Pictured (L-R) are Ivan Ryan, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland; and Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland
Lidl Northern Ireland procured more than £430,000 from agri-food suppliers and business partners in the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area last year (FY23/24, ending February), according to its latest Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report.
Of this, more than £134,000 worth of services were procured from local business partners within the area whilst over £297,000 worth of goods were procured from the local agri-food industry for sale across Lidl Northern Ireland’s network of 42 stores throughout the region.
Overall, the report reveals that the supermarket retailer procured half-a-billion pounds (£530 million) from local suppliers and business partners across Northern Ireland. For the first time, the report also includes £56 million worth of services procured by the retailer in Northern Ireland.
The report also reveals that the retailer procured goods from more than 60 local agri-food suppliers, including Gilfresh, Wilson's Country, Dale Farm, Moy Park, Crust & Crumb, WD Meats, Foyle Foods and more. £69 million of these goods were sold in Lidl stores across Northern Ireland, with over 75% (£404 million) shipped outside the region to Lidl’s expansive network of stores in Great Britain, Europe and internationally.
Alongside Lidl’s established network of suppliers across the region, the retailer’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme supports small and medium-sized local producers to boost their brand, enhance their supply and reach new customer audiences.
Backed by the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA), Lidl has invested more than £2 million in showcasing the innovative homegrown produce of local suppliers in its stores across the island of Ireland through Kickstart since 2018.
Ivan Ryan, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland said:
“Each year, our Impact Report highlights our longstanding commitment to supporting our entire network of local suppliers – both established and aspiring – to grow and develop by showcasing the very best of their produce at home in Northern Ireland, and in thousands of our stores across Great Britain and Ireland and as far as Romania, Greece and Cyprus.
“This year, we are also pleased to showcase our valued business partners who make our business what it is behind the scenes and are very much seen as an extension of our business in Northern Ireland.
“As we approach the end of our 25th year in Northern Ireland, I am extremely proud of the ever-growing contribution Lidl Northern Ireland continues to make to the local agri-food industry through our supplier partnerships and initiatives such as Kickstart.”
Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland, said:
“Our market-leading growth in Northern Ireland over the past 25 years is testament to our long-established business model focused on investing in our local supplier network and bringing high quality, locally sourced fresh produce at great value to more than half-a-million shoppers across the region each week.
“Our sustained business performance allows us to continue investing in expanding our local supplier network as well as our network of stores in the region which, currently is at 42 stores, and will see further significant growth in the next 12 months.
“In parallel with our ambitious plans to expand our footprint across Northern Ireland, we will grow our support for local farmers, growers and producers as we continue to champion the region and promote its unrivalled food and drink credentials through our global store network.”
The Impact Report launch coincides with the publication of Lidl Northern Ireland’s financial results for the 23/24 period which recorded turnover of £496 million. Much of this has been re-invested locally to support Lidl’s ambitious expansion plans including a new flagship store in Boucher Road in Belfast which opened in September and future store openings in Carryduff and Stewartstown.
As the retailer marked its 25th anniversary in the region this year, a major economic report revealed that it contributed a record £360 million into the local economy in 2023 – doubling its annual economic contribution over the past five years – and supporting almost 7,000 jobs right across the region. Lidl Northern Ireland has powered through almost a quarter of a century with its high-quality, low-price proposition, and has firmly embedded itself as a local brand committed to supplying fresh, home-grown produce at outstanding quality and value.
For more information, please visit lidl-ni.co.uk
For more information on the Kickstart Supplier Development Programme, visit here.