Discount grocer ALDI is considered the nation’s low-price grocery leader for the fourth year in a row, beating competitors Costco, Walmart and Trader Joe’s.

Locally there is an ALDI store at 190 W. Lincoln Highway in Exton, with other area stores in Pottstown and Norristown.

Chicago Business Journal recently reported ALDI is launching an aggressive expansion campaign.  There are now about 1,300 stores in 32 states and ALDI plans to add 650 new stores in the next 5 years.  Read  CBJ’s brief here

Just recently ALDI announced it is plugging into the lucrative gluten-free market with its exclusive gluten-free brand “LiveGfree.”  The line features 17 items including bread, pasta, pretzel, cookies, brownie mix and granola.

Although gluten-free items can be quite expensive, ALDI continues to market itself as a grocer that provides consumers with high quality products at the lowest possible prices.

The online journal Food Navigator predicted gluten-free products would be on the rise in 2014.

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness says those with Celiac disease or acute gluten sensitivity once had to special-order gluten-free foods from Canada. Today the foundation says gluten-free food is now a $20 billion market.