ALDI’s storied beginnings can be traced back to turn of the century Europe, but it wasn’t until 1976 that our unique business model of efficiency – as an exclusive brand retailer– made its historic debut in the U.S. And what began with only a handful of locations in southeastern Iowa has now exploded into a multi-billion-dollar retail business with over 1,200 locations in 32 states and a burgeoning presence in Europe and Australia.