Lidl gives kickstart to three Mayo-based food producers

THREE Mayo-based producers have secured contracts through the Lidl Ireland Kickstart Producer Development Programme.

The programme gives Irish food and drink suppliers the chance to showcase their products throughout Lidl’s 210 stores in Ireland. The promotion launches in all Lidl stores across Ireland and Northern Ireland from today (Thursday) and is available while stocks last.

This year’s programme celebrates the very best of Irish produce from 43 small indigenous suppliers and will feature the following Mayo based brands - Furnace Green, Harvest Moon Foods, and Velvet Cloud.

Since 2017, Lidl Ireland has invested more than €6 million in its Kickstart Supplier Development Programme, showing its continued commitment to supporting local.

Supported by Bord Bia, the programme, was designed to give small and medium-sized Irish food and drink businesses the opportunity to advance their product, brand and business with dedicated support from field experts along the way.

Now in its fifth year, Kickstart has empowered hundreds of amazing Irish artisan suppliers to showcase their produce on Lidl’s national platform, exposing them to 2 million customers.

Furnace Green ‘Meat Free’ puddings have all the taste and characteristics of traditional black and white breakfast puddings except they don’t contain meat. They’re packed full of wholesome grain and vegetables combined with carefully selected spices and seasonings.

Lidl will stock Furnace Green Black and White Puddings (€2.29) that are low in sugar, low in saturated fat and high protein.

Harvest Moon has taken part in Kickstart since the Programme launched in 2017 with their hugely popular hummus selection. As a result of the partnership, the artisan supplier has been able to invest in new machinery which increased their capacity for larger orders and consequently grew their operations significantly.

Westport-based Harvest Moon will be supplying Lidl with a range of healthy and delicious products including staples such as their Harvest Moon Hummus Natural (€3.89) and Sweet Potato & Corriander (€3.89), Spicy Vegan Hummus (€3.89), Vegan Pesto, Pate and Tapenade (€4.99).

Michael and Aisling Flanagan of Velvet Cloud are producing a range of creamy digestion friendly sheep’s milk products on their family farm in Mayo, where the family have been farming for generations. Milk from their flock of dairy ewes grazing on grass and clover pastures is used to make their handmade yogurt and cheese. All of their sheep’s milk products are made on their farm.

Velvet Cloud Sheep's Milk Yoghurt (€3.99) contains fresh sheep’s milk and live yogurt cultures, nothing else. Velvet Cloud Sheep's Cheese (€3.49) is a semi hard cheese with a natural rind and is carefully matured for a minimum of three months here on the farm.