Why Aldi Products Aren't Always Available At Every Store

German grocery chain Aldi has definitely made its mark in the United States, as the fastest-growing supermarket outfit in the U.S. Aside from its super-cheap prices on groceries — especially in its meat department — the middle aisles of each store are dedicated to weekly Aldi Finds. But some people have complained that their locations frequently don't seem to get certain Finds at all. So why aren't these products available in every store?

According to one Redditor: What a store gets depends on several factors such as the size of the store, how much traffic it gets, where it's located[,] and past sales." So, if your store is smaller and less busy overall than more bustling locations — like the world's biggest Aldi in Germany — the company might opt not to send certain Finds your way. This is especially true if Aldi receives fewer units of a product than is typical, meaning the items get earmarked for the busier locations.

But there is also the possibility that the Aldi Find on which you had your heart set was the object of so many others' desire, too — and you just didn't act fast enough. These weekly deals often cause such excitement that Aldi Finds tend to sell out quickly, sometimes before people even get a chance to see them. And unfortunately, since they're not everyday products, there is no rapid restock — nor any restock at all, in some cases.

There's a lack of surety that comes with every Aldi Wednesday, especially if you've been burned in the past by your store's dearth of certain Finds. And since Aldi famously doesn't post individual stores' phone numbers (it's to help keep staffing numbers at a minimum, because fielding customer calls could likely be a job in itself), there's no way to call in and find out if a specific item is currently in stock or not. So you'll have to actually head inside the stores to see for yourself. However, many Aldi stores actually start putting out their Finds the night before (and some even put them out on Monday). If you live close enough, make a trip inside on Monday evening and then Tuesday to see which day the staff begins loading shelves with Finds.

If it's not convenient to start visiting your closest Aldi location potentially multiple times a week, there's another way to check if your store received a specific Find without setting foot inside. Aldi was an early partner with Instacart, and in addition to all the grocery items, some Finds are also visible in the app (excepting very large ones, like patio furniture sets). Browse the category, and you might just see if the product you have your eye on is in stock. Further, sometimes Aldi Finds are delayed by a few days, and this is a smart way to monitor that situation without having to make multiple reconnaissance trips.