By IRENE CHAPPLE
Progressive Enterprises and Foodstuffs are facing the break-up of their supermarket duopoly, with cut-price operator Aldi expected to enter the market within 18 months.
Speculation over the family-owned German company's intentions has intensified after an interview published in Food Industry Week last month.
Aldi incorporated companies in New Zealand
in 2000 and 2001 and has registered a domain name. However, its Australian group managing director Michael Kloeters said the company had "many other places on the radar" but had not committed itself to entering New Zealand.
The market has also heard rumours the company bid for land in Mt Wellington, but Aldi's property department told the Business Herald there were no instructions on buying New Zealand land.
Kloeters was reported in Food Industry Week as saying registering the domain was to "secure our name in New Zealand". The company has linked the www.aldi.co.nz web address to its Australian website.
Costco, a giant American chain, is also expected to enter New Zealand but it did not answer calls to its Australian wholesale outlet yesterday.
Aldi was founded by German billionaire family the Albrechts Its name stands for Albrecht discounts.
The no-frills outlets generally carry less than 1000 product lines compared with 10,000 to 25,0000 carried by a supermarket, and have minimal staff.
A former senior employer told the Business Herald Aldi's style was to move into markets by stealth rather than with fanfare.
