More than a hundred shoppers flocked to the new Meridian ALDI location on Thursday for its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. The store, which is located in Meridian Crossroads, was built as part of a planned expansion throughout the country.

Sandy Griffith, who arrived about 6:45 a.m. to claim her spot near the front of a line, said she had never shopped at an ALDI before, but she was looking to take advantage of its prices.

“I have a friend who lives three hours away, and she shops at one all the time,” she said. “She told me about the low prices.”

Additionally, Griffith said, she was looking for a more grocery centered shopping experience than some big-box stores provide.

Phil Rhodes, ALDI director of operations, said the grocery retailer’s Meridian location aims  to offer residents another choice for groceries that isn’t a big-box store, and to offer it at an affordable price.

The store, Rhodes said, was stocked with the usual goods such as a variety of meats, produce, breads and more, as well as some regional foods enjoyed throughout the south. The Gulf Coast favorites section, he said, was loaded with Blue Plate mayo, Zatarain’s rice and fish fry, and Tony Chachere’s spice blend.

“Over 90% of our products are what we call ALDI exclusive brands. Those are brands that we benchmark against national brands, and we meet or exceed the tastes and qualities of those products,” Rhodes said. “But we also recognize there are some items that we need to carry that are local to the communities that we service here in the South.”

Thursday’s grand opening came as families throughout the nation wrestle with increased costs and shrinking products. Rhodes said he hoped ALDI’s long-time cost saving methods would help shoppers save compared to other stores.

“Everything we do is designed to keep the prices as low as possible to pass onto our customers,” he said.

Examples of cost-saving measures include the shopping carts, which require a $.25 deposit to use that is refunded when the cart is returned, and asking customers to bag their own groceries, Rhodes said. Those two changes cut down on both labor and supply costs, which ALDI can then pass on to customers through lower prices, he said.

Sherry Madden and Sally Truby said they attended Thursday’s grand opening to support a new local business. The two friends live in Meridian, Truby said, and Meridian needs grocery stores. The two also planned to compare prices to see how ALDI stacked up against the larger big-box stores.

“We want to see what deals they have,” Madden said.

Truby said she had previously shopped at an ALDI location in Tennessee, but it would be Madden’s first time. The friends arrived about 7:30 a.m. with the hope of being part of the first 100 customers, whom the store had previously said would receive a gift.

Although the two women were less than halfway from the back of the line, the card Truby carried said she was number 70.

The Meridian ALDI is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.