After receiving applications from nearly 200 suppliers across food, drink and non-food products, Aldi has announced that it has selected an impressive group of entrepreneurs as this year’s ‘Grow with Aldi’ finalists.
A total of 24 home-grown suppliers from across the island of Ireland will see their products go on sale in 150 Aldi stores nationwide for a two-week period starting on 19 May, enabling customers to ‘sample the finest of Irish artisan produce and show their support for Irish businesses’.
Speaking about the programme, John Curtin, group buying director of Aldi Ireland, said, “We were impressed by the quality of applications we received this year, and compiling a shortlist was a near-impossible task. Championing small businesses is of the utmost importance to Aldi, and ‘Grow with Aldi’ illustrates our continued commitment to investing in the best of Irish products.
“We take pride in the mentorship programme and look forward to launching these new Irish products in stores.”
About the Scheme
The discounter highlighted that ‘Grow with Aldi’ was undertaken in partnership with Bord Bia in 2018, and since its inception, it has seen Aldi invest more than €5.5 million in supporting over 200 producers.
The scheme puts ‘adventure into Irish ventures’ through mentorship and retail support, to nurture small to medium-sized Irish businesses and set them up for success, the retailer added.
Commenting on the programme, Gillian Willis of Bord Bia said, “The ‘Grow with Aldi’ programme plays an important role in showcasing the distinctive, innovative and delicious products Irish suppliers are working hard to create.
“The programme also supports participants as they develop essential business skills and capabilities through workshops and tailored mentoring, which is key to building a thriving indigenous food, drink and horticulture sector for the years ahead.”
‘Grow With Aldi’ 2022 Finalists
This year’s ‘Grow with Aldi’ finalists span 16 counties, from Cork to Down and Dublin to Galway.
| All Real Nutrition | Niall Harty | High-Protein Peanut Butter | Kerry |
| Awe-some Creations Ltd | Felicia Awe | Non-Alcoholic Cocktails | Meath |
| McBride’s Bees | Trevor McBride | Irish Honey | Monaghan |
| Causeway Coffee Ltd | Graham Watts | Coffee Beans | Antrim |
| Richie’s Recipes | Richard Brady | Barbecue Sauce | Wicklow |
| Cathy’s Spelt For Health | Yvonne and Cathy Whitty | Wholemeal Spelt Bread Mix | Kilkenny |
| True East | Gursharan Singh | Butter Ghee | Meath |
| White Rabbit BBQ | Stephen Vaughan | Cold-Smoked Creamery Butter | Cork |
| La Dolce Vita NI | Giuseppe Fallone | Chilli Sauce | Down |
| Wild Fuschia Bakehouse | Sian McCann | Bread-Baking Mixes | Donegal |
| Nik’s Tea Ltd | Nicola Kearns | Specialty Teas in a Bag | Dublin |
| Hurst Botanicals | Ellen Quinn | Fairtrade Kombucha | Clare |
| Crawford’s Rock Seaweed Company | Michelle Wilson | Whiskey and Chilli Seaweed Salts | Down |
| Ellie’s Kitchen Home Edition | Ellie Kisyombe | Hot Sauces | Dublin |
| Builín Blasta Cafe & Bakery (Builín Blasta Teo) | Heather Flaherty | Smoked Onion Mayo | Galway |
| Sweet Potato Pizza Co. | Craig Grattan | Sweet Potato Pizzas | Dublin |
| Perma Pork Ltd | Colin Marry | Sustainable Apple Pork Sausages | Meath |
| Hanley’s Puddings | Anthony Considine | Roulades | Cork |
| Gilligan’s Farm | Alan and Padraig Gilligan | 5-Ounce Rib-Eye Burgers | Roscommon |
| Noisy Snacks | Noel Allen | Snackable Nut Mixes | NI |
| Cully’s | Jennifer Cully | Iced Cherry Log | Cavan |
| Karri Kitchen | Chris McAloran | High-Protein Chicken Meals | Armagh |
| Cashel Fine Foods/The Butcher’s Daughter | Una O’Dwyer | Bake-at-Home Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls | Tipperary |
| Sibly Food Co. | Matthew Collins | Energy Balls | Cork |
Speaking about being selected as a finalist in this year’s ‘Grow with Aldi’ programme, Ellen Quinn, founder of Hurst Botanicals, Co. Clare, said, “Hurst Botanicals is a true labour of love. As a Fairtrade producer, all of our ingredients are ethically sourced, and we endeavour to create a product that’s better both for the customer and the planet.
“We are delighted to know that our ethos and product offering resonated with the judges and to receive this vote of confidence from Aldi so early on in our journey.”
For more information on the ‘Grow with Aldi’ programme, click here.
Read More: Grow With Aldi Calls On Irish Producers To ‘Try Something New’ In 2022
© 2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more A-brand news, click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
