Here's Where Aldi's Crofton Cooking Products Are Made

Many know about Aldi's cheap grocery prices, but forget to peruse their homeware aisles, too. Tucked away in the store lies a sea of hidden treasures: Cute seasonal items like themed cutting boards, simple tools like peelers, and even dinnerware like plates, pots, and pans. Sold under Aldi's Crofton brand, you can make a one-stop-shop for necessary cooking products.

Crofton debuted in 2002, and now covers the majority of Aldi's cookware offerings. Such products turn heads with their remarkable resemblance to name brands, yet drastically lower prices. Whether it's the $23 Aldi Pot that's a Williams Sonoma copycat or OXO lookalike vegetable peeler, such dupes insight a curiosity regarding the origins.

As a brand, Crofton have stated they source from Asian manufacturers, without added detail. Glance at a Crofton Aldi product page, and the description often only reveals "imported"; only adding more mystery to sourcing. So for a historically secretive company, it's tough to verify precise origins. The most reasonable estimate points towards China as one of the manufacturing hubs; an old Amazon listing for a Crofton cast iron pot mentions such an origin. Not to mention, the country's home to several large cookware producers, making it a likely source.

Since unraveling Aldi's sourcing network isn't so easy, investigate the cookware industry for better estimates. Consider cast iron production for example; almost half of global manufacturing occurs in China, notes Statista. In the East Asian country, casting tradition traces back thousands of years, with iron production still expanding today. Some noted cast iron brands do manufacture elsewhere: Lodge in Tennessee and Le Creuset in France. However, with Crofton's Asian associations, China's the likely source for products like the trendy Cast Iron Dutch Oven.

Alternatively, with tools like the can opener, garlic press, and peeler part of Crofton's line, there's even less certainty; you also won't find any details regarding their origin. Customers note these product's resemblance to OXO — a company that manufactures in both the U.S. and China. So once again, Aldi's ties point to the East Asian nation, although with no official backing. Some also estimate that Vietnam is home to certain Crofton products; the brand likely sources across varying countries. Ultimately, such a lack of disclosure is right in line with Aldi's no-frills business model, meaning that for giving up production information, you'll catch dependably low prices.