Aldi plans to open 800 new stores around the U.S.

Aldi plans to substantially expand its U.S. footprint, with the discount grocery chain announcing Thursday that it will open hundreds of new stores across the U.S. over the next five years.

The company said it will add 800 new stores by the end of 2028, including newly built outlets as well as converted locations currently operating under different names that Aldi has acquired. Aldi operates 2,300 stores nationwide.

Aldi said the expansion will bring low-priced groceries to more communities across the U.S. as consumers increasingly look for ways to save money at the register. Although inflation has cooled, grocery prices remain stubbornly high. The cost of food eaten at home typically rises 2.5% per year, but in 2022 those prices shot up 11.4% and increased another 5% last year, according to government data.