By Hannah Martin
Lidl Ireland has today announced that a total of €39 million worth of goods and services was procured from Galway suppliers and business partners by the retailer in 2023. This makes up part of a total of €1.6 billion that has been procured by Lidl Ireland from Irish businesses last year.
Released this week, the retailers new Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report revealed that of the €1.6 billion, a total of €1.1 billion worth of goods was procured from the Irish agri-food industry, with an additional €500 million worth of services provided by local Irish businesses to the retailer last year.
The report also found that of that €1.1 billion worth of goods procured from local food and drink suppliers, €800 million stayed within Lidl Ireland’s operations to be sold through its local store network and more than €300 million was exported internationally through Lidl’s expansive network of stores showcasing the best of Irish produce on the global stage. Lidl continues to give Irish producers unrivalled access to local and international markets supporting the growth and success of Irish produce worldwide.
Lidl’s key Galway suppliers include Glenamaddy-based Westbake who supply Lidl with much of the retailer’s confectionary range to stores in Ireland since 2019, as well as exporting their much-loved products to appear on Lidl’s shelves in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
For the first time, Lidl’s new Supplier and Business Partner Impact report includes a chunky €500 million worth of services that the retailer has procured in Ireland. Lidl’s longstanding partnership spanning almost 20 years with Castlebar’s Structural Design Solutions (SDS ) Limited, who provide expert services in engineering consulting, has supported the retailer’s rapid expansion plans on the island and further afield.
Lidl has also tapped into local sustainability expertise with Waterford’s Enerpower responsible for the installation and management of the retailer's vast rooftop solar portfolio across its 81 stores, two regional distribution centres and head office campus, making Lidl the largest owner of rooftop solar array in the Republic of Ireland.
From a €22 million contract with Longford baker Panelto Foods to a €1.5 million deal secured with Abbey Farm Foods in Laois, suppliers the length and breadth of Ireland have benefitted from Lidl’s support in 2023. Many of these deals included significant exports with Kildare-based cooked meats producer, O’Brien Fine Foods, securing a colossal €60 million contract with the retailer in late 2023 which has facilitated them exporting to Lidl stores across mainland Europe.
Alongside its established supplier network, Lidl Ireland is committed to supporting small and medium sized home-grown businesses through its industry-leading Kickstart Supplier Development Programme, supported by Bord Bia. The programme is designed to give up and coming Irish producers the opportunity to realise their potential by advancing their product, brand and business with dedicated support from Lidl experts. Now in its eighth year, Lidl has invested €8.5 million in growing more than 150 Irish businesses across the island of Ireland with 14 products now part of Lidl’s everyday product range. Applications for the programme are now open until 29th February 2024.
Commenting on the Lidl Ireland Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Neale Richmond said; “Lidl’s latest report demonstrates a strong commitment in supporting the growth of Irish businesses, many of whom Lidl have worked with for more than 20 years, since the retailer first arrived in Ireland. Since then, Lidl has helped grow many Irish suppliers internationally through export opportunities across the Lidl global store network. With €1.6 billion worth of goods and services procured in Ireland by Lidl in 2023 alone, Lidl sets an example for the retail industry by showcasing the importance of strong local partnerships as a driver of economic growth in Ireland.”
