This Is Why Aldi's Seafood Is So Affordable

Sure, compared to other stores, entering an Aldi can be a slightly peculiar experience: there's the eerie quiet of no background music combined with shopping boxes used to display foods. However, if that's what it takes to make Aldi groceries so cheap, many will agree the tradeoff's worth it. And one department where the retailer's cost-effective pricing really shines is seafood.

Typically, you may not associate budget groceries with marine cuisine. Yet Aldi's dependably unorthodox retail strategies prove to be a huge success on this front. Several of its business decisions lead to affordable pricing, with its industry connections proving crucial.

The retailer relies on unique stocking techniques, cutting out the middleman in the fish sales process. Coupled with its ability to purchase en masse, this drives prices down remarkably compared to other retailers. At the same time, Aldi partners with sustainability-focused fishing operations, taking part in initiatives like disclosing seafood origins across worldwide locations.

Meanwhile, in regional markets like the U.K., it's invested millions in local seafood enterprises. And in the U.S., Aldi has expanded its network of suppliers to combat inflation. Such calculated business decisions enables it to stock fresh fish at great prices.

Seafood sourcing isn't the only part of the cost-effective equation: Aldi applies its business model right down to the consumer experience. As with Aldi's cheap meat and poultry, the absence of a service counter reduces overhead. Furthermore — perhaps surprisingly — even details like packaging make a difference. You'll find well-priced fresh fish offerings like its Atlantic salmon ($9.49 a pound), steelhead ($10.49 a pound), and tilapia ($6.79 a pound) in special sealed packaging.

These come straight from the fish-packing source daily, distributed to Aldi locations with an efficiency that few other stores can match. Such optimization translates to improvements in taste and texture, giving consumers a better dining experience. Add up all these logistics, and it's quite an impressive chain of events that delivers a fillet to an Aldi near you. So try it out in a dish like simple dijon-crusted salmon — both the flavor and the price will impress.