Aldi to hire 8,000 in latest investment plan

Discount supermarket chain Aldi has revealed an ambitious plan to invest £600m in its UK presence and hire thousands of new staff.

As part of a two-year investment strategy, the company is hoping to open 130 new stores and increase its workforce in the UK to 35k by taking on an additional 8,000 employees.

The supermarket’s joint managing director of corporate buying, Tony Baines, said: “Since we opened our doors in the UK in April 1990, we’ve worked hard to establish British roots, sourcing locally where possible and building long-term relationships with British suppliers.”

According to Sky News, in April the German company became the sixth biggest supermarket in the UK, overtaking Waitrose to the position and commanding a 5.3% share of the market.

This year has also seen the launch of Aldi’s campaign as an official partner of Team GB, ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The partnership has seen the supermarket recruit six Team GB athletes.

Aldi’s Tony Baines continued: “The partnership with Team GB […] epitomises the spirit of teamwork that is at the heart of how we give customers what they want and respect what matters most to them.”