Lidl Northern Ireland has selected a batch of 13 producers to join its Kickstart Supplier Development Programme.
Since the launch of the initiative in 2017, the discounter has invested more than £2m in local suppliers and facilitated export opportunities through Lidl’s international store network.
Following a competitive Dragon’s Den-style pitch process to find this year’s “most innovative” products, 13 suppliers were picked by Lidl’s buying team. They will now see their offerings, spanning 33 new products, on sale on Lidl’s shelves in 220 stores across the island of Ireland from 19 September for a limited time.
This year’s intake comprises products from Bertie’s Bakery, Blackfire Food, Cloughbane Farm Foods, Mrs K Global, Green Fingers Family, Lecale Harvest, Long Meadow Cider, Rosie’s Bakes, SLICED, Armagh Cider Company, Strangford Coffee Roastery, Sweet Robyn’s, and Woodlab Distillery.
Lidl’s programme is backed by the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA) and aims to support small and medium-sized local producers to boost their brand, enhance their supply and reach new customer audiences.
Before the products hit the shelves, a six-month development programme offers suppliers business support from Lidl Northern Ireland’s in-house experts, advancing their product, brand and business with practical guidance on how to scale production, drive production efficiency, as well as product development and packaging support.
Kate O’Driscoll, Supplier Development Manager at Lidl Ireland, said: “Northern Ireland is a region famed for its food and drink and every year I’m impressed by the innovation, quality and craftsmanship that suppliers clearly pour into their products. The standard is always incredibly high, and this year was no exception.
“What makes Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart programme so impactful is that we can immediately facilitate export opportunities for all successful suppliers that make it onto the programme. Not only do they have the opportunity to sell their products locally within our regional network of 41 stores, but also within our 179 stores located in the Republic of Ireland, reaching more than 2 million weekly shoppers, which is a huge boost for small businesses.”
Michael Bell, Executive Director of NIFDA, added: “Securing a place on the programme is a huge achievement for local SME producers, often providing them with a game-changing break into the competitive grocery market along with ongoing business support as they work to fulfill their potential.
“Food and drink is Northern Ireland’s largest manufacturing sector, contributing almost £6bn in value to the region and accounting for more than 20% of total manufacturing employment. It’s a huge driver of economic growth and further underscores the need for initiatives such as Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart programme to further grow our agri-food industry and cultivate home-grown suppliers.”
In 2023, Lidl Northern Ireland procured goods worth £455m across the region, representing a 30% rise on the pevious year. Of this, 80% of the goods are shipped outside Northern Ireland, using Lidl’s expansive international store network.
NAM Implications:
- Lidl is patently building on its competitive advantage in NI…
- (especially in the absence of Aldi)
- Also building on its proven policy of local sourcing…
- …and ability to offer access to its Island of Ireland footprint.
