Germany (And The World) Divided By Aldi Nord (North) vs Aldi Süd (South)

Map created by Kyro via WikimediaWhile the Berlin Wall may have fallen nearly 30 years ago, Germany remains a nation divided. But instead of East vs West, the division is between North and South, specifically Aldi Nord vs Aldi Süd.

And in case you were wondering, this is not some sort of regional division. The two companies are legally separate entities that both use the Aldi name.

In Germany, Aldi Nord (HQ: Essen) has slightly more stores at 2,298 in western, northern, and Eastern Germany compared to Aldi Süd’s (HQ: Mülheim) 1,880 stores in western and southern Germany.

The border between their territories in Germany is commonly known as the “Aldi-Äquator” (Aldi equator). East Germany, is almost entirely severed by Aldi Nord, except for one Aldi Süd store in Sonneberg, Thuringia.

Here’s a more detailed map of that Equator:

Map found on reddit

And perhaps even more interesting is that this division carries on to the rest of the world as the map below shows:

Map created by LnG91 via WikimediaGlobally the situation of the two companies is revered compared to the situation in Germany, with Aldi Süd operating more stores (5,760) than Aldi Nord (4,795).

Aldi Nord vs Aldi Süd In Europe

Map created by reddit user Muk_hiar

Aldi Nord has stores in:

• France: 891
• The Netherlands: 491
• United States (As Trader Joe’s): 474
• Belgium: 457
• Spain: 264
• Denmark: 222
• Poland: 124
• Portugal: 48
• Luxembourg: 12

Aldi Süd has stores in:

• United States (trading under the Aldi name): 1,750
• United Kingdom: 762
• Australia: 502
• Austria (Hofer): 480
• Switzerland: 190
• Hungary: 130
• Ireland: 130
• Slovenia: 80
• Italy: 29

Collectively the two companies have 10,555 stores (between all their various brands), employ more than 160,000 people worldwide and have collective revenues of €50 billion annually.

Aldi’s split into Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Süd (South) happened because of a disagreement between the two founding brothers.

Here’s the story in a nutshell:

Origins

• Aldi was founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946, when they took over their mother’s small grocery store in Essen, Germany.
• They pioneered the “no-frills discount supermarket” model: low prices, limited selection, fast checkout, and self-service.
• The name “Aldi” comes from Albrecht + Discount.

The Disagreement (1960)

By 1960, their business had grown to several hundred stores across West Germany.

The brothers had very similar views on frugality and business strategy, but they had one major disagreement:

• Theo Albrecht wanted to keep selling cigarettes in Aldi stores.
• Karl Albrecht opposed cigarette sales, arguing that it would attract shoplifters and cause other security problems.

They could not resolve the dispute, so they decided to split the company in two.

The Division

In 1961, the brothers formally divided Aldi along geographic lines:

• Aldi Nord (North) – run by Theo Albrecht
• Aldi Süd (South) – run by Karl Albrecht

The division line runs roughly along the Ruhr River, splitting Germany into two Aldi “territories.”

Each side kept full control over its own operations, branding, and expansion strategy, though they cooperated on certain things like product sourcing.

How They Differ Today

• Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd look similar, but they operate independently, with slightly different store layouts, product selections, and logos.
• Internationally:
  • Aldi Süd operates Aldi stores in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and much of Europe.
  • Aldi Nord owns Trader Joe’s in the U.S. and operates Aldi stores in France, Spain, Denmark, and Benelux countries.

Why It Worked

The split allowed each brother to run his half exactly how he wanted, preventing further conflict while maintaining the company’s ultra-efficient model.

Even though they are separate, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd together make Aldi one of the largest grocery chains in the world.

And here’s a final map:

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