Aldi has officially joined the online grocery delivery space in Australia, marking a major shift in its competitive strategy. Partnering with DoorDash, the supermarket will begin offering home delivery this week in Canberra, with plans to expand nationally in the coming months.
More than 1,800 everyday grocery items will be available for delivery through the platform, including fresh produce, meat, seafood, dairy, bakery goods, and essential household items. This move positions Aldi to challenge Woolworths and Coles in the fast-growing online grocery sector, which now accounts for nearly 11% of the total grocery market.
While Woolworths and Coles have built extensive delivery and click-and-collect systems over recent years, Aldi has maintained a leaner model. Its entry into the delivery space signals an effort to capture market share without compromising its low-cost strategy. Aldi’s decision to outsource delivery operations to DoorDash allows it to avoid building its own costly logistics infrastructure, keeping overheads low.
This partnership follows a similar approach Aldi took in the United States, where its DoorDash delivery service began in 2023. The initiative there saw strong demand and quickly expanded to cover most regions. However, not all international ventures have been as successful. In the UK, a trial with Deliveroo ended in 2022, highlighting the risks of relying on third-party delivery platforms.
Aldi’s strategy reflects a broader shift in the retail sector, where convenience and digital accessibility are becoming key drivers of consumer behaviour. While Aldi’s core focus remains in-store value and simplicity, offering delivery services gives customers greater flexibility. It also enables Aldi to meet the expectations of modern shoppers without fundamentally altering its business model.
Building its own delivery system has long been off the table for Aldi. The company has previously stated that doing so would increase costs that would ultimately fall on consumers, contradicting its commitment to low prices. By working with DoorDash, Aldi offers a delivery option that supports its value-driven approach while limiting capital investment.
Prices for items ordered through DoorDash will be slightly higher than in-store due to additional service and delivery fees. However, Aldi maintains that even with these charges, its products will remain competitively priced against rival supermarkets. The base pricing advantage is expected to appeal to online shoppers looking for both affordability and convenience.
DoorDash anticipates that the new service could generate between 20 and 50 extra orders per store each day. Aldi is monitoring initial uptake in Canberra closely and will base the speed of its national rollout on consumer demand.
This latest development comes at a time when online grocery shopping continues to grow rapidly in Australia. Woolworths and Coles reported year-on-year online sales increases of 20% and 22.6% respectively, outpacing their in-store performance. Aldi’s entrance into this space is expected to intensify competition and give price-conscious consumers more choice.
As Aldi prepares to scale its delivery service nationwide, it remains committed to its core promise of offering quality products at lower prices. By leveraging the reach and technology of DoorDash, Aldi is taking a practical route to meet changing consumer preferences while staying true to its brand.
This move signals a significant evolution in the retailer’s Australian operations and could reshape how budget-focused consumers access groceries. If successful, it will allow Aldi to close the digital gap with larger rivals while maintaining its hallmark simplicity and value.
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