Aldi is expanding its footprint with a new sneaker line.
Launching on Aug. 23, the grocery store’s latest project is a new unisex “Crane” sneaker. The $13 style features a round-toed silhouette with white uppers, complete with contrasting colored trim for a two-toned appearance. White laces cinch each pair with classic touch, fitting into the style’s goal of being dressed up or down for a range of occasions.
Each shoe is finished with memory foam insoles for added comfort, as well as flat white soles. The line’s sizes range from women’s 6-9 to men’s 9-11, aiming to court a large consumer base. The Crane style also come in an array of colors: its men’s shoe is trimmed in classic black, while the women’s style is available with trim in either a rosy pink or frosty blue palette.
The Crane shoe launch is Aldi’s latest shoe project. The supermarket chain released its first in-house athleisure line in 2021, which expanded to include footwear just two months later. In the years since, the brand has released styles oriented towards versatility and comfort, including all-white sneakers and colorful flat slides.
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Aldi is one of numerous food-focused brands leaning into ready-to-wear and shoe lines to expand its presence. In 2023, restaurant Panera released its own $40 flap-style “BAGuette” clutch handbag that went instantly viral on TikTok, according to Modern Retail. 2017 also found Pizza Hut teaming up with the Shoe Surgeon to drop 64 limited-edition pairs of pizza-themed sneakers, according to Sneaker Freaker.
Various brands have also collaborated with shoe brands on co-branded releases, including Nike’s shoe drops with Momofuku (2017), Kix cereal (2018) and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (2020).
