BATAVIA, ILL. — Discount grocery retailer Aldi is planning a new product expansion with a focus on fresh, organic and easy-to-prepare items. The company said 20% of products in its stores will be new compared to last year.

New products will include more ready-to-cook and organic fresh meats, such as organic chicken breasts and marinated cilantro lime chicken breasts, an expanded produce selection featuring vegetable noodles and ready-to-eat sliced fruits, and new vegan and vegetarian options such as kale and quinoa crunch burgers and chickenless patties and tenders. Aldi also plans to add more baked foods, including white and whole wheat pita bread, sourdough loaves and gluten-free bagels, single-serve guacamole, organic hummus and salsa, refrigerated beverages such as strawberry kefir and kombucha, and meal starters including quinoa bowls, premium pasta sauces and meatless hot dogs and sausages.

Aldi has committed to investing more than $5 billion to remodel and expand its store count to 2,500 by the end of 2022. Currently, the company has more than 1,800 stores and is more than halfway through its remodel investment. The new store layout includes additional refrigeration to accommodate more fresh and convenient products. Aldi said it is increasing its fresh food selection by 40% with the new items.

“The continued success of our store expansion and remodel initiatives has given us the opportunity to carefully select and introduce new products that satisfy our customers' increasing preferences for fresh items, including organic meats, salad bowls, sliced fruits and gourmet cheeses,” said Jason Hart, chief executive officer of Aldi U.S. “We know people lead busy lives, so we’re making it even easier for them to purchase everything on their shopping list at Aldi, while still saving money.”