Aldi has announced that it plans to increase the amount of food and drink it buys from British suppliers by £3.5bn annually within the next five years.
The move is part of the discounter’s ongoing expansion in the UK, which includes an investment of £500m in new and upgraded stores, distribution centres and its supply chain during 2021.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer at Aldi UK, said: “We are expecting significant sales growth in 2021 as we open new stores and bring Aldi to more locations across the UK. With the vast majority of our grocery products now coming from British suppliers, our growth will lead to additional jobs and investment in our UK supply chain.”
Aldi claimed its sourcing pledge will help hundreds of small British businesses continue to grow with the 900-strong chain. It also confirmed that the immediate payment scheme for small suppliers it introduced at the start of the coronavirus pandemic will be extended until the end of 2021.
NAM Implications:
- No reason to doubt Aldi’s UK ambitions…
- …therefore the opportunities lie in finding and securing a slice of the action.
