The Albrecht family name is linked to Aldi, the German discount retailer divided into Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd by brothers Theo and Karl Albrecht.
The brothers took over their mother’s small grocery business in Essen after World War II and built a discount chain around low prices, limited product ranges, and efficient stores. The name Aldi combines “Albrecht” with “Diskont,” the German word for discount.
A dispute over whether stores should sell cigarettes led to the division of the business around 1960. Theo Albrecht controlled Aldi Nord, while Karl Albrecht controlled Aldi Süd. The two organizations operate separately but share the Aldi name and core discount philosophy.
Aldi is often mistaken for a single globally managed chain. Its stores in different countries may belong to either Aldi Nord or Aldi Süd, depending on the market and historical expansion.