factory)

Cornflakes (apparently comes from Kellogs anyway)

Cocoa Pops equivalent

Milk

Raisin Toast (real good - I would say one of the best I have had)

Bread products

4 Pack of Frozen Meat Pies and 24 pack of party pies (just as good as 4&20) - the Chicken ones are ok, better than Brumbys, but have had better.

Quiche

Hot Dogs and Cheerios

Chicken Nuggets - better than quite a few brands actually

Tinned Spaghetti & Baked Beans (kids love 'em and only $0.60 a 440g tin)

Tomato Sauce

I could go on but these are the items I found that stood out since they can be so variable in the leading brands, and definately much much better than "Homebranded" products. A good qty of the items we bought are 'Product of Aus' too so at least not all the $$ is going overseas.

Anyone else recommend produts that they like and regularly use? I will look into the meat department next and try a few bits. I thought I would share our experiences as we all like to save a bob or few on food and dont want second rate crap that ends up being wasted anyways as no-one eats it.

Cheers

Sully (No affiliation with Aldi of course)

Wow thats a pretty unhealthy grocery list, do they sell diet soda to wash down the H-dogs?

 

[Sully]

Wow thats a pretty unhealthy grocery list, do they sell diet soda to wash down the H-dogs?

Diet soda :icon_vomit:


Yeah, it is a bit unhealthy if you look at it, but we don't LIVE on that stuff daily. Some of it was for nibbles for a get together. And I hadnt had Hotdogs in years...

 

[Kleiny]

They were talking abou aldi on the local radio the other day, the aldi media bloke went on too say that 75% of their products are aussie made, 99% of their fresh vege/fruit and meat is aussie and that most products were made by leading brand manufacturers and re branded for aldi stores.

He almost let slip that their chips and some biscuits are basically arnotts just under a licence rebrand to aldi

We shop their all the time , as you said sully its all pretty good if not better and cheaper

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The thing I like about Aldi is that they dont spent mega $$ on advertising, and they have top quality products...


Aldi's top performing stores are actually located in the more affluent areas of Sydney....go figure..


And +2 for their pasta/tomatoe sauces....they are basic with heaps of flavour...


If you have a good look at the boxes that the produces come bulk packaged in, you can see the manufacturer....ie their juices are made by Berri...its stamped on the box...

 

[kabooby]

Just finnished some of the orange juice tonight. Best I have had for that price.

The Napisan is good value too

Kabooby

 

[browndog]

The missus gets a lot of our grocerys there, most are fine, but a few I can't tolerate, the cheaper meat pies are crap, their bega style cheese has bugger all taste. The custard danishes are delish as are choc nut museli bars, roquefort cheese and caramalised onion chips, cafe style chips. They are great for buying stuff like washing up liquid, dunny roll, etc etc.


cheers

Browndog

 

[BEC26]

Yup, go every fortnight.

Feeding our family is much cheaper these days. I can get all kids recess stuff, cereals, chips, veg, milk(24l for the fortnight), yoghurt, fruit, cleaners, pasta, chees meat sausage etc and leave with a full trolley.

Big shop costs around $240, smaller one about $160.

I did a shop at WW and big shop cost $310 and small shop around $200.

So, it makes the 30 min drive well worth it.

we make it a nice day out, have lunch by the beach, look at shops etc etc and shop before we come home.

We will have our Aldi (Taree NSW) next year . .. .can't wait

 

[Sully]

How do the cleaning products stack up?

 

[browndog]

The cleaning products are fine as far as I can tell Sully.

cheers

Browndog

 

[fraser_john]

We also do our first shop at Aldis and follow up at Safeway/Woolies. The potatoe wedges are grouse, sour cream, milk (fresh and UHT) are good. Their bread is good, especially the slightly more expensive, better wrapped ones. Baked beans are good, american hot dogs ARE good! Ice cream is rubbish compared to Pauls or Peters so dont bother. The rice bubble snack bars are great for kids lunches, sultanas, honey, Milo breakfast cereal rip-off, bog-roll, serviettes, juices etc are all regular buys for us.

The deodorant works OK if you are in a cooler climate (Geelong), but when I was in Mildura, it totally failed!

The secret to Aldis is always try it, if its not good, never buy it again!

 

[Fents]

we do 90% of our shopping at Preston Market (huge market comparbale to Vic Market), organic vegies (ceres shop) and organic biodynamic meat. The rest we do either at local IGA or wollies. I'd love for someone to do a price test between market / supermarket shopping. I reckon it costs heaps less at Markets.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Their cleaning producst are fantastic. especially the power force kitchen and bathroom cleaners. The washing powder is great and so is the domestos stuff.

And I use heaps off the napi-san...

 

[seemax]

Aldi has a winning formula. Well priced goods at decent quality, one brand or limited brands for each product and no need to pack and monitor shelves - just deliver the pallet to the aisle!

The biggest difference is that it's privately owned, not driven by ridiculous share holder growth expectations. They buy the same products from brand name suppliers and relabel it which suits both parties, the supplier still makes their money without running the risk of their brand reputation being at risk.