Lidl Portugal increased exports of Portuguese products by 45% in 2016 compared to the previous year, to €70 million, according to daily Dinheiro Vivo.
Speaking to the press, the general director for acquisitions, Pedro Monteiro, said the goal is to increase this figure to €100 million in 2017.
The supermarket chain exports 115 Portuguese products, mainly fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and wines. Last year it exported eight million bottles of wine, 11,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables and 7.5 million litres of olive oil.
For 2017, Lidl Portugal expects to increase its export of wines by 25% and of fruit and vegetables by 35%.
Thanks to a new agreement signed with supply chain company Sovena, Lidl Portugal will extend the distribution of Portuguese olive oil, increasing the volume sold by 66% to 22 million litres.
Portuguese products are available in 22 countries, in about 8,000 Lidl stores. With the arrival of the retailer in the US this year, Lidl Portugal will supply two private label wines: Azinhaga De Ouro and Portal do Minho.
In a related development, nine private label products of Lidl Portugal have been awarded the Taste of the Year label, due to their taste, appearance, odour and texture.
The products singled out by Portuguese consumers were: whole-grain cornbread, custard tarts, butter croissants, Ocean Sea marinated sea food, Milbona Greek strawberry yogurt, Chef Select lasagna bolognese, Bellarom coffee ristretto in capsules, Bellarom chicory drink with coffee and Goody Cao soluble cocoa drink.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
