Lidl Ireland is set to give a ‘Kickstart’ to a new batch of 48 Irish producers from across the country who successfully earned a place on the retailer’s coveted Kickstart Supplier Development Programme – an initiative that the retailer has invested more than €30 million in supporting over 250 Irish producers to date.
Following a competitive Dragon’s Den-style pitch process to find this year’s most innovative products, 48 suppliers across 20 different counties were selected as the cream of the crop after an intensive application process which saw producers put through their paces with a business pitch to Lidl’s buying team and a taste test to select the best in category. This included The Good Dairy Company from Nohoval.
The Good Dairy Company is a family dairy business that produces handmade ice creams on their farm in small batches, using the highest quality local and natural ingredients and stabilisers.
The Good Dairy Company and other successful producers will now see their artisan offerings on sale on Lidl shelves across its 220 stores across the island of Ireland from September 19th for a limited time, while stocks last.
Before the products hit the shelves, this development programme offers suppliers dedicated business support from Lidl’s in-house experts, advancing their product, brand and business with practical guidance on how to scale production, drive production efficiency, as well as product development and packaging support, allowing them to optimise on-shelf opportunities in the autumn and scale for success.
Now in its eighth year, and supported by Bord Bia, this year’s programme saw a record number of applicants from every province in Ireland and it is just one of the many ways in which Lidl supports the Irish agri-food industry.
