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9 Lidl sites make U.S. debut June 15

Hard discounter portends new pressure on established banners

Jon Springer, Executive Editor

May 30, 2017

2 Min Read
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Lidl US

Lidl US on Tuesday said that its first nine stores would open Thursday June 15 at 8 am.

The locations are the first of 20 the German retailer earlier this month said would be opening this summer.

“We cannot wait to open our first U.S. stores and introduce customers to grocery shopping refreshed, retooled and rethought to make life better,” Brendan Proctor, president and CEO of Lidl US, said in a statement. “Every day in our stores, customers will enjoy the smell of Lidl’s freshly baked breads, a selection of sustainable products like our certified fresh and frozen fish, and top-quality wines from around the world available at market-beating prices. Our mission every day is to deliver our customers less complexity, lower prices, better choices, and greater confidence. ”

Lidl, a division of Schwarz Group with U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Va., is expected to open at least 100 stores along the East Coast by next summer, bringing new pressure to established U.S. grocers. Lidl’s hard discount concept will offer a limited selection of private brand grocery and fresh products at prices up to 50% below conventional counterparts, the company said.

Lidl’s offerings include in-store bakeries, a selection of gluten-free and organic items and nonfood weekly specials offered on an as-they-last basis. Stores will have about 20,000 square feet of selling space and six aisles the company said would facilitate a convenient shopping experience.

Each of the nine locations opening June 15 – in Kinston, Greenville, Rocky Mount, Sanford and Winston-Salem, N.C.; Spartanburg and Greenville, S.C.; and Virginia Beach and Hampton, Va. — will hold ribbon cutting ceremonies at 7:40 a.m. The first 100 customers to arrive at each location will also receive a wooden coin for a chance to win up to $100 in Lidl gift cards. Shoppers also can sample an array of Lidl’s products and get a complimentary Lidl reusable bag while supplies last. The stores plan special event through the weekend.

About the Author

Jon Springer

Executive Editor

Jon Springer is executive editor of Winsight Grocery Business with responsibility for leading its digital news team. Jon has more than 20 years of experience covering consumer business and retail in New York, including more than 14 years at the Retail/Financial desk at Supermarket News. His previous experience includes covering consumer markets for KPMG’s Insiders; the U.S. beverage industry for Beverage Spectrum; and he was a Senior Editor covering commercial real estate and retail for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Jon began his career as a sports reporter and features editor for the Cecil Whig, a daily newspaper in Elkton, Md. Jon is also the author of two books on baseball. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Journalism from the University of Delaware. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his family.

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