Roman Rasinger

A strategic operator and brand builder, Roman Rasinger makes his Power List debut in 2026 for transforming Aldi China from a premium player into one of the country's most-talked-about value retailers.

Rasinger has spent his entire career inside the Aldi system, starting as area manager and buying director in Austria, progressing to group buying director at Hofer KG, then head of commercial at Aldi Hungary. In 2021, he moved to Shanghai as managing director of Aldi China. In 2025, he was elevated to chief commercial officer and appointed to Aldi China's National Board in recognition of the significant brand equity he built in the mainland over four years.

He has been instrumental in the commercial turnaround of the brand in China. Over 80% of Aldi China's products are sourced directly from local Chinese suppliers, helping the brand move away from its imported-goods premium image. The business has pursued aggressive expansion, with the chain celebrating its 100th store in early 2026, opening three locations simultaneously in Zhenjiang and Shanghai Minhang, achieving in one year what had previously taken six.

He recognised that for the brand to grow in an emerging market, it needed repositioning into a more accessible segment. Aldi in Shanghai carried a perception problem, globally a value retailer, locally read as slightly premium, with foot traffic below comparable mid-sized supermarkets. 

He pushed to close the gap and launched a full marketing plan to anchor Aldi's "Good Quality, Truly Low Prices" identity across the city. The centrepiece was Aldi Essentials, a line of everyday basics at the lowest prices in Shanghai, built around a design language that was deliberately simple, bold, and immediately recognisable. The launch spread organically across RedNote, where the packaging went viral and products sold out within a day.

Running alongside this was the overhaul of Aldi China's private label portfolio, which was consolidated down to 13 core brands spanning 2,000 products. In 2025, private label sales made up a significant share of the brand's revenue, with strong year-on-year growth. 

The simplification sharpened the in-store experience, concentrated marketing and supply chain effort behind the strongest lines, and accelerated speed to market. He has been fundamental to the brand's turnaround, making it a benchmark for private-label retail through fast strategic execution and strong commercial results.