Product Ingredients, Formulation & Sourcing FAQs

Product Ingredients & Formulation

Q. How do I know if my ALDI item is GMO or organic?
A. For those looking to avoid genetically engineered (GE) foods, we offer a growing selection of items that are produced with practices that avoid GE ingredients. Shoppers who prefer foods without GE ingredients should look for our products with USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project Verified seals on their packaging, including many products in our Simply Nature line. Please note that the National Organic Program standards do not allow GMOs in the production of organic products.

Q. How do I know if my ALDI item is gluten free?
A. ALDI knows that a lot of our customers have special dietary needs and are looking for clear, easy–to-understand ingredient information on the products we sell. The best way to be certain a product is gluten-free is to look for products with the certified gluten-free seal, like our exclusive liveGfree product line. All of the products in our liveGfree line are required to be certified by an approved organization that verifies each product’s levels of gluten is less than 10 parts per million.

Q. How do I know if my ALDI item contain an animal enzymes or byproducts?
A. We currently do not specify with our suppliers which enzymes should be used in our products. The only product line that we can assure you have no beef or pork traces in is our Earth Grown and Earth Grown Vegan product lines.

Q. Are ALDI products MSG free?
A. We removed certified synthetic colors, added MSG, and partially hydrogenated oils from all of our exclusive brand food products in 2015. These reformulated products are the exact same high-quality and taste shoppers expect from ALDI exclusive brands. Added MSG is an artificial flavor enhancer commonly found in savory foods. It is also considered safe by the FDA, however we have opted to remove added MSG from our products due to customer concerns. It is important to note that MSG also naturally occurs in certain foods, such as tomatoes and cheese.

Q. Is your milk Hormone/rBST-free?
A. Our milk suppliers guarantee that our milk is hormone/rBST-free (recombinant bovine somatotropin).

Q. Does ALDI sell kosher products?
A. ALDI stores stock 1,400 of the most commonly purchased grocery items in the most popular size. Many of these items are kosher-certified through organizations including NY-based Orthodox Union and Circle K. Certifications can be found directly on the packaging.

Q. Does ALDI sell Halal certified products?
A. While there may not be a halal-specific section in our stores, we do stock several items that meet halal requirements. We encourage our customers looking for halal foods to review the ingredients and product information on any of the items they are choosing to ensure the product meets their requirements.

Sourcing

Q. Is your produce sourced locally?
A. To provide the freshest produce possible, ALDI teams up with top growers throughout the US, including local growers.

Q. What type of pesticides are used on your produce?
A. You’ll find the freshest available produce at the lowest possible prices every time you walk into an ALDI store. This includes conventionally grown and organic produce. Our organic produce, including bananas, tomatoes, avocados, apples and salad mixes, are only treated with pesticides derived from natural sources.

Q. Does Aldi carry Cage-Free eggs?
A. We’re committed to the well-being of animals in our supply chain. As part of this commitment, in 2016 we announced our goal to work with our suppliers on transitioning to a shell egg supply chain that is 100% cage-free by 2025. For more information, visit corporate.aldi.us and click on the Corporate Responsibility tab.

Q. How do I know if my ALDI item contains or has the possibility of being cross contaminated with: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat or soybeans?
A. Please know that we comply with all FDA regulations and laws in the United States to ensure the safety of our products. This means that any of the eight major food allergens which are present in a product will be called out on the product label. The FDA also requires strict allergen controls to prevent cross contact for allergens which are not listed on the product label. In addition to FDA regulations, we also work with all of our suppliers to have annual food safety audits from a third party to enforce these programs.

Q. Where does your seafood come from?
A. We’re committed to the principles of responsibility and sustainability in the sourcing of our ALDI exclusive-brand seafood. Our approach is based on sourcing our fish and shellfish products from responsibly managed fisheries and farms that have minimal impacts on the wider marine environment and are committed to human rights and fair labor practices throughout the supply chain. We work with the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to source sustainable seafood. Additionally, Greenpeace USA ranked us in the Top Five on its “Supermarket Seafood Ranking,” which recognizes the seafood sustainability of grocery retailers nationwide.

Please visit https://corporate.aldi.us/en/corporate-responsibility/supply-chain/seafood/ for further information. Our fresh, frozen and canned seafood products that meet sustainability criteria from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) have easy-to-spot seals on the packaging. All of our exclusive brands of fresh, frozen and shelf-stable seafood products have comprehensive labeling that includes the following information:

  • Common and scientific (Latin) name of the fish species
  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) catchment area and gear type used for wild-caught seafood
  • Country of origin for farmed seafood

For wild-caught products, please look at the package to find the FAO catchment area. This location code tells you exactly where the product was caught. Visit the FAO Major Fishing Areas website to browse the FAO fishing areas map.

Q. Is ALDI seafood sustainable?
A. Yes. We work with partners like the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) to source sustainable seafood for our exclusive brands. Our fresh, frozen and canned seafood products that meet sustainability criteria from the Marine Stewardship Counsel (MSC) and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) have easy-to-spot seals on the packaging. Our approach is based on sourcing our fish and shellfish products from responsibly managed fisheries and farms that have minimal impacts on the wider marine environment and are committed to human rights and fair labor practices throughout the supply chain. Please visit https://corporate.aldi.us/en/corporate-responsibility/supply-chain/seafood/ for further information.

Q. Does Aldi carry certified sustainable products?
A. Yes, we do! Please visit https://corporate.aldi.us/en/corporate-responsibility/supply-chain/ to learn more about our sustainability efforts for cocoa, coffee, forestry, palm oil and seafood.

Q. How can I determine the country of origin of a product I purchased?
A. In accordance with US labeling requirements, products made outside of the US have their country of origin clearly stated on the packaging. Products with no listed country of origin are from the US, however, they may contain one or more components made, manufactured or produced outside of the US.