Aldi has created a new National Real Estate Team to deliver the further 500 UK stores it has planned.
The discount supermarket‘s new centralised team is headed by Aldi managing director of real estate Jonathan Neale, aided by the company’s national advisors, Colliers.
The grocer plans to open 200 new stores in London and the South East alone.
Aldi is looking for freehold town centre or edge-of-town sites for potential new locations, which must be around 1.5 acres and can accommodate a 20,000 sq ft store with approximately 100 parking spaces.
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Neale said: “This year we opened our landmark 1,000th store and we have the most ambitious expansion plans of any major supermarket.
“Centralising our Real Estate Team and making it easier for the real estate sector to deal with Aldi is the first step in accelerating progress towards our goal of opening a further 500 new stores. We have clear, consistent requirements and want to partner with land-owners and landlords”
“Listening to the sector, we know that our new national team will make it easier for people to work with us. We are now set up to have the kind of agility needed to find and deliver the sites and schemes that will help us to bring our amazing quality and unbeatable value to every town and community in the country.”
The supermarket giant recently announced its long-term plan to operate from 1,500 UK stores, in response to consumer growing demand.