The Germany-based Aldi has quite the foothold in Europe: the store has its roots in discounted goods and has cemented its reputation in the region as the go-to supermarket for shoppers on a budget.
The company opened its first US location in Iowa in 1976. There are now more than 1,900 stores across the US with more planned for the coming years.
Source: Aldi
The store's presence in Texas, however, is not as established. We visited an Aldi store outside of Austin, one of the few current locations in the Central Texas region.
Source: The Austin-American Statesman
The San Antonio-based H-E-B, on the other hand, has a century-old history in Texas and has repeatedly attracted national attention, despite only operating in Texas and Northern Mexico across 400 stores.
Source: Business Insider
The company has long embraced its strong Texan identity, one that resonates with its customers and has kept them coming back.
This is what we saw when we first walked in. Aldi locations typically clock in at 16,400 square feet, so they're not known for being large. Aldi's shtick is all about limited options, small store sizes, and low prices.
Source: Aldi
The average size of an H-E-B store, on the other hand, is 70,000 square feet. This is what we saw when we first walked into an H-E-B Plus, which is larger than your average H-E-B store.
Source: H-E-B
There were shopping carts outside of the H-E-B store free of charge like they are at most grocery stores.
But over at Aldi, shopping carts cost a quarter to rent while you're inside, though you get the quarter back once you return the cart. It's just one aspect of the no-frills grocery shopping experience.
Another aspect is Aldi's displays. The store often displays its merchandise in its delivery boxes. There also aren't baggers at Aldi stores — you bag your own groceries at check-out.
Source: Business Insider
In the Market Force survey, Aldi won the best score for value. A carton of a dozen large grade A eggs cost 78¢ when we visited.
Source: Business Insider
H-E-B's brands, like Hill Country Fare, are a big hit with the chain's customers.
Source: Business Insider
Aldi's brands may not be so easily recognizable though yet, which the company seems to be the first to admit.
But more than 90% of Aldi products are from private brands. The company won 200 awards for its private labels in 2017.
Source: Aldi and Grocery Dive
Lots of the private labeling at Aldi closely resembles some of the bigger box brand names. This Broegel Bock beer could easily be mistaken for Shiner Bock.
The chain's SimplyNature label offers organic items, like this organic tomato basil pasta sauce.
Source: Waco Tribune-Herald
More grocery stores have upped their focus on healthy living to cater to health-conscious consumers, and H-E-B and Aldi haven't skipped a beat on that trend.
Source: Business Insider
There was an entire aisle at H-E-B devoted to pet products, for example. Granted, this was an H-E-B Plus, which has more merchandise across the board, but the pet section at regular H-E-B stores is still typically large.
... but we were also impressed by how many household goods were stocked at Aldi. There were aisles devoted to kitchen appliances and the like.
So though Aldi's household goods section was more limited, like many of its sections were, it was easy and quick to navigate ...
... which is why Aldi wins if you're shopping on a budget and don't want to spend too much time in the store.
There's a growing consumer need for a quicker in-and-out experience in general, and Aldi's small stores and limited supply meets that need extremely well.
Source: Grocery Dive