Famila is an upscale, very inviting grocery store, but more than just groceries. It has within a…read morenail studio, bakery, coffee shop, bottle redemption center, and several other services likely to appeal to the local shopper. The food aisles are extraordinarily well stocked and faced, and the selections are quite varied. There are products from all over Europe, and even some from Africa, mostly warm-weather produce. Prices are not as high as one might expect for such an upscale store. We will be doing a major grocery shopping trip in a week or so, and plan to come here to enjoy the tremendous selection of available products. I would not hesitate to recommend this store to anyone. It does not disappoint in any way.

This particular Aldi is located contiguous with a Zimmerman, which is a low-end discount store. Not…read morethe best of company, by any means, but the low rent district allows for lower pricing. The store is not impressive. It's a bit drab in decor, but very clean and neat nonetheless. My wife and I did some shopping here, and I found the prices to be quite good. The Specials are terrific. For example, I bought a six-pack of half-liter Maternus pilsner beer for 1.69 Euros. Each Euro is worth $1.09 today, so that is an exceptional bargain. Prices on everyday items are quite good here, as well. The freezer cases were not super well stocked, but I suppose the store manager knows best what sells and what doesn't. The shelves were fairly bursting with inventory, and quite well faced up. Many Trader Joe's branded items were present on the shelves (TJ being a corporate sibling). Plenty of wine, but no Two-Buck Chuck. My main interest was to see this store in advance of seeing the Aldi which is opening in Chula Vista. It will be nice to compare and contrast.

We needed to stock up a sizeable fridge upon arriving in Wildeshausen. My wife, the German…read moresuggested Edeka Center on Westring Strasse. Wisely, I deferred to her wisdom. Whoa, this is a serious supermarket ! Although the trend is downsizing, illustrated by smaller Trader Joe's and Aldi stores in the USA, and Walmart's Neighborhood Markets, this Edeka is enormous, probably over 50,000 square feet. A Trader Joe's would fit in a corner, literally. In addition to size, Edeka has focus: You will not find aisle after aisle of greeting cards or cosmetics here, just food and household products. The variety of food overwhelmed this San Diegan, who is used to perusing the staid inventories of Vons and Ralph's. Examples come to mind: Wines and beers from literally every country in Europe, as well as many from the States, Australia/NZ and elsewhere, and the mind-boggling diversity of meats, cold cuts, and cheeses. You can even taste cream cheeses, since the selection is far beyond normal expectations. And breads? The decisions are agonizing, made even more difficult by the existence of the onsite bakery. Food prices are rather low in Germany, and I'm sure a competent economist could explain why. I certainly can't. I'm not complaining ! I noticed that the shopping carts were neatly arranged in their kiosk, rather than scattered all around the parking lot. Come to find out, they are all chained together, but a deposit of a One Euro coin will unlock one cart. Returning it to the kiosk and locking it releases the coin. Smart, these Germans. My wife mentioned that one of the things she misses most is shopping at Edeka. I get it now.

This Netto is not too far away from the Netto location in Papenburg but it is far superior. The…read morebottle return is on your right as you enter. There is a recycling center on the left where you can recycle paper, cardboard, plastic and batteries, which is convenient. I like this location because service is very friendly, like unusually friendly. Almost everyone who works there is very pleasant. There is a decent selection of glass-bottled beer, not the plastic beer you'll find at other discount chains. The last time I was there, they had Ben & Jerry's ice cream - multiple flavors! What a pleasant surprise! This location is also quieter and less crowded than the Papenburg location which is why I prefer it.