Aldi (stylized as ALDI) is a leading global discount supermarket chain with over 10,000 stores in 18 countries, and an estimated turnover of more than €50bn. Based in Germany, the chain was founded by brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht in 1946 when they took over their father's store in Essen which had been in operation since 1913; it is one of the world's largest privately owned companies.