Who Owns Aldi?

What does ALDI SÜD own?
ALDI SÜD owns a portfolio of private label brands sold exclusively in its approximately 7,500 stores across 11 countries. The company's private label products account for approximately 90% of its assortment, including food, household, and non-food items. ALDI SÜD also owns its headquarters in Mülheim, office and warehouse facilities, the Öschberghof hotel in Donaueschingen, and more than 5,000 store properties worldwide. In the United States, the company operates approximately 2,400 Aldi-branded stores.

Is ALDI SÜD publicly traded?
No, ALDI SÜD is not publicly traded. The company is wholly owned by private family foundations: the Siepmann-Stiftung (75%) and the Oertl-Stiftung and Elisen-Stiftung (together 25%). These foundations are based in Eichenau, Bavaria. The foundation structure means that the company's assets cannot be sold, divided, or pledged. No shares are available for public purchase.

Who founded ALDI SÜD?
ALDI SÜD was founded by Karl Albrecht in 1961, when he and his brother Theo Albrecht split their family's grocery business into two separate companies. Karl took control of the southern German operations (ALDI SÜD), and Theo took control of the northern German operations (ALDI NORD). The split is commonly attributed to a disagreement over whether to sell cigarettes, though the full reason has never been confirmed by the family.

Where is ALDI SÜD headquartered?
ALDI SÜD is headquartered in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. The company's national service company is based in Mülheim, while the owning foundations are based in Eichenau, Bavaria. ALDI SÜD operates approximately 2,000 stores across western and southern Germany through 24 independently operating regional companies.

How many brands does ALDI SÜD own?
ALDI SÜD owns numerous private label brands sold exclusively in its stores. The company's assortment includes approximately 1,800 standard articles and 700 seasonal articles, with private label products accounting for approximately 90% of the assortment. Key private label brands include bio (organic products), MAMIA BIO (organic baby food), NUR NUR NATUR (natural foods), and LACURA (skincare). The company does not own standalone consumer brands sold through other retailers.

Who owns ALDI SÜD?
ALDI SÜD is owned by the Albrecht family through three private foundations: the Siepmann-Stiftung (75%) and the Oertl-Stiftung and Elisen-Stiftung (together 25%). Karl Albrecht, who built ALDI SÜD, died in 2014 at age 94. His daughter Beate Heister sits on the Siepmann-Stiftung's executive board but does not run the company's day-to-day operations. The foundation structure means the company's assets belong to the foundations as independent legal entities and cannot be sold or divided.

Is ALDI SÜD the same as Trader Joe's?
No, ALDI SÜD is not the same as Trader Joe's. Trader Joe's is owned by ALDI NORD, the separate company that resulted from the 1961 split of the Albrecht family business. ALDI SÜD operates Aldi-branded stores in the United States, while ALDI NORD owns Trader Joe's. The two companies have no business or ownership connection and operate entirely independently. ALDI SÜD and ALDI NORD have been financially and legally separate since 1966.

Is ALDI SÜD involved in any merger discussions?
In 2025, reports emerged that the families behind ALDI SÜD and ALDI NORD were holding talks about a possible merger. According to WirtschaftsWoche, a proposal under which the two companies would combine under a joint holding company with shares evenly divided between the families' trusts was among the scenarios being discussed. No merger has been announced as of August 2026, and any combination would face significant legal, operational, and antitrust complexity.