Within the last few years, two international market giants have decided to make a footprint in the Western Branch area.

Aldi and Lidl, both German-owned companies, have expanded or have plans to expand to the Virginia area and nationwide.

In the last year, Aldi has opened two locations in the Western Branch area. The Churchland location, located at 5811 W. High St., opened in December of last year. The Chesapeake Square location at 4107 Portsmouth Blvd. opened in September.

The Chesapeake location encompasses more than 12,800 square feet, while the Churchland location is about 10,000 square feet. Both stores feature four to five aisles and environmentally friendly features such as energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting.

Additionally, 90 percent of the store’s products are exclusive food brands.

“Customers will find fresh meat, bread, dairy, produce and household items at Aldi while saving up to 50 percent on their grocery bill,” Jeff Baehr, Frederick Division vice president, stated in an email.

Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own grocery sacks or to purchase the reusable bags offered at the store. Also, patrons pay a quarter to get a grocery cart, which is refunded once the cart is returned.

The stores are among more than 20 locations statewide, with most located in northern Virginia. Baehr said there are plans to open stores in Williamsburg, Virginia Beach and Newport News soon.

Aldi currently has close to 1,500 stores in 34 states serving more than 30 million customers per month. Baehr added there would be 650 new store locations nationwide within the next four to five years. By the year 2018, the company hopes to have 2,000 stores from coast to coast.

In June 2015, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced that Lidl is investing more than $200 million in Virginia, including $77 million to build the company’s U.S. corporate headquarters in Arlington and $125 million on the regional headquarters and distribution center in Spotsylvania.

In January, the Chesapeake City Council approved a rezoning request to allow Lidl to build a 36,000-square-foot store at 4033 Portsmouth Blvd.

Also, earlier this year, the company proposed building a 33,000-square-foot store near the intersection of Harbour View Boulevard and Early Forte Way.

Lidl currently has more than 10,000 stores in Europe, according to the company’s website.

William Harwood, a Lidl spokesperson, stated in an email, “Our plan is to have our first stores open in the U.S. no later than 2018.”

“Our philosophy is simple: we are focused on offering customers top-quality products at the most competitive pricing in the most convenient locations,” Brendan Proctor, president and chief executive officer of Lidl US, stated in a press release.

“We plan to build on the foundation that has made Lidl so successful in Europe, while creating a unique experience for American consumers that will be unlike anything else in the market.”