Citation
Bare Essentials: The Aldi Way of Retailing
TL;DR
Aldi operates with 300-600 SKUs vs. 30,000+ at traditional supermarkets
Insider account by a former Aldi executive documenting the extreme simplification that enabled Aldi's success: 300-600 SKUs, 90% private label, no-frills operations. The book reveals how constraints (post-war scarcity) drove innovation.
This source supports the chapter's Aldi case study, showing how the company's model emerged from environmental necessity rather than deliberate strategy - true convergent evolution driven by selection pressure.
Key Findings from Brandes (1998)
- Aldi operates with 300-600 SKUs vs. 30,000+ at traditional supermarkets
- 90% private label eliminates brand rents and advertising costs
- No-frills operations (products in shipping cartons, no bags) minimize overhead
- Model emerged from post-war scarcity constraints