ESSEN, WESTPHALIA - Aldi is putting fresh produce first with the undertaking of a major renovation plan in stores across the eastern United States which will expand the fresh produce and organic options it can offer its customers. The new stores will feature an additional produce aisle, allowing Aldi to offer both more selection and expanded product lines. According to a spokesperson with Aldi, some of these new product lines include SimplyNature natural foods and LiveGfree gluten-free items.

Joe Hauptman, a partner at the Willard Bishop retail food consulting firm, said that Aldi is pushing for these renovations so that "they're able to attract a wider range of shoppers."

The renovations are part of an overall push to market Aldi as an attractive option for the modern consumer, a consumer which the Times Herald Record noted is more budget and health conscious than ever before.

"Today, when you go into many Aldi parking lots, you are highly likely to see high-performance cars, foreign and imported cars, and working-class vehicles," Hauptman said. "They recognize that everybody is looking to stretch grocery budgets today."

Among those stores being renovated are the Wallkill, Newburgh, and Kingston locations. The Wallkill location will be the first to be ready for its grand-reopening and will be welcoming customers back inside starting Thursday next week. Newburgh and Kingston Aldis should be ready to go by October.

Aldi