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THREE IRISH PRODUCERS WIN NEW CONTRACTS WITH ALDI  

Grow with ALDI winners will have their products stocked in 160 ALDI stores nationwide! 

ALDI is delighted to announce that three Irish artisan food and drink producers have been selected as the winners of this year’s Grow with ALDI programme, landing year-long contracts that will see their products stocked in all 160 ALDI stores nationwide as Specialbuys throughout the year.

The winners were revealed by Irish entrepreneur and Grow with ALDI ambassador, Roz Purcell, and Bord Bia CEO, Jim O’Toole, at the National Ploughing Championships today in Ratheniska, Co. Laois.  This year’s lucky winners were chosen following a competitive process that saw 24 finalists’ products go head-to-head to win coveted contracts with the retailer.

This year’s winners hail from across the island of Ireland with products including female-focused nutritional supplements, refreshing sparkling iced tea, and restaurant-quality crispy onions. Winners were selected for true entrepreneurship, the quality of their produce and their passion.  

All three winners will have their products available for sale in ALDI stores nationwide allowing ALDI customers to discover the finest Irish products at unbeatable prices, and their presence reinforces ALDI’s commitment to championing Irish produce and supporting small businesses. 

The Grow with ALDI 2023 winners are:

• is a Co. Limerick business that specialises in female-specific nutritional and protein supplements with each product formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the female body. Their unique blends include Gut Blend, White Chocolate and Hazelnut Whey Protein and Vegan Protein,all of which will retail for €16.49. 
• . is a small craft brewery based in the hills of Drumbo, Co. Down. It produces a variety of refreshing drinks using traditional fermentation methods, including sparkling iced tea made from all natural ingredients and available in striking flavours like Green Tea Mojito €2.75 and Peach Melba €2.75. 
• is a family-owned business based in Limavady, Co. Derry. Proud onion farmers for generations, they launched their crispy onion range in 2012 and it has gone from strength to strength ever since. Their Crispy Onion Toppers €2.39 are tasty, versatile and the perfect addition to any supper. 

Speaking about this year’s Grow with ALDI programme, Rachael O’Connor, ALDI Ireland Buying Director, said: “This year’s Grow with ALDI has been another resounding success as demonstrated by our three remarkable winners who each exemplify what it means to be bold, brave, and tenacious. At ALDI, we seek to collaborate with the most exciting and dynamic food and drink producers in Ireland so we can offer our customers local artisan food at great value prices. We are invested in the success of small Irish businesses and that’s why we are proud to offer a national platform to emerging producers like FemFuelz, Onit! Onions and The Craft Brew Tea Co. On behalf of everyone at ALDI, I would like to personally congratulate each of our winners, and I look forward to seeing their businesses grow bigger, better, and stronger.” 

Speaking about what this win means to him, Ian Miller of Onit! Onions in Co. Derry said: “We are honoured to be among this year’s Grow with ALDI winners. Not only has my family been growing onions for decades, but we’ve been steadily growing our business, too. We know opportunities like this don’t come around often and that’s why we are thrilled to have the support of ALDI as we climb the next rung of the business ladder. Their guidance to date has been invaluable and we are grateful to ALDI, Bord Bia and Invest NI for giving us the chance to get our signature crispy onions in front of a national audience.

Speaking about their partnership with the programme, Jim O’Toole, Bord Bia CEO said: “At Bord Bia, we are proud to support initiatives that highlight and nurture the ambition of Irish food and beverage producers across the country. Sincere congratulations to the three winners of this year’s Grow with ALDI programme.”

Undertaken in partnership with Bord Bia and in association with Invest NI, Grow with ALDI is now in its sixth year and invites suppliers from across Ireland to back their passion and take their business to the next level. An industry-led programme, it offers practical, hands-on mentorship and invaluable retail support to help nurture small to medium-sized Irish businesses, setting them up for long-term success. Since the programme’s launch in 2018, ALDI has invested more than €8.5 million into championing over 250 producers. Through the scheme, producers are afforded unrivalled access to Irish consumers, ensuring they can grow and thrive in the Irish market. 

The winning products are now available in 160 ALDI stores nationwide:

• FemFuelz Gut Blend, White Chocolate and Hazelnut Whey Protein and Vegan Protein €16.49.  Designed specifically for the nutritional needs of the female body, FemFuelz’s deliciously blended protein powders and supplement contain premium ingredients, vitamins and minerals.
• Onit! Crispy Onions €2.39 Deliciously crunchy, Irish crispy onions grown and produced on the farm with incredible flavour and texture. Choose from Flame Grilled or Original.
• Green Tea Mojito €2.75 and Peach Melba €2.75 Hand-crafted from real brewed tea, their sparkling iced teas are made with 100% real ingredients as a refreshing alternative to soft drinks.

For more information on the Grow with ALDI programme, visit www.aldi.ie/grow.