Lidl Ireland Secures 60 New Irish Suppliers as Part of Kick Start Supplier Development Programme
In February, Lidl Ireland called out to Irish suppliers nationwide to enter products into their Supplier Development Programme, Kick Start. This programme, run by Lidl Ireland and supported by Bord Bia, is designed to help small and medium Irish food and drink businesses to grow their brand and build their supply network. 60 suppliers have been chosen from across the country and their products will be sold in all 195 stores across Ireland and Northern Ireland for a limited edition Best of Ireland food promotion commencing on September 17th 2018.
After careful consideration, Lidl has selected 60 Irish suppliers to work with, which will see 86 new and exciting products go on sale this month. The new range compliments the portfolio of Irish products currently available in all Lidl stores nationwide. The Kick Start range will showcase products including; bacon jam from Enniskillen, spice bag seasoning from Dublin, roast ground coffee from Galway, gourmet ketchup from Laois, Irish whiskey cream ice cream from Tipperary, granola bars in biodegradable packaging from Roscommon and many more.
The story behind ChanChan is as rich as its flavours. Launching in 2016, ChanChan, an Irish company led by Michelin trained TV Chef Kwanghi Chan, is a true fusion of East meets West. ChanChan creates an environment in which people can approach cooking with a guided boldness, creating quality Asian cuisine from home. Kwanghi, born in Hong Kong, and raised in Donegal, spent every day in the aroma of his Uncle Sam s Buncrana-based Chinese restaurant since the age of eight. For over 30 years he has worked as chef, observing the evolution of trends in Asian cuisine within Ireland and Southeast Asia. Combining his roots from Ireland and Hong Kong, Kwanghi created a range of ChanChansauces and spices with a local twist using Irish and Asian ingredients. His Spice Bag Mix ( 2.99) and Street Sauce ( 2.99) will be on sale in all stores nationwide so you can create your own Asian flavours like a professional.
One of this year’s successful entrants is Belfast-based supplier, Refuge Hot Chocolate, who will see their delicious hot chocolate ( 3.99) go on sale in all Lidl stores across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Founder, Tara Mullan, was inspired to create her artisan chocolate product after sampling a similarly delicious product while skiing in Andora. Refuge Hot Chocolate was established as a social enterprise to help support survivors of human trafficking.
Speaking about the importance of the Kick Start opportunity Tara Mullan said: “For our product to be recognised by one of Europe’s leading retailers is an incredible endorsement. Having our products on Lidl shelves this month will bring a whole new level of exposure to Refuge, taking us from a regional to a national level. We are delighted to be able to reach more customers than ever before. Refuge is so much more than our product. We aim to use ethically sourced eco products while raising awareness of important issues through our support of the anti-trafficking charity, Flourish.”
Say goodbye to shelf staple preservative cocktail mixers and hello fresh and natural ones, like none other on the market. The Bellini Brothers, Ian and Will, are two brothers who are passionate about fresh, natural and great tasting cocktails. Simplicity and freshness is most important in their range of handcrafted, cold pressed cocktail juices. Having worked in restaurants, bars and off licences, the two brothers were exposed to cocktails on a daily basis. Inspired by this, they decided to create the first line of handcrafted, cold pressed fresh cocktail juices.
Will from the Bellini Brothers said: “We first tested the juices out with prosecco cocktails at a wedding fair in the RDS. We got numerous orders, and as wedding season came round, the orders continued. It was proof that there was a demand for a quality product like this, our own market research so to speak!”
All suppliers that were selected to be part of the Lidl Kick Start Supplier Development Programme have attended a series of free, comprehensive seminars which has guided them through the process and taught them skills to help grow their business ahead of their products going on sale at Lidl. The seminars were carried out by panel of industry experts from Lidl Ireland and included topics around quality control, packaging, marketing & PR and brand building.
Liam Casey, Commercial Director at Lidl Ireland, commented: “Now in its second year, our Kick Start Supplier Development programme allows us to grow our current supplier base of over 200 Irish suppliers and remain committed to sourcing locally, spending over 500 million annually on Irish products. We were very encouraged by the vision, skill and commitment of the producers who applied. A total 86 products have been selected from across Ireland. We look forward to stocking their products across all our stores this month and encourage customers to go along to their local store to find out more and try something new.”
