The discount grocery chain Aldi plans to have more than 3,000 American locations by the end of 2028. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images North America hide caption

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images North America

In the summer of 2020, I lived briefly in Ithaca, New York. It's the only time I've lived near Aldi, the grocery store known for low prices. I went twice, and I thought it was fine, but underwhelming. I appreciated the low prices, but it didn't have everything I needed. The store was small and a bit shabby.

I didn't know it yet, but those are the exact ingredients that have made Aldi the fastest-growing grocery chain in America. Per Bloomberg , Aldi plans to have more than 3,000 American locations by the end of 2028, which would be more than any other chain but Walmart. In 2024, Aldi generated some $29 billion in U.S. sales, which is more than Trader Joe's.

Aldi is a German company known for having low, low prices, and it deserves that reputation.…