ARLINGTON, VA - Expansion is the name of the game for retail giant Lidl as the company has rolled out massive strategic efforts in Great Britain, Italy, and France, just to name a few that have kicked off in 2020. Today, the grocer is honing in on U.S. markets, laying the groundwork for 50 new stores set to open next year.

With new locations in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia, Lidl will invest more than $500 million in the new stores and create roughly 2,000 new jobs across these communities.

This strategic expansion will be a boon for customers, too. Recent academic studies have documented Lidl's cost-cutting effect in new markets it enters, with a new study from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School stating Lidl's pricing is up to 45 percent lower than nearby national grocers.

This month, the National Retail Federation ranked Lidl as the top retailer in its Hot 100 Retailers list of fastest-growing companies. The grocery chain opened its third regional headquarters and distribution center in Cecil County, Maryland, earlier this year to support its store network. It also plans to open its fourth distribution center in Covington, Georgia, over the next two years.

As part of Lidl's ongoing effort to prioritize the most convenient locations, Lidl also will close two stores in Havelock and Shelby, North Carolina. According to a press release, all employees there will be given the opportunity to relocate to another store within Lidl's growing network. To view the complete list of new store locations, click here.

Which region will Lidl tackle next? Stick with us at ANUK to find out.

Lidl