ALDI Ireland has announced that five Irish artisanal food producers have been awarded contracts with the retailer, as part of this year’s ‘Grow with ALDI’ programme.
The winners span the length and breadth of the country and produce a wide array of products, from healthy snacks to condiments.
Each of the five winning products is currently available in the 152 ALDI stores nationwide.
Speaking about the launch of the winning products, John Curtin, group buying director, ALDI, said, “At ALDI, we are committed to building and nurturing relationships with Irish suppliers.
“‘Grow with ALDI’ allows us to establish long-lasting relationships with small to medium-sized businesses while offering mentorship and guidance along the way.”
The 2022 ‘Grow with ALDI’ winners are:
- Cully’s Craft Bakery, Co. Cavan – the iced cherry log created by Brían Cully is based on a traditional recipe passed down for generations and retails at €2.99;
- the Sibly Food Co., Co. Cork – the handmade energy balls from entrepreneur Matthew Collins are available in two flavours, retailing at €4.49;
- Hanley’s Puddings, Co. Cork – the innovative pudding roulade is a combination of white and black pudding and available at €2.19;
- Vale and Acre, Co. Tipperary – the sausage rolls are made using fresh, whole Irish pork and retail at €2.99; and
- Builín Blasta Cafe, Co. Galway – the smoked-onion mayo from the popular Gaeltacht cafe retails for just €3.79.
The Contracts
Two of the entrepreneurs – Brían Cully, of Cully’s Craft Bakery, Co. Cavan, and Matthew Collins, founder of the Sibly Food Co., Co. Cork – have been awarded core contracts.
This means that their products will become part of ALDI’s award-winning core range.
Three further seasonal contracts have been awarded to winners Fiona O’Dwyer, of Vale and Acre, Co. Tipperary; Anthony Considine, of Hanley’s Puddings, Co. Cork; and Heather Connolly, of Builín Blasta Cafe, Co. Galway.
“The fact that we are still unearthing vibrant new businesses five years into this programme is a testament to the quality and passion of food producers here in Ireland,” John Curtin added.
“The calibre of applicants this year was second to none, and we are proud to make products of this quality available at great-value price points for Irish shoppers.”
Mentorship Scheme
The ‘Grow with ALDI’ supplier mentorship scheme, in conjunction with Bord Bia, backs Irish ventures and drives innovation.
Michael Murphy, interim chief executive, Bord Bia, added, “Bord Bia is proud to continue our successful partnership with ‘Grow with ALDI’.
“The programme is an excellent showcase for emerging food and drink businesses in Ireland, and we at Bord Bia wish them the very best as they embark on the next leg of their business journey.”
Read More: Aldi Announces Finalists In This Year’s ‘Grow With Aldi’ Supplier Development Programme
© 2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
