The basics:

• Aldi‘s Quarter Club will select 25 superfans for a free grocery promo
• Winners receive $1,700 gift cards, exclusive event invites, custom merchandise
• Applicants must submit a short essay and up to two photos by Aug. 29
• Aldi continues expanding in the U.S., including 64 stores in New Jersey

Discount supermarket chain Aldi is giving away free groceries for a year to its most loyal customers.

As part of  its new Aldi Quarter Club announced Aug. 25, a special group of 25 chosen superfans will receive several prizes, including:

• A year’s worth of free groceries in the form of a $1,700 Aldi gift card
• An invite to a members-only event in Aldi’s hometown of Batavia, Ill.
• A custom varsity-style Quarter Club jacket and other merch
• The chance to feature on the company’s social media channels

According to the no-frills grocer, the $1,700 gift card amount is based on its own findings that a family of four spends an average of $6,759 a year when purchasing Aldi private label products.

To enter the contest, visit ALDIQuarterClub.com through Aug. 29 at 11:59 p.m. Entrants must answer:

“What is the boldest move you’ve made in the name of Aldi that sets you apart as a Super Fan?”

Entries must be 200 words or fewer and include up to two photos. Additionally, applicants must be at least 18 years old to enter, according to Aldi.

Aldi said it will reveal the inaugural Quarter Club class later this year.

‘It’s a way of life’

In a Aug. 25 press release announcing the effort, Aldi Chief Operating Officer Dave Rinaldo said, “Our fans are a key part in fueling Aldi growth – and they’re a huge, special part of the ALDI story. Their passion goes well beyond grocery shopping, it’s a way of life.”

“We’ve earned their dedication by providing the best value, award-winning products and the most efficient shopping experience, and they have embraced it all. The Aldi Quarter Club is our way of honoring that loyalty and deepening our connection with those who have helped shape Aldi into what it is today,” he said.

Aldi noted that the Quarter Club’s name is a nod to the quarters needed to unlock a shopping cart at the store. That system is one of many ways the grocer tries to help customers save an average of 36% per trip, it said.

Founded 64 years ago in Germany, Aldi is known for its low prices and private label brands. Since its U.S. debut in 1976, the brand has opened nearly 2,400 stores in 40 states.

As part of a $3.4 billion initiative to expand its footprint and modernize its existing stores, Aldi has grown its presence across New Jersey by building new locations as well as revamping old ones over the past five years.

It currently has 64 stores locally.

In March 2024, the company also announced it will invest $9 billion to add 800 new stores across the U.S. Rolling out over the next four years, about 330 of those supermarkets will open in the Northeast and Midwest.