Aldi is launching its first collection of ready-made meals. The seven-meal lineup begins rolling out in select markets in early October and will be available nationwide by January 2027.
The collection includes five single-serve meals priced under $8 and two family-size meals under $15. The discount grocer cited research showing 61 percent of Americans say convenience is a top purchase consideration.
The fresh meals are made with ingredients such as chicken breast, smoked beef brisket, real cheeses and made-from-scratch sauces, and deliver 30 to 46 grams of protein per single-serve meal and 16 to 22 grams per family-size serving.
“Our shoppers are looking for meals that fit into busy lives without sacrificing quality or stretching their budgets,” said Joan Kavanaugh, VP of national buying at Aldi U.S., Batavia, Illinois. “That’s why we were thoughtful about how we entered this category.
“We’re evolving to meet our shoppers where they are by delivering fresh ingredients, great flavor and unbeatable value that they can always expect from Aldi,” she added.
Seven meals at launch, more monthly
Single-serve options include Beef Bolognese Spaghetti, Beef Brisket with White Mac & Cheese, Butter Chicken & Rice, Chicken Burrito Bowl and Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. Family-size meals are Chicken and Bacon Mac n’ Cheese and Meat Lovers Pizza Bake.
The single-serve meals are under $8, while family-size meals are under $15. They will merchandised in the refrigerated meals section near the front entrance of the store.
Beyond the initial collection, new meals will hit the “Aldi Finds” shelves every month throughout the next year.
The meals are produced by supplier Kitchen Food Company.
“We tested hundreds of recipes as we developed this collection, with quality as our top standard from the very beginning,” said Terry Jackson, head of food at Kitchen Food Company. “We want every meal to hit the mark on bold flavor and stand out ingredients, so even when time is short, shoppers can still look forward to what’s on the table.”
Related: Aldi Report: Shoppers Save $10.2 Billion Annually At Its U.S. Stores