Mayo food producer wins Aldi contract
ONE of Co. Mayo’s most innovative food and drink producers has won a new contract to supply Aldi’s 142 stores through its Grow with Aldi supplier development programme.
Furnace Green (Newport) has successfully won a place on the programme with two products - meat-free black pudding and meat-free white pudding.
Their exciting products will now go on sale nationwide as part of an Aldi Specialbuys event, kicking off on Sunday, May 31, for two weeks only.
Aldi is investing €500,000 in the Grow with Aldi programme this year, and to date, has invested over €2.5 million with small and medium Irish suppliers since it began in 2018.
Said Kathleen Marley of Furnace Green: “Grow with Aldi is a really important step for a fledgling food business like Furnace Green. It gives us an unparalleled opportunity to put our meat-free products in front of a huge audience.
“This is exactly the type of initiative small businesses need, particularly in the early years.”
Some 45 suppliers, supplying a diverse range of over 75 products, have been selected for this year’s Grow with Aldi. Products include cordials, artisan chocolate, baking mixes, Piedmontese beef sausages, Irish farmhouse cheeses and frozen pizzas. The new artisan additions will compliment Aldi’s existing portfolio of Irish products.
Developed in partnership with Bord Bia, Grow with Aldi supports small and medium Irish suppliers in listing with a national retailer. Suppliers receive tailored mentoring, workshops from the Aldi buying team and Bord Bia technical experts, teaching them the skills to help grow and develop their product, brand and business.
Commenting, John Curtin, Aldi group buying director, said: “Now in its third year, Grow with Aldi has consistently delivered for everyone involved. Small and medium sized Irish suppliers get the opportunity to have their product sold nationally, shoppers get to enjoy the best Irish-made products being created and Aldi gets to work with even more Irish suppliers. With everything that has happened worldwide over the past few months, we couldn’t think of a better time to be supporting Irish suppliers more. These fantastic products that represent the very best of Ireland’s food industry.”