ALDI Australia has appointed Anna McGrath as CEO. Over the last five years McGrath served as group managing director for ALDI Australia and held the office of the president for ALDI US.
The announcement comes at a time when the business is ‘keenly aware’ of the impact that it can have on Australian shoppers’ back pockets.
McGrath said ALDI had a responsibility to maintain its price gap and to show Australians facing cost of living pressures that they can achieve serious savings by changing their weekly shop to ALDI, without comprising on quality.
“Over the 17 years I’ve been at ALDI, we have always been focused on price leadership, but it has never been more important than now,” McGrath said.
McGrath notes that the last few years have been an ‘exceptional time’ for customers.
“I am deeply devoted to the business and the important role we play in our customers’ lives by providing real savings in their regular shop. It is not a secret that many Australians are feeling the bite of inflation, more so in the last couple of years than in the last couple of decades.
“Our entire business is focused on how we can work with our supplier partners to continue to deliver exceptional quality at the best prices in the market. ALDI has been successful at achieving this over the 22 years we have operated in Australia, and I am looking forward to continuing that journey for our customers,” McGrath said.
As ALDI Australia’s CEO, McGrath will continue to build on the company’s success and contribute to its ongoing growth and expansion.
According to Statista, Aldi holds the third-largest share of Australia’s grocery market, with just under 40 per cent of shoppers across the country reporting regularly purchasing food and products from ALDI stores.
ALDI most recently reconfirmed its Price Promise to Australians, that it ‘won’t be beaten on the cost of your weekly shop’. Data reveals that promise is resonating with shoppers, as more Australians were shopping at ALDI stores more often in the second quarter of 2023 (+5.2 per cent, YoY).
Third-party data revealed the Price Promise, worth $3.1 billion in savings delivered directly to customers in 2022, also delivers down price pressure on the grocery sector.
The downward pressure ALDI places on grocery prices in Australia saved non-ALDI shoppers $675 million in 2022 and $7.8 billion since it opened its doors here over 20 years ago.
“ALDI’s business model is about saving people money. We aim to cut out unnecessary costs and pass these savings on to customers. This has never been tested more than it was in the past year, and we’re proud that we’ve been able to maintain our price leadership at a time when Australians need it most, delivering ALDI customers $3.1 billion in savings last year alone.
“We have a very strong strategy in place that is resonating with Australian customers, I’m looking forward to bringing ALDI savings to more and more households,” McGrath said.
Looking ahead
McGrath said while ALDI’s price leadership was at the core of her focus as CEO, she dually aims to continue to lead the way in terms of sustainability commitments.
In August 2020, ALDI became the first Australian supermarket to commit to 100 per cent renewable electricity by the end of 2021 and then achieved this goal six months ahead of schedule. All ALDI Australia stores, offices and warehouses are now fully powered by renewable electricity.
ALDI has also committed to reducing plastic packaging by 25 per cent, confirmed that 100 per cent of packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable and will send zero waste to landfill, all by 2025.
“We have ambitious goals, but without big goals you don’t get big actions, so I am proud of the progress we are making. We are and will be the price leader, but our responsibility extends further than that. Building a sustainable business that minimises its impact is not a project, it’s an enduring responsibility that we are increasingly focused on. There is always more work to do, but I think we are making huge steps in the right direction,” said McGrath.
