Here are the new artisan offerings from 13 suppliers to hit the shelves in Lidl Northern Ireland stores

The local producers successfully earned a place on Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme – an initiative that the retailer has invested more than £2 million in to support 29 local agri-food producers and facilitate export of home-grown produce through Lidl’s international store network, boosting local businesses.

Following a competitive Dragon’s Den-style pitch process to find this year’s most innovative products, 13 suppliers across five counties were handpicked for the programme after an intensive application process which saw producers put through their paces with a business pitch to Lidl’s buying team and a taste test to select the best in category.

The successful producers will now see their artisan offerings, spanning 33 new products, on sale on Lidl’s shelves across its 220 stores across the island of Ireland from September 19 for a limited time, while stocks last.

From delicious overnight oats to farm shop meals and mouth-watering hot sauces, this year’s assortment will have something for everyone, with a focus on protein packed products and showcasing the fruits of Northern Ireland’s apple orchards, with cider, gin and spiced apple punch all in this year’s mix.

Now in its seventh year, Lidl Northern Ireland’s Kickstart programme is backed by the Northern Ireland Food & Drink Association (NIFDA) and aims to support small and medium-sized local producers to boost their brand, enhance their supply and reach new customer audiences.

Before the products hit the shelves, this six-month development programme offers suppliers dedicated business support from Lidl Northern Ireland’s in-house experts, advancing their product, brand and business with practical guidance on how to scale production, drive production efficiency, as well as product development and packaging support, allowing them to optimise on-shelf opportunities in the autumn and scale for success.

Since launching the programme in the region in 2018, Lidl Northern Ireland has showcased over 50 innovative home-grown products, offering small and medium sized producers the opportunity to reach over two million weekly Lidl customers across the island of Ireland and get a foot up in breaking into the competitive supermarket retail sector.

This year’s intake will see products from the following producers hit Lidl Northern Ireland stores this autumn:

• Bertie’s Bakery – Bertie's Brioche Muffins and Bertie's Protein Rolls.
• Blackfire Food – Blackfire Hot Sauces.
• Cloughbane Farm Foods – Cloughbane Farm Shop Meals.
• Mrs K Global – Diggity Sausages.
• Green Fingers Family – Energy Balls.
• Lecale Harvest – Lecale Harvest Slow Cooked Confit and Lecale Harvest Smoked Sundried Tomato Tapenade.
• Long Meadow Cider – Long Meadow Irish Craft Cider.
• Rosie’s Bakes – Nutrilean Protein Pancakes.
• SLICED – Oatco Overnight Oats.
• Armagh Cider Company – Spiced Apple Punch.
• Strangford Coffee Roastery – Strangford Coffee.
• Sweet Robyn’s – Sweet Robyn's Protein Bars.
• Woodlab Distillery – Symphonia Irish Apple Gin.

Kate O’Driscoll, supplier development manager at Lidl Ireland, said: “Northern Ireland is a region famed for its food and drink and every year I’m impressed by the innovation, quality and craftsmanship that suppliers clearly pour into their products. The standard is always incredibly high and this year was no exception.

“After a competitive application process, I’m delighted to add 13 local suppliers to our Kickstart programme this year and bring 33 new, locally made products to shoppers across the region.”