Supermarket chain Aldi are set to open three new stores across the north of Scotland before the end of the year.
Aldi have given the go ahead and open new stores in Peterhead, Aviemore and Fort William.
Work to bring an Aldi to Peterhead was first mooted more than a decade ago, and last month a former block of flats where the new store will be built was finally brought to the ground.
And bosses now believe that the supermarket could open its doors by October.
The Kirkburn Mill site shop will create 20 new jobs for the town and bring a cash injection of about £2.5million to the local economy.
Aviemore will create up to 15 new jobs, while Fort William will have as many as 20 employees.
Aldi’s neighbours at Fort William’s new retail park – M&S Food and Home Bargains discount store- are already open after extensive work and a new roundabout.
In Aviemore, the store is going into a development off Grampian Road that will also include a Home Bargains.
Last night, Richard Holloway, the firm’s managing director in Scotland, said: “Our sales and customer numbers are growing in Scotland, and there’s demand for new Aldi stores throughout the country.
“Our growing customer base knows that when they shop at Aldi they are buying the best value and best quality products possible, and that we are always working to increase the number of Scottish-sourced products we sell.
“In addition to creating new jobs, our new stores increase Aldi’s footprint across the country and enable even more customers to switch to Aldi for their weekly shop.”
Peterhead MSP Stewart Stevenson has hailed the arrival of the brand to the town.
“The north-east has been badly hit by the oil and gas downturn and this will be a much-needed boost for the local economy and the jobs market as well,” he said.
“I wish Aldi every success during the construction phase and look forward to seeing how it all comes together in the future.”