Lidl Ireland’s latest Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report shows the retailer procured more than €1.67 billion worth of goods and services from Irish businesses in 2024 – an increase of €41 million (or 2.5%) on last year – demonstrating Lidl’s continued strong investment in Ireland….
Suppliers across the country benefitted from Lidl’s record investment. In 2024, Lidl procured almost €7 million worth of goods and services from 17 suppliers and business partners across Wexford, serving its four stores within the county which employ over 100 team members.
Lidl’s key Wexford suppliers include a new supplier contract with Slaney Farms who provide home-grown potatoes to Lidl’s local store network in the region, and a long-standing relationship with vegetable supplier Begleys.
At a national level, Lidl Ireland procured €1.2 billion worth of goods from the Irish agrifood sector in 2024 – up €89 million (or 7%) on 2023 – and procured a further €426 million worth of services from business partners in Ireland in 2024.
Lidl continues to give Irish producers unrivalled access to local and international markets supporting the growth and success of Irish produce worldwide. Of the €1.2 billion procured from Irish agri-food producers, €885 million worth of goods stayed within Lidl Ireland’s operations to be sold through its local store network.
With an increasing focus on export opportunities for its valued Irish suppliers, more than €360 million was exported internationally through Lidl’s expansive network of stores, an increase of almost 5% on 2023 figures.
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.
In 2024, Kickstart supported 45 local Irish producers and showcased their products across over 200 stores on the island of Ireland. A standout from 2024’s Kickstart programme was Naked Bakes, which secured a €700,000 permanent listing in 223 Lidl stores, demonstrating the programme’s impact in fostering growth and opportunities for local suppliers.
Since its launch in 2017, Lidl has invested more than €37 million in supporting almost 300 Irish businesses across the island of Ireland through the Kickstart programme.
Last year’s programme saw Wexford’s Mór Taste among its alumni, bringing its 85% fruit jams to Lidl shelves.
Launching the new report findings, Robert Ryan, CEO, Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland said:
“Our market-leading growth in 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 over two million shoppers each week in Ireland, and to our global network of Lidl stores across 31 countries.”
“Growing our local supplier network has always been a priority for us and we are proud to have nurtured long-standing relationships that offer our suppliers stability and afford them the opportunity to plan for their future business growth with us.
“The strength of our supplier relationships has allowed us to combat inflationary pressures and maintain our promise to customers to provide quality locally sourced produce at an affordable price. We are annually investing over €1.6bn in our Irish suppliers with an increase of 2.5% in 2024. This record level of investment is a huge driver of local economic growth, and this report demonstrates our commitment to supporting our entire network of local businesses to grow, develop and enjoy success.”
“Our sustained business performance enables us to continue investing in expanding our supplier network as well as our store network, which is currently at 180 stores, and will see significant growth in the next 12 months.”
Wexford Weekly
This article was published by a member of the Wexford Weekly team.
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