The Staffordshire farm R & RW Bartlett is expanding operations with a £750,000 green investment thanks to their long-term supplier relationship with Aldi.
The veg growers have delivered carrots and parsnips to Aldi for over eight years, amounting to an average of 8086 tonnes annually, and say the upscale will create 60 new jobs.
The investment will guarantee its supply all year round by introducing a range of eco-friendly measures including LED lighting, new waste and water recycling facilities, as well as purchasing new digging and land equipment.
Laura Bartlett, commercial manager at R & RW Bartlett said that “clear forecasting” had helped the farm grow year on year.
“Working with Aldi has enabled us to continually invest to improve efficiencies, while producing the highest quality veg. Their simple ways of working, close communication and clear forecasting helps us to grow year on year –in terms of our yield, employees and revenue.”
Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK, added: “Our approach is to build partnerships with our suppliers that are based on trust and fairness. It’s always good to hear how this helps our farmers to invest back into their land and facilities and we look forward to working with the team in the years to come.”
The German discounter has more than doubled its market share since 2010. In the 12 weeks to 25th February, Aldi grew sales by 13.9% and has a 7% share of the market according to Kantar data. In 2018 Aldi will open 70 new stores and by 2022 will operate over 1,000 stores.
Research from the Centre for economics and business research showed that the value of Aldi’s relationships with UK suppliers will increase by £2.2bn during the next five years to £6.7bn in 2022.
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