Walmart, the largest retailer in America, has failed in Germany. Now one of Germany’s biggest supermarket players is coming to the U.S. to see if its own unique model will be successful here.
Lidl, known for its competitive prices and private labels, is preparing to expand up the East Coast, from Georgia to New Jersey, by 2018. It has invested $77 million in a U.S. headquarters in Virginia, about $120 million in a distribution center, and in late August began seeking managers in 12 metro areas, including in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
According to Reuters, Lidl (pronounced leedle) plans to open 100 stores in America, an already crowded market: More than 38,000 supermarkets with sales of more than $2 million operate in the United States. That compares with 36,000 in 2011. Add to that all the retailers that have begun carrying groceries, from dollar stores to office supply chains, and we’ve got a lot of shelf space, a lot of boxes of cereal and detergent and bananas and milk.
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