Aldi, a grocery store chain focused on both affordable prices and healthy options, has opened its fifth location here in the Bronx. Although Aldi already has multiple locations in the Bronx, its newest is conveniently located just off Fordham Plaza, a commercial hotspot that allows easy access to all those interested in a healthy meal.

Aldi’s position allows it to reach multiple markets such as university students, off boarding train passengers and, of course, locals. Ethan Rule, FCRH ’28, said, “It’s brand new, there’s no long lines, it has a variety of food, so it looks like I’m going to be in and out.” 

However, what makes the newest Aldi unique is not the quantity of options but the quality of them. Although the Bronx is in a place of seemingly endless resources, it has been deemed a food desert, with 39% of adults in the Bronx reporting being “always, usually or sometimes” concerned about being able to afford healthy food. The statewide average is 24.9%. While there is another Aldi farther down Third Ave., it does not share the number of fresh foods that this specific Aldi does.

As well as giving the people of the Bronx more grocery store options, this Aldi is already seeing some traffic from local students, as its convenient location next to the university allows quick trips to the store between classes. “It’s compatible for dormers because you don’t have to worry about traveling to other boroughs for fresh food,” said John Collins, FCRH ’26. 

The bigger question that the opening of this grocery store poses is if this is merely an outlier or a sign of a larger trend on its way into the borough. Antonio Zimmerman, a security guard at Aldi, said they “expect it to get much more popular as the weeks go by.”

The Bronx may be an energetic place, and how it is fed directly contributes to its environment. Aldi may only be one single store, but its affordability and healthy food options may contribute to a larger trend of fighting the food desert in the Bronx while still being a viable option to locals. If you’re in need of a fresh diet change, visit the Aldi on Third Ave. and 189th St., and you will certainly have enough energy to keep up with the Bronx.