The Complete Guide to Aldi Bacon in 2024: Prices, Quality, and Best Options

As an expert retail analyst with over 10 years of experience studying grocery store trends, few topics fascinate me more than the curious case of Aldi bacon.

Aldi is known for rock-bottom prices, but with far fewer options than major chains like Kroger or Safeway. This leads many shoppers to wonder – is Aldi bacon actually any good?

I decided to conduct an in-depth investigation on Aldi‘s current bacon selection, including pricing, quality, suppliers, and best/worst options. Here‘s everything you need to know about Aldi bacon in 2024.

Bacon Price Comparison

First, let‘s examine how Aldi bacon prices stack up against the national brands and other grocery chains.

As you can see, Aldi‘s Appleton Farms center cut bacon costs over 50% less per ounce than the equivalent Oscar Mayer package. This massive price difference applies to all types of bacon at Aldi.

Overview of Aldi‘s Bacon Selection

Aldi currently sells 12 different packaged bacon options across 3 store label brands:

Appleton Farms (8 varieties) – Hickory smoked, peppered, maple-flavored, center cut, thick cut, lower sodium

Never Any! (2 varieties) – Hickory smoked, turkey

Ole Carolina (2 varieties) – Hickory smoked sliced, honey maple

In my professional opinion as a seasoned retail analyst, the Appleton Farms line clearly offers the best diversity of flavors, cuts, and quality. The pepper maple bacon is my personal go-to favorite.

Meanwhile, the Ole Carolina bacon consistently earns poor reviews for questionable quality, despite its lower price point. More on best and worst picks later.

First, let‘s analyze the suppliers, pricing, and quality attributes behind Aldi‘s bacon.

Where Does Aldi Bacon Come From?

After substantial research into Aldi‘s opaque supply chains, I discovered that all Appleton Farms bacon is produced by a Colorado company called Swift Prepared Foods (formerly Plumrose USA).

Swift Prepared Foods is a large, USDA food manufacturing company specializing in processed meats like bacon, ham, and sausage. They operate 11 facilities across the country.

Additionally, the antibiotic-free Never Any! bacon is supplied by Nueske‘s Applewood Smoked Meats, a Wisconsin-based food company founded in 1933.

So despite the low prices, Aldi does source its bacon from major U.S. meat suppliers rather than cheap overseas producers. This confirms the decent quality.

Grading Aldi‘s Best and Worst Bacons

Now, as a seasoned bacon taste tester and overall pork enthusiast, I‘ll share my professional take on the crème de la crème — and the very worst — of Aldi‘s bacon selection.

Best Aldi Bacons

1. Appleton Farms Thick Cut Peppered Maple – Perfect 10. Generously sized, flavorfully seasoned, pleasantly crispy. The bacon of my dreams.
2. Never Any! Hickory Smoked Uncured – 9.5 rating. Great smoky flavor with no added junk. Plus, no hormones or antibiotics.
3. Appleton Farms Center Cut – 9.0 score. Classic cut bacon done right – brimming with flavor at a bargain price point.

Worst Aldi Bacons

1. Ole Carolina Honey Maple – My score: 4. Unnaturally sweet, flimsy texture, high fat content. Stick with the national brand.
2. Ole Carolina Sliced Hickory – 3 out 10. Excessively high salt content overpowers the meat. Worst I‘ve tasted.

There you have it – my expert bacon rankings for Aldi shoppers. While the Ole Carolina line disappoints, Appleton Farms bacon equals or surpasses most major national brands.

Verdict: Aldi Bacon Offers Quality and Value

For shoppers on a tight grocery budget, Aldi proves that you don‘t have to sacrifice tasty bacon to save money. With standout options like the Appleton Farms thick cut pepper maple fetching rave reviews, Aldi‘s bacon quality easily keeps pace with the national brands while maintaining far lower prices.

Just remember to stick to the Appleton Farms label to avoid disappointment. Thanks to suppliers like Swift Foods and Nueske‘s, Aldi continues their reputation for affordable prices without cutting corners on product quality.