Aldi Sells Trader Joe's Products – Just Not In The States

When it comes to the shopping experience, Aldi and Trader Joe's couldn't be more different. The former offers stripped-down environs, with no music, no bagging help, and coin-operated grocery carts. Meanwhile, Trader Joe's invokes an immediate jolly mood, bolstered by charming, colorful decor, friendly service, and a range of intriguing products. By way of shared European origins, both are great for building an affordable charcuterie board, but not much more overlap is expected.

Surprising then that some Aldi customers are finding loads of Trader Joe's products stocked on shelves. The catch? These Aldi locations are in Europe. An Instagram post from Spain showcases TJ's branded nut mixes, cookies, and even burger buns. Meanwhile, Portuguese Redditors uncovered Trader Joe's products like jarred hot dogs, but you can also find things like canned baked beans and bagels. And another Reddit thread in Germany even highlights a TJ's pizza-flavored donut that looks suspiciously like a bagel. Many of such offerings come on a stars and stripes background, alluding to American origins – Trader Joe's only operates in the U.S., after all. Furthermore, there's no documented evidence of such a crossover occurring outside of Europe. Instead, the two companies' fascinating shared history helps explain such a retail find.

There's an unexpected connection between Trader Joe's and Aldi, with the now separately operated retailers originally started by two feuding brothers, Karl and Theo Albrecht. Following a business direction divergence in 1961, Karl helmed Aldi Süd — which operates American Aldi locations today — while Theo took over Aldi Nord, which now runs Trader Joe's in the U.S. In America, Aldi is generally more affordable than Trader Joe's, but the two retailers conduct business differently in Europe.

Intriguingly, both Aldi Nord and Süd run under similar (yet distinctly colored) logos, with a presence delineated by European region. Both offer budget-minded groceries, with different production selections, yet also coordinated initiatives. Aldi Nord's domain — France, Portugal, Spain, Northern Germany, among others — is precisely where Trader Joe's products surface, since TJ's is essentially an American offshoot of the company. Meanwhile, Aldi Süd continues to operate unaffiliated both in Europe and the U.S, hence why you won't find a TJ's snack at the beloved budget retailer.