They will pool their ownership into a single foundation in which both branches of the family will hold an equal stake, the discount supermarket chain announced on Monday evening.
Aldi was born when brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht took over the grocery store from their parents following World War II. In the early 1960s, following a dispute over the sale of cigarettes, they had decided to go their separate ways with two independent bands. They had then divided Germany into a northern part and a southern part, Theo continuing his activities with Aldi Nord, his brother under the Aldi Süd brand.
It is within Aldi Nord that a power struggle has been taking place for years between the families of Theo Albrecht’s sons: Theo and Berthold. The heirs have now decided to bury the hatchet. Aldi Nord will be integrated into a single holding company, with the two families taking equal control. They put an end to all their legal disputes.
Together, Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd have more than 11,000 stores worldwide. Those located in Belgium fall under Aldi Nord.