Lidl NI boosts local economy with over £5.5m spend across Mid & East Antrim and Antrim & Newtownabbey

L-R Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland; Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland

Lidl Northern Ireland has confirmed a combined spend of more than £5.5 million on goods and services sourced from suppliers and business partners across both the Mid and East Antrim and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas, according to its newly published Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report.

The latest annual findings highlight the retailer’s deepening commitment to Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry, local enterprise and global export growth, marking a significant uplift in year-on-year support for over 115 regional suppliers and business partners.

£540,000 Invested in Mid & East Antrim Suppliers

Lidl Northern Ireland procured more than £540,000 worth of goods and services from suppliers based in the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council area during FY24/25.

Of this total:

• Over £400,000 worth of goods were sourced from three local agri-food producers for sale across Lidl’s 44 Northern Ireland stores.

• More than £134,000 worth of services were procured from 19 local business partners.

Local suppliers including Mid and East Antrim-based Doherty & Gray Ltd and Green Fingers Family Ltd feature prominently among those exporting through Lidl’s global distribution network.

£5 Million Procurement in Antrim & Newtownabbey

In the neighbouring Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area, Lidl Northern Ireland invested more than £5 million in local suppliers and business partners.

This includes:

• Over £3 million in services from ten local firms.

• More than £1.8 million in goods from two agri-food producers.

Strong export partnerships with Golden Popcorn and Clandeboye continue to drive Northern Ireland-made products into Lidl stores internationally.

Global Reach: £413 Million NI Exported Goods

The report reveals that Lidl Northern Ireland exported £413 million worth of Northern Ireland produce to Lidl stores across Great Britain, Europe and worldwide during the year—representing more than 85% of all NI-produced goods procured by the retailer.

Overall, Lidl purchased £557 million in goods and services from Northern Ireland suppliers in the same period, marking a £27 million year-on-year increase.

Longstanding Local Partnerships

Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland; Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director, Lidl Northern Ireland

Gordon Cruikshanks, Regional Managing Director at Lidl Northern Ireland, said:

“Every year, our Supplier and Business Partner Impact Report demonstrates our significant investment in the Northern Ireland economy - through longstanding, meaningful relationships with our growing network of more than 115 local suppliers and business partners.

“Through our operations, we’re proud to play an important role in showcasing the best homegrown, Northern Ireland produce globally, and bring high quality food and drink from our region to millions of shoppers across Europe every day.”

Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl Ireland and Lidl Northern Ireland, added:

“Our longstanding relationships with local suppliers and business partners has been paramount to our sustained growth and success in Northern Ireland.

“With some of our suppliers working with us since we opened our doors 26 years ago in 1999, to now exporting millions of pounds worth of Northern Ireland produce across the globe, we very much see our suppliers as an extension of our own operations.

“From growing our supplier base to now more than 90 agrifood suppliers to expanding our network of stores - we have huge ambition for the region and we look forward to continuing to share this growth and success with our valued partners in the years ahead.”

Continued Expansion and Local Investment

The publication of the Impact Report coincides with Lidl Northern Ireland’s FY24/25 financial results, which recorded £523 million turnover, much of which has been reinvested into store expansion and redevelopment.

Recent investments include:

• New or refurbished stores in Newcastle and Cookstown

• A newly opened store in Ballysillan

The retailer also celebrated its 25th anniversary in Northern Ireland in 2024, marking the milestone with an economic impact report showing a record £360 million contribution to the local economy in 2023 and support for almost 7,000 jobs across the region.

Lidl continues to champion emerging producers through its Kickstart Supplier Development Programme, backed by the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA), with more than £4 million invested since 2018 to help small and medium-sized businesses scale and reach new customers.