What does the name Aldi abbreviate in the German retail chain Aldi?

Aldi abbreviates Albrecht Diskont, meaning “Albrecht Discount.”

The name refers to brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht, whose family grocery business developed into the Aldi chain. The first Aldi stores using the shortened name opened in Germany in 1962, after the brothers divided the business into Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd.

Aldi’s model emphasized a limited product range, low prices, efficient stores, and a high proportion of private-label goods. That approach helped the chain expand beyond Germany into markets including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.

Aldi is not an acronym for “Albert Discount,” although that mistaken expansion is plausible because the company’s name resembles a personal abbreviation. The original family surname is Albrecht, and “Diskont” is the German word for discount.