Lidl’s £347m agri-food bill

Retailer supports 60 Ulster producers

LIDL said it has spent £347million with Northern Ireland’s agri-food producers over the last year.

Its latest impact report said the spend has supported 60 local producers in Ulster and underpinned the sector.

While much of the food was sold within the supermarket’s local stores, it said £298million was sold through its network throughout the world, including to customers in Great Britain, Europe, Romania, Greece and the US.

Lidl is one of Northern Ireland’s largest supermarkets with 41 stores and 1,000 employees. The budget brand has grown substantially since first arriving in 1999.

Alongside its supplier network, Lidl Northern Ireland said it has been supporting small and medium sized enterprises and home-grown businesses to realise their potential through its industryleading Kickstart Supplier Development Programme.

Now in its fifth year, the retailer has invested more than £1million in growing more than

30 local suppliers through the initiative. Regional managing director Conor Boyle said: “Our fantastic suppliers represent the best of Northern Ireland’s food and drink industry. “Through our supplier

Fraud forum first as scams on rise partnerships and initiatives like Kickstart, we’re proud to be able to showcase our best performing suppliers on the global stage through our Lidl network.

“As we look ahead to the next decade, we look forward to nurturing new and fruitful supplier partnerships and supporting even more local businesses.”

During the last year, the supermarket said it also recorded turnover of £369million, up 7% on the previous year.

Executive director of

Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association Michael Bell said Lidl’s contribution is significant.

He added: “Locally, our food and drink sector is Northern Ireland’s largest manufacturing sector, contributing £4.9 billion in value added to the region and supporting some 113,000 jobs.

“It’s a huge driver of economic growth and this report by Lidl NI demonstrates just how significant its supplier relationships are not only to its ongoing success, but to supporting an entire network of local producers to grow and export.”

THE first ever Northern Ireland Fraud Forum Annual Conference took place in Belfast this week. It came as new figures show fraud is UNITED From left, barrister Laura Dunseath, keynote becoming much more prevalent speaker Emma Luxton, NI Fraud Forum chair Bill Mccluggage, during the cost-of-living crisis. FPM’S Ashok Thomas and Altia’s Owen Poole