Retail sales of Love Irish Food (LIF) brands have increased by 40% since it began its partnership with Tesco Ireland, it was revealed today.
Tesco reported the increase today as it announced a new two-year retail partnership with LIF.
The membership organisation first teamed up with the retailer in 2021, with LIF products displayed in store.
Love Irish Food Brands
Since 2021, the amount of LIF brands that have secured partnerships with Tesco has grown by a quarter.
The retailer previously carried 60 LIF brands. It now carries 80.
Some recent additions include the Galway Kitchen, Nomadic, Fresh Cut Foods, Bowes Bakery, Velo Coffee, Blanco Niño, and Ór Butter.
The partnership between Tesco and LIF has improved customer awareness of Irish brands in stores nationwide.
As a not-for-profit organisation, LIF focuses on Irish made food and drink brands. It promotes and develops the community-based producers.
Partnering with Tesco involves in-store activations to help shoppers identify LIF member brand products.
‘Enhancing Opportunities’
The partnership also helps deliver supplier development opportunities.
Through enhanced engagement from Ireland’s second-largest supermarket retailer, small and medium sized LIF brands can benefit from additional supports.
This includes access to advice from Tesco’s buying team and opportunities to network through buyer-supplier forums.
The commercial director at Tesco Ireland Joe Manning said, “Championing a sustainable food industry is at the heart of the Tesco Ireland business.
“We are committed to welcoming great local, Irish brands into our stores, and we look forward to continuing our support for LIF members over the next two years, sharing insight and expertise and enhancing opportunities for these fantastic brands.”
Executive director at LIF Kieran Rumley said he was also pleased at the continuing partnership.
Rumley said, “Over the past two years the retailer has played a crucial role, in actively supporting shoppers to easily identify Irish produced food and drinks brands in store, and in doing so helping shoppers make informed decisions about buying local and Irish.”
He concluded, “This partnership will be of significant benefit to Love Irish Food members as they develop and scale their businesses.”
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