Lidl sets US opening date | Progresiv
Lidl will open its first stores in the US on June 15. These form part of its plans to open 20 stores this summer. The retailer is expected to open 100 stores in the first year. 
The first stores to open are located in Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina. These are among the most competitive grocery markets in the US. The stores will be serviced by the retailer’s new distribution centres in Virginia and North Carolina. Over the next year, Lidl plans on opening a further 80 stores, bringing its first-year total to 100 stores. We expect the retailer to maintain a similar pace of store openings initially, developing a portfolio of 200 to 300 stores over the first three years.
Over the longer-term Lidl is expected to build a significant chain of stores in the US. In addition to these initial states, the retailer is also developing stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Georgia and Delaware. It is also reportedly looking for sites in Texas. With a selling area of around 20,000 sq ft, its stores will be larger than others in its global portfolio. This will enable it to offer a wider range of products than usual, including an extensive chilled beer offer and in-store bakeries, to better meet the needs of US shoppers. (www.igd.com)
