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Tuesday, August 3, 2010

In Some Ways It's Still All About the Reformation

A Secretive Family's Success: What Makes the Aldi Discount Empire Tick - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International
In 1961, Karl and Theo separated their spheres of retail influence into Aldi South and Aldi North. The dividing line separates a more sober, poorer and Protestant north from a pleasure-loving, wealthy and Catholic south. The difference can even be seen on the supermarket shelves. Aldi North stores exude spartan sobriety, while Aldi South sells such delicacies as vitello tonnato, an Italian veal dish.
My house is very much an Aldi house.  I also thought this was interesting:
After he [Aldi founder Theo Albrecht] was kidnapped and held for 17 days in 1971, he led a withdrawn life and refrained from giving interviews or appearing at public functions or being photographed. But years after the kidnapping, he went to court to try to get a tax rebate for the ransom payment. His request was denied.

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