Aldi to create 200 jobs and launch six Scots stores
● Supermarket reveals launch of £25m Bathgate facility this April
Discount supermarket Aldi has unveiled plans to open a further six Scottish stores in 2020 as it creates up to 200 jobs.
Two of the new stores will be in Glasgow, on Crown Street in the Gorbals and Gallowgate in Parkhead, with one set to open shortly on Commercial Street in Edinburgh.
The others will be based on Rigg Street in Stewarton, Houstoun Road in Livingston, and Gateside Commercial Park in Haddington.
The latest announcement comes as the discount supermarket also revealed that its new £25 million storage and chill facility in Bathgate is set to be fully operational by the end of April.
It is expecting to create an estimated 200 jobs from the Bathgate facility and six new outlets combined, which would take the total number of staff employed by Aldi in Scotland to around 2,800 by the end of 2020.
Aldi’s Project Fresh programme will also continue throughout 2020, bringing investment in a further six store upgrades.
Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Aldi opening its first store in Scotland.
Richard Holloway, regional managing director for Scotland, said: “This is an exciting time for Aldi as we look ahead to 2020 and plan for the next 25 years in Scotland.
“Our new state-of-the-art storage and chill facility will be fully operational by the end of April, which will aid our expansion across Scotland while allowing us to increase the range of Scottish products available on our shelves.
“For several years Aldi has led the way with local sourcing, and we see Scotland as a keyareaofgrowthforthebusiness.”
The German retailer, which has swelled to operate 840 branches across the UK, posted an 11 per cent surge in UK annual sales to £11.3 billion in September. However, Aldi, which opened its first British store in 1990, saw its operating profits fall 26 per cent to £197.9 million in the 2018 full year on the back of significant investment. At the pre-tax level, profits were down 18 per cent at £182.2m.
The group said it is looking to create some 5,000 jobs over the next two years as it pushes ahead with its ambitious UK expansion plans.
“For several years Aldi has led the way with local sourcing, and we see Scotland as a key area of growth for the business”
RICHARD HOLLOWAY