Lidl Northern Ireland has procured more than half-a-billion pounds (£557 million) from local suppliers and business partners across Northern Ireland last year (FY24/25, ending February), according to its latest Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report, published today. This report confirms a year-on-year increase of £27 million (or 6%) in additional investment in the region by the retailer.
The report also reveals that the retailer procured goods from more than 90 local agri-food suppliers, including Gilfresh, Wilson’s Country, Dale Farm, Moy Park, Crust & Crumb, WD Meats, Foyle Foods and more. £75 million of these goods were sold in Lidl stores across Northern Ireland, with more than 85% (£413 million) shipped outside the region to Lidl’s expansive network of stores in Great Britain, Europe and internationally.
Alongside Lidl’s established network of suppliers across the region, the retailer’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme supports small and medium-sized local producers to boost their brand, enhance their supply and reach new customer audiences. Backed by the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA), Lidl has invested more than £4 million in showcasing the innovative homegrown produce of local suppliers in its stores across the island of Ireland through Kickstart since 2018.
Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland said:
“Every year, our Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report demonstrates our significant investment in the Northern Ireland economy – through longstanding, meaningful relationships with our growing network of more than 115 local suppliers and business partners.
Through our operations, we’re proud to play an important role in showcasing the best homegrown, Northern Ireland produce globally, and bring high quality food and drink from our region to millions of shoppers across Europe every day.”
Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland, said:
“Our longstanding relationships with local suppliers and business partners has been paramount to our sustained growth and success in Northern Ireland. With some of our suppliers working with us since we opened our doors 26 years ago in 1999, to now exporting millions of pounds worth of Northern Ireland produce across the globe, we very much see our suppliers as an extension of our own operations.
From growing our supplier base to now more than 90 agrifood suppliers to expanding our network of stores – we have huge ambition for the region and we look forward to continuing to share this growth and success with our valued partners in the years ahead.”
The Impact Report launch coincides with the publication of Lidl Northern Ireland’s financial results for the FY 24/25 period which recorded turnover of £523 million. Much of this has been reinvested locally to support Lidl’s ambitious expansion plans including newly constructed refurbished state-of-the-art stores opened recently in Newcastle and Cookstown as well as a brand new store in Ballysillan which opened earlier this month.
In 2024, the retailer marked its 25th anniversary in the region and commissioned a major economic report which revealed that it contributed a record £360 million into the local economy in 2023 – doubling its annual economic contribution over the past five years – and supporting almost 7,000 jobs right across the region. Lidl Northern Ireland has powered through almost a quarter of a century with its high-quality, low-price proposition, and has firmly embedded itself as a local brand committed to supplying fresh, home-grown produce at outstanding quality and value.
For more information, please visit lidl-ni.co.uk
For more information on the Kickstart Supplier Development Programme, visit: lidl-ni.co.uk/kickstart