Organic has long been considered something for higher earners. However, the discounter Aldi Süd has now built up a relatively large organic range. In an interview, sustainability boss Julia Adou talks about the conviction and calculation behind this development.
Sustainability expert Julia Adou joined Aldi Süd in 2008 as “Director of Sustainability”. On the sidelines of the DLD digital conference, she spoke to FOCUS online about why she was particularly interested in a discounter to promote the topic of sustainability and what she is focusing on.
FOCUS Online Earth: An analysis commissioned by SWR last year confirmed that Aldi had the largest organic selection among discounters, with 8.7 percent of all products. A long way?
Julia Adou: The organic journey at ALDI SÜD began 20 years ago. Very small back then with eggs and minced meat. This arose from the awareness that people began to increasingly ask themselves the question of where agricultural products actually come from and what they and their families consume.
This was a very unusual approach for a discounter back then. The discounter principle is to buy items in very large quantities in order to offer customers a particularly low price. But these quantities of organic products were not available and not yet in demand; it was a real niche.
The development work began with building up a certain basic stock of everyday items. Today, our customers can purchase all of their weekly shopping from us in organic quality, with over 1,000 types of items per year.
And was everyone excited about it from the start?
Adou: Of course it was initially a process. One thing is clear: What matters to the buyer is which product he or she can sell the most of in the shortest possible time in order to guarantee the ALDI price for the customers. Of course, our organic products initially sold much more slowly in the store.
What did it take to continue on this path anyway?
Adou: Patience and the early realization that at some point you will need organic farming. As a food retailer, you have to be clear: If we don't take care of soil health, at some point nothing will grow there. It was already foreseeable that this very intensive form of agriculture, which focuses on increasing yields, could not continue to be increased in the long term.
And what did it look like on the consumer side – how do you convince discounter customers of organic?
Adou: The nice thing about the organic topic is that consumers see it as a component of a healthy, conscious diet. It also serves this classic consumer motive: you want to be healthy, you want your family to eat consciously. Organic makes you feel good.
For many people back then, organic was simply too expensive and we made it affordable for the first time. We also see it as our job to support nutrition education. We do this, for example, with our cooperation partner for nutrition education, Acker eV, to promote awareness of healthy eating among children and through our ALDI SÜD nutrition report.
They are strongly linked to this change at Aldi Süd. Why did you decide to start this path with a discounter of all places?
Adou: There probably would have been easier ways. But the impact is much greater across the board. This idea from ALDI SÜD, saying: “In this country, everyone, regardless of income, should have the opportunity to eat more consciously and sustainably,” gave the whole thing a boost. Because many consumers who recognized the issue for themselves simply couldn't afford it in certain organic supermarkets.
This is exactly where we want to start with our organic products and our own brand “Nur Nur Natur”, which is available in the highest organic quality, and make more sustainable nutrition affordable for everyone. Not everyone has the time and resources to make every purchase decision carefully and constantly. Many families, for example, are busy with many other issues.
You also have to differentiate: If a single mother or father doesn't know how he or she gets through the month with the resources available to him or her, then you may have to apply different standards than for a dual-earner family. And here's our approach: we're making it at least a little easier for everyone.
In Germany, debates in the context of sustainability are often conducted in a rather ideological manner, and meat abstinence is one example of this. Will we still be discussing this so heatedly in 10 years?
Adou: The proportion of people in Germany who follow a vegan and vegetarian diet is growing, but currently the significantly larger group is that of flexitarians. This group eats meat in moderation, but perhaps from a higher husbandry. This is a topic that continues to develop: subsequent generations come into contact with these topics much earlier; for example, they grow up with a plant-based diet as a matter of course. At ALDI SÜD we recognized this early on and that is why we already offer 1,200 types of vegan products throughout the year and were awarded the PETA Vegan Award for this last year.
That's the consumer side – how did you experience the development on the producer side, i.e. the farmers?
Adou: This requires development work. Because one thing is clear: you only have lower returns. It takes two years to convert a business. This signal from ALDI SÜD: “Dear organic farmers, you have such a large customer here,” that was a key moment. At some point a carrot farmer called us and said: “Since I have been supplying the organic carrots to ALDI SÜD, I have been able to make a living from them. Before that there were such homeopathic quantities that I wouldn't have been able to keep my business running in the long term.” We are happy to be pioneers here, but it is a task for society as a whole. Everyone has to pull together: customers, retailers, agriculture, suppliers and politics.
It is now the case that German organic farmers can hardly meet the increasing demand for organic products. Bioland boss Plagge has just warned of an increasing shortage of organic raw materials in 2025. What does this mean for Aldi Süd?
Adou: The federal government's goal is to have 30 percent of the area cultivated organically by 2030. The current proportion of organic farms in Germany is just over 14 percent. Of course, we are constantly monitoring availability – and we also have to promote the change.
We are already doing that: In 2023, ALDI SÜD entered into a strategic partnership with Naturland and is thus supporting one of the large organic associations that are internationally positioned and actively advise agricultural businesses on converting to and maintaining organic operations. In this respect, we are also making a contribution to driving the changeover process forward so that there is no critical shortage.
What often receives less attention than the organic label are the emissions from food production. What are you doing here to reduce emissions?
Adou: Together with Naturland, we have launched a funding program for more biodiversity that supports corresponding measures by Naturland farmers. Let me give you an example: If a farmer allows catch crops in the field or leaves hedges, then that is an investment in nature. With every Naturland-labeled product, a certain amount goes into a fund, and farmers who implement measures approved by Naturland receive a subsidy. This means that we specifically reward partners in the chain who actively support biodiversity. In the end, this is an investment in fertile soil.
There are also many other products at Aldi Süd. What are your plans for the future?
Adou: We have around 1,800 basic products in our range plus changing promotional items. Currently, around 15 percent of our standard range is already certified organic and we will continue to expand our own organic brand “Nur Nur Natur”. Our goal is that we ultimately make a contribution to a more conscious, healthier and more sustainable diet.
