Six Food NI Companies In ‘Grow With Aldi’
Six Food NI member companies are among the seven from Northern Ireland food, drink and non-food businesses which have won new contracts to supply Aldi’s 145 stores across the Republic of Ireland through its Grow with Aldi Supplier Development Programme.
The programme gives smaller companies an opportunity to reach the supermarket’s shoppers over a period of two weeks.
The successful Food NI companies are:
Ballylisk Dairies of Craigavon, producer of Ballylisk of Armagh and Rokeby cheeses;
Burren Balsamics, Richhill for its Letterbox Larder spices;
Hellbent, Belfast: Irish pork belly with South African flavours and Chakalata Boerewors sausages
Hilden Brewery, Lisburn, a producer of craft beers;
Irish Black Butter, Portrush, sweet/savoury spread; and
Woodlab Distillery in Pomeroy, the home of Symphonia Spirits especially gin;
Other successful companies were:
Green Fingers Family Granola of Larne, a producer of handcrafted granolas;
Karri Kitchen, Portadown, Asian inspired wholefood meals;
This year, the Grow with Aldi message also focused on sustainability, and entrants were encouraged to demonstrate how their product/company is focusing on sustainability within their business.
In the last four years, almost 800 Irish suppliers have entered the Grow with Aldi programme, which is supported Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, with the programme receiving the highest number of entrants ever in 2021.
Over 100 exciting Irish-made products from the 57 suppliers chosen will now go on sale nationwide as part of an Aldi Specialbuys event, kicking off on Sunday, June 6 for two weeks only.
John Curtin, Aldi group buying director, said: “The first three years of the programme were successful and Aldi forged new links with fantastic Irish suppliers from around the country.
“During Covid-19, we were also in a position to help even more small Irish suppliers listing on our shelves as part of the Grow with Aldi programme, and we know that the quality of food and drink produced is outstanding!”
