Taste Mid Ulster Restaurant Week returns 7 – 13 March

Lidl NI launches ​over ​30 ​new ​local ​artisan ​products ​as ​Kickstart ​range ​returns ​to ​stores Fibre-Up ​canned ​drinks,  ​Nugelato ​Ice-Cream ​and ​Jawbox ​Gin ​amongst ​new ​products ​available ​on ​shelves ​in ​Lidl ​stores ​across ​Northern ​Ireland ​from ​September ​10th The ​very ​best ​of ​locally-made ​artisanal ​produce ​has ​been ​handpicked ​by ​Lidl ​NI ​to ​feature ​in ​the ​retailer’s ​Kickstart ​Supplier ​Development ​Programme.  Promising ​shoppers ​a ​real ​taste ​of ​home, ​the ​Kickstart ​class ​of ​2026, ​which ​includes ​30 ​new ​products ​from ​more ​than ​16 ​local ​producers ​hits ​the ​shelves ​of ​Lidl ​stores ​throughout ​the ​region ​from ​Thursday ​10 ​September. This ​year’s ​line-up ​includes ​fourth-generation ​Co ​Armagh ​apple ​growers ​McAlister’s ​Apples, ​which ​has ​expanded ​into ​canned ​still ​and ​sparkling ​premium ​pressed ​apple ​juice ​with ​Juist; ​Nugelato, ​whose ​family ​ice ​cream ​roots ​in ​Newcastle ​date ​back ​almost ​100 ​years; ​Belfast-based ​Fibre ​Up, ​a ​sparkling ​drink ​that ​offers ​50% ​of ​your ​daily ​fibre ​intake ​and ​made ​with ​natural ​ingredients; ​Derry-based ​Whoosh, ​which ​grew ​from ​Thai ​and ​Vietnamese ​catering ​into ​a ​range ​of ​gluten ​free ​rice ​noodle ​pots; ​Jawbox ​Gin, ​a ​Co ​Down ​spirits ​brand ​inspired ​by ​Belfast’s ​industrial ​character ​and ​distilled ​on ​a ​300-acre ​estate; ​and ​Kennedy ​Bacon ​from ​Co ​Tyrone, ​bringing ​Smashed ​Bacon ​Grills ​Burgers ​to ​shoppers.  Since ​launching ​in ​2018, ​Lidl ​Northern ​Ireland’s ​Kickstart ​Supplier ​Development ​programme, ​supported ​by ​Northern ​Ireland ​Food & Drink ​Association ​(NIFDA), ​has ​invested ​more ​than ​£4 ​million ​in ​the ​initiative, ​supporting ​more ​than ​60 ​Northern ​Irish ​agri-food ​businesses ​and ​showcased ​more ​than ​80 ​home-grown products ​to ​half ​a ​million ​weekly ​customers ​across ​the ​region.  Many ​previous ​participants ​have ​gone ​on ​to ​secure ​full ​permanent ​listings ​in ​Lidl ​Northern ​Ireland, ​including Holmes ​Bakery in ​Portadown, ​which ​continues ​to ​supply ​Lidl ​Northern ​Ireland ​stores ​with ​their ​range ​of ​traybakes; ​caramel ​fingers, ​sweet ​mince ​slices ​and ​fifteens. Kickstart ​also ​continues ​to ​open ​doors ​internationally, ​with ​many ​alumni ​going ​on ​to ​export ​their ​products ​through ​Lidl’s ​extensive ​global ​network ​across ​Europe, ​the ​UK ​and ​the ​USA, ​including Hellbent, ​the ​South ​African-inspired ​food ​brand ​co-founded ​by ​Ulster ​rugby ​players ​Louis ​Ludik ​and ​Schalk ​van ​der ​Merwe, ​expanding ​into ​800 ​Lidl ​stores ​across ​the ​UK ​and ​Ireland.  Beyond ​in-store ​exposure, ​the ​Kickstart ​suppliers ​have ​benefited ​from ​a ​six-month ​development ​programme ​delivered ​by ​industry ​experts ​which ​covers ​key ​disciplines ​such ​as ​quality ​control, ​supply ​chain ​management, ​branding ​and ​distribution, ​ensuring ​their ​products ​are ​retail ​ready ​in ​time ​to ​hit ​the ​shelves. The ​Kickstart ​Class ​of ​2026 ​reflects ​the ​pace, ​creativity ​and ​commercial ​drive ​across ​Northern ​Ireland’s ​food ​and ​drink ​sector. ​From ​functional ​drinks ​and ​premium ​coffee ​to ​chilled ​desserts, ​meat ​products, ​sauces ​and ​ready-to-cook ​meal ​solutions, ​the ​2026 ​cohort ​brings ​together ​products ​designed ​for ​today’s ​shopper: ​convenient, ​local ​and ​full ​of ​flavour. Speaking ​ahead ​of ​the ​range ​landing ​in ​Lidl ​stores Kevin ​Duffy, ​Chief ​Commercial ​Officer ​at ​Lidl ​Ireland & Northern ​Ireland, ​said: “Since ​launching ​in ​2018, ​Kickstart ​continues ​to ​showcase ​the ​quality ​coming ​out ​of ​the ​local ​agri-food ​sector ​in ​Northern ​Ireland. ​Our ​customers ​have ​a ​huge ​appetite ​for ​locally ​made ​produce, ​and ​this ​programme ​allows ​us ​to ​bring ​the ​very ​best ​in ​the ​region ​directly ​to ​our ​shelves. For ​Our ​Kickstart ​suppliers, ​this ​is ​a ​very ​exciting ​time. ​Each ​of ​them ​have ​spent ​the ​last ​six-months ​working ​closely ​with ​our ​in-house ​team ​to ​get ​their ​products ​retail-ready ​and ​they ​now ​get ​to ​see ​them ​placed ​on ​the ​shelves ​in ​all ​Lidl ​stores ​across ​the ​region.  With ​more ​than ​30 ​new ​Northern ​Irish ​products ​in ​stores ​from ​Thursday ​10th ​September, ​we ​would ​encourage ​all ​customers ​to ​visit ​stores ​and ​support ​your ​local ​producers.” Michael ​Bell ​OBE, ​Executive ​Director ​at ​NIFDA, ​said: “NIFDA ​has ​been ​a ​proud ​supporter ​of ​Lidl’s ​Kickstart ​Supplier ​Development ​Programme ​for ​many ​years ​as ​it ​gives ​small ​businesses ​unmatched ​access ​to ​expert ​retail ​guidance, ​direct ​customer ​exposure ​and ​the ​chance ​to ​see ​their ​products ​on ​the ​shelves ​of ​Lidl’s ​44 ​stores ​in ​the ​region. “This ​year’s ​cohort ​showcases ​the ​very ​best ​of ​Northern ​Ireland’s ​agri-food ​and ​drink ​sector ​and ​we ​look ​forward ​to ​seeing ​them ​in-store ​from ​10th ​September.” The ​Kickstart ​programme ​remains ​a ​key ​part ​of ​Lidl ​Northern ​Ireland’s ​commitment ​to ​local ​sourcing, ​quality ​Northern ​Irish ​products ​and ​the ​long-term ​success ​of ​the ​agri-food ​industry. The ​Lidl ​Kickstart ​Class ​of ​2026 ​will ​be ​available ​in ​all ​44 ​Lidl ​stores ​across ​the ​island ​of ​Ireland ​from ​Thursday ​10 ​September, ​for ​a ​two-week ​promotional ​period, ​while ​stocks ​last. For ​more ​information ​on ​the ​Kickstart ​Supplier ​Development ​Programme, ​visit: LIDL WEBSITE