CORK FOODS ON OFFER AT ALDI FROM TODAY: De Róiste Foods, Bó Rua Farm, Finders Foods, Irish Atlantic Salt, Mella’s Fudge, Saturday Pizzas, Union Hall Smoked Fish

30 May 2020
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie

Picture by: Simon Hadley

Seven of Co. Cork’s most innovative Irish food and drink producers have won a new contract to supply Aldi’s 142 stores through its Grow with Aldi supplier development programme. Their exciting products will now go on sale nationwide as part of an Aldi Specialbuys event, kicking off on Sunday, 31^st May for two weeks only. Aldi is investing €500,000 in the Grow with Aldi programme this year, and to date, has invested over €2.5million with small and medium Irish suppliers since it began in 2018.

Bó Rua Farm (Mallow), De Róiste Foods (Ballyvourney), Finders Foods (Riverstick), Irish Atlantic Salt (Beara), Mella’s Fudge (Clonakilty), Saturday Pizzas (Shanagarry) and Union Hall Smoked Fish (Union Hall) have successfully won a place on the Grow with Aldi supplier development programme with the following products:

• Bó Rua Farm – Original Irish Farm Cheddar
• De Róiste Foods – Ballyvourney Tomato and Herb Sausages
• Finder Foods – Rocket Salad Dressing
• Irish Atlantic Salt – Aromatic Garlic Sea Salt Flakes
• Irish Atlantic Salt – Pure and Natural Sea Salt Flakes
• Mella’s Fudge – Salted Caramel Irish Butter Fudge
• Mella’s Fudge – Irish Butter Fudge Selection
• Saturday Pizzas – Margherita
• Saturday Pizzas – Pepperoni
• Union Hall Smoked Fish – Smoked Mackerel Pâté
• Union Hall Smoked Fish – Smoked Salmon Pâté

Aileen O’Neill of Irish Atlantic Salt commented:

“With everything looking so gloomy over the past few months with the impact of Covid 19, the Grow with Aldi order was the light at the end of the tunnel for Irish Atlantic Salt, a family  based business on the rugged Beara Peninsula, Co. Cork. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get our award-winning Irish Atlantic Salt products out to all the Aldi stores nationwide – ‘it’s always darkest before the dawn’…”

 Honor Bleeker, Head of Sales and Marketing at Saturday Pizzas said:

“Grow with Aldi is a huge opportunity for our company to grow. It takes us, as a small local supplier, to a national platform. It is the perfect stage to present your product and for it to be tested by real Irish shoppers. It has a been an amazing goal for us to focus on during these trying times, we have been able to hire more staff and ensure there is still some economic growth in our area. We couldn’t be prouder to be one of the 45 incredible producers supplying Aldi for this year’s Grow campaign.”

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. Aldi already works with over 200 Irish suppliers and will sell over €750 million worth of Irish goods this year.

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.

Five of the Grow with Aldi suppliers will then be given a further opportunity, winning a contract for their product to be sold in Aldi’s Irish stores year-round. In 2019, All About Kombucha, Galway (Kombucha), Funky Monkey Foods, Dublin (Curry Mix and Salt & Chilli Mix), Walls Honest Chips, Cork (Chips), Ballyvourney Pudding, Cork (Black and White Pudding), Pizzado Pizza, Co. Down (Fresh Pizza Bases) and Mama Bear Ketchup, Cork (Low Sugar Ketchup) all won a core listing in all 142 stores nationwide.

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.”

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia CEO, said:

“As a nation, we love to purchase locally sourced products; recent research from Bord Bia showed that 76% of people use Irish produce where possible and over two thirds of those surveyed agreed that food of Irish origin was worth paying a little more for. Now more than ever this is hugely important, and Grow with Aldi not only helps meet consumer demand for Irish products, but also supports small and medium Irish suppliers as they develop the skills and capabilities their businesses need in the current climate.”

The above products are available in 142 Aldi stores nationwide from Sunday, 31^st May for two weeks only.

Grow with Aldi products by County