Thirty artisan products from 12 local producers participating in Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme will land on shelves in Lidl’s 42 stores across the region from Thursday 19th September.
Available for a limited time, while stocks last, the new product selection forms part of a wider range of more than 100 Kickstart products to be stocked in Lidl’s 222 stores across the island of Ireland, and includes a variety of sustainable products, health-conscious options and restaurant-quality food products to try at home.
From Strangford Coffee and SLICED’s delicious Oatco Overnight Oats to start the day the right way, to teatime treats including Cloughbane Farm Shop Meals, Mrs K Global’s Diggity Sausages and Lecale Harvest Slow Cooked Confit, the new Kickstart lineup has something for everyone.
Among the range is a selection of mouth-watering sauces and condiments, including Blackfires Hot Sauces and Lecale Harvest’s Smoked Sundried Tomato Tapenade.
In a showcase of Northern Ireland’s prized apple orchards, the Kickstart lineup also features Longmeadow Irish Craft Cider, Armagh Cider Company’s Spiced Apple Punch, and Symphonia Irish Apple Gin from Woodlab Distillery in Co Tyrone.
Lidl’s focus on promoting healthy lifestyles and supporting families to eat better and more sustainably for less, is also in focus within this year’s Kickstart mix. Fitness-focused customers in particular will love the selection of protein packed products, including Bertie’s Bakery’s Bertie’s Protein Rolls and Brioche Muffins and Rosie’s Banks Nutrilean Protein Pancakes, as well as natural, gluten-free, plant-based Energy Balls from Co Antrim’s Green Fingers Family.
Speaking as the Kickstart products hit Lidl’s shelves, Kate O’Driscoll, Supplier Development Manager at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “It is a very exciting and proud day for our Kickstart suppliers in Northern Ireland as they see their products land on Lidl shelves in our 42 stores across the region, with many being stocked right across our full network of 223 stores on the island of Ireland.
“This is the culmination of six months of hard work, collaborating with our in-house experts and receiving practical guidance on how to scale production and drive production efficiency, as well as product development, branding and packaging support, allowing these suppliers to optimise this opportunity and scale for success.
“Now, our producers get the chance to see their products on Lidl’s shelves and reach over 2 million weekly customers across the island of Ireland, which provides a real foot up in breaking into the competitive supermarket retail sector. We’re looking forward to seeing our customers’ response to these new innovative products.”
Lidl Northern Ireland is committed to supporting local producers and, alongside its established network of over 60 suppliers, the retailer’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme exists to develop small and medium sized producers right across the region. Since launching in 2018, Lidl Northern Ireland has showcased over 50 innovative home-grown products through its Kickstart initiative.
Esther Paul, Business Development Manager at Armagh Cider Company Ltd, a family run business involved in the programme, said: “Gaining a place on Lidl’s Kickstart programme has been a great boost for our business. Not only were the seminars and expert-led mentoring sessions insightful for our business as we seek to grow into new product lines and markets, but the fact that our products will be available to such a huge Lidl shopper base across the island of Ireland is where we will see the biggest uplift.
“By getting our brand and products out there, we hope to drive sales significantly in order to further invest this into improving sustainable farming practices at our orchards and to expand into new product lines.
“We’re also firmly focused on growing our business to export, and that’s where we really see the value of our involvement with Lidl Northern Ireland. Having the ability to supply a major local supermarket with an international network of stores is incredibly exciting and I look forward to seeing what opportunities this could bring us in the future.”
The Lidl Kickstart Supplier Development Programme is just one of the many ways in which the retailer supports the local economy. In 2023, LidlNorthern Ireland significantly boosted the local agri-food industry, procuring £455 million across the region, representing a 30% rise, year on year. Of this, 80% percent of the goods are shipped outside Northern Ireland, using Lidl’s expansive international store network.
As it marked its 25th anniversary in the region earlier this year, a major economic report revealed that Lidl Northern Ireland contributed a record £360 million into the local economy in 2023 – doubling its annual economic contribution over the past five years – and supported almost 7,000 jobs right across the region.
Now in its seventh year, Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart 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. For more information, visit lidl-ni.co.uk/kickstart