Not All Aldis Have In-Store Bakeries. Here's How To Tell If Yours Does

Aldi brings joy to its customers with its prices that are hard to argue with, a no frills store layout, and high quality products. This German supermarket branched out from Europe a long time ago, and has since made its way to 18 countries globally. With over 2,200 stores in the U.S alone , and the plan to add another 800 by 2028, Aldi's popularity is clear. If you're a fan of Aldi, one of its selling points might be its wide range of bakery items.

But not all stores are the same; some have an in-store bakery, while others only sell pre-baked goods. Expecting to buy a warm, freshly baked bread loaf, only to have to settle for something prepackaged can be avoided by looking out for two things. Firstly, keep an eye out for a glass display window where you can bag your own baked goods. Secondly, watch for a sign that says, "Oven Fresh Bake Shop". This means that the bread, sweets and all other items in this section are baked daily in store.

Apart from spotting an in-store bakery once you're in Aldi, it's hard to know which stores have freshly baked goods before stepping inside. There is an unofficial list on Reddit, although some users have said that some of the information is outdated. It seems that U.S. shoppers are lucky to have Aldi's in-store bakeries at all, since the bakery expansion started as a test to gauge customer interest in freshly baked goods. As of 2023, customers that are located in Virginia, Maryland, Wisconsin, or Illinois  might have some luck finding an Aldi in-store bakery. 

There have also been unofficial claims of Aldis bakeries being a competitive approach to match its rival, Lidl, and its bakery section. Lidl has a similar approach to prices, products, and store layouts, and is Aldi's biggest competitor. It's no coincidence that Aldi tested some of it's in-store bakeries on the East Coast, where Lidl was doing the same. Outside of the U.S, it's also not guaranteed that every Aldi store bakes its goods in store, but a Lidl store close by might be a good sign that it does.