Lidl has announced a €60 million supply deal with Irish cooked meats producer O’Brien Fine Foods, which will see the group supply product to the discounter's operations in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain and across mainland Europe including Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Romania and Slovenia.
County Kildare-based O’Brien Fine Foods has been supplying Lidl's Irish operation with own-brand sliced ham and beef lines for more than a decade, a period that has seen its workforce grow from 250 to 600 employees.
'Invest In Our Business'
“Our partnership with Lidl, which started in 2011, has helped our family-run business in County Kildare thrive immensely," commented John O’Brien, managing director, O’Brien Fine Foods.
"It has enabled us to invest in our business and grow our team substantially. Lidl has given us the opportunity to enter new international markets for the first time and bring our quality Irish products to customers across Europe. We are grateful for their continued support and look forward to working with Lidl for many years to come.”
Supplier Engagement Programme
O’Brien Fine Foods has been a member of Lidl’s Supplier Engagement Programme since last year, a programme that seeks to encourage the development of long-term sustainability plans for the retailer’s key suppliers, focusing on areas such as carbon emissions, packaging reductions, circular economy, as well as biodiversity and water quality.
In 2022, the discounter purchased more than €1 billion worth of products from the Irish agri-food industry, of which €318 million was exported to Lidl's global store network.
Commenting on the O’Brien Fine Foods deal, Kevin Duffy, senior buying director for Lidl Ireland said, “Supporting the growth and success of Irish producers locally and worldwide is a key focus for us at Lidl.
"O’Brien Fine Foods are a valued and trusted supplier of Lidl for many years, and we are proud to continue to build on our longstanding partnership."
Pictured are Kevin Duffy, senior buying director for Lidl Ireland and John O’Brien, managing director, O’Brien Fine Foods.
