Aldi has announced that it is set to invest £3 billion with British beef suppliers over the next five years as part of its commitment to championing Great British food and assisting UK producers.
The retailer said, as the country’s largest retailer of British beef, it hopes the investment will allow farmers to plan confidently and provide security for supply chains up and down the country.
Part of this investment includes a five-year contract with its supply partner Kepak, providing a £260 million investment into their line of Aberdeen Angus beef.
As well as championing authentic British produce, the deal will enhance the quality and range of beef available to customers, Aldi said.
Managing director at Aldi UK, Julie Ashfield, said: “As the UK’s largest British beef retailer, we’re proud of our long-term relationships with British farmers across the country.
“The UK farming community plays a vital role in our food supply chains – our continued investment in British beef is in recognition of this and means we can continue to provide the best quality British products for our customers.”
Lidl beef investment
Last month, Lidl commited to investing £1.5 billion into the British beef industry over the next five years.
The retailer also launched the ‘Sustainable Beef Group’ with the aim of supporting farmers transitioning to sustainable practices, with those in the group being rewarded for achieving a reduction in carbon intensity.
Group members will also be rewarded for adopting regenerative farming techniques to improve grazing management, biodiversity and soil and water quality parameters that are unique to each farm.
Hundreds of farms across the UK have been carbon footprinted to gather data and, in partnership with the independent agricultural consultancy Promar, each farm will now be offered tailored advice to reduce their carbon emissions and support the sustainable growth of their businesses over time, Lidl said.
Within their partnership, Lidl and Dunbia have set a target to reduce their scope 3 emissions intensity by 28%/t of finished product, by 2030.
