Retailers continue to keep their cool in providing extensive chilled food ranges for consumers.

Northern Ireland companies have played their part in the rapid growth and development of the chilled food sector, with businesses such as Mash Direct marking two decades of delivering fresh, farm-to-fork vegetable accompaniments to families nationwide.

With the increase in time pressures and more working women, as well as people living alone, there has been an increased demand for tasty foods which are quick and easy to prepare and easy to store.

Consumers in Northern Ireland are continuing to spend more on chilled foods, with the market growing by 7.6% and shoppers spending £120 million more across total fresh and chilled foods. On average, consumers bought 196 times over the year, up versus last year’s 2.6 trips.

The total take home grocery market in Northern Ireland is £4.2bn, and is seeing value growth of 9.7% or shoppers spending an additional £373m year-on-year, Kantar figures suggest.

Total dairy products grew 10.7% year-on-year with shoppers spending nearly £42 million more than last year (Kantar). Shoppers have purchased dairy more frequently, up nearly three trips compared to last year. The average shopper in Northern Ireland spent £572 in 2024, which is up £54.

A breakdown of value spend shows:

• Butter +1.5% / +578k
• Cheese +12.8% or 11.2m
• Milk +4.4% or 5.1m – bought most often on average 64.5 times a year up 1.6 trips.
• Yoghurt +24.5% or 14.9m – saw the strongest boost in frequency up 12.3% an additional 4 trips a year.

Indeed, symbol groups here are realising they too must meet the demands of the consumer and have begun introducing their own ranges of chilled products.

Musgrave NI announced a £14 million investment in local produce with the launch of a new own-label range, Good Food Locally Sourced.

Comprising a range of almost 150 products, it offers a variety of everyday tasty food including meat, poultry, dairy and meal solutions.

Many butchers and independent retailers are also keen to make their mark and increase the product availability in chilled foods. Businesses such as McKay Family Butchers from Ballycastle have significantly grown their wholesale arm, now supplying 12 retail stores, after an investment in new packing machinery and equipment allowed them to keep up with demand, along with staff investment.

Independent stores, including The Milestone in Rathfriland and Hughes Food Hall in Camlough have their own butcheries and varieties of chilled, pre-packed products, continually innovating and creating exciting foods for their customers.

Choice is key now for consumers seeking chilled foods, with convenience the driving force behind the demand and supply. The sector has been driven by significant social, economic and demographic changes, which have influenced our eating habits. As the Chilled Food Association (CFA) notes, the chilled food sector is one of the fastest growing in the food industry, with the chilled recipe dish sector growing from an estimated £173 million in 1988 to around £1,467 million in 2015.

In 1989, when CFA was formed, the market was worth £550m. By January 2017 that figure was £12.6bn (including cooked sliced meat). The total value of the UK chilled prepared food market for 2022 was £10.5 bn, excluding cooked sliced meat.

As the organisation reports, the UK chilled foods sector is unique because the foods are unpreserved, meaning hygiene and safety are critical; they are generally multicomponent (eg pizzas, sandwiches, ready meals); prepared – ready to eat, ready to reheat and ready to cook.

Additionally, they are made to order – just-in-time systems and often made on the day of delivery to retailers; they are made of seasonal raw materials and more than 95% retailer own-label foods, meaning manufacturers have exceptionally close partnerships with retailers.

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The company has partnered with food redistribution charity FareShare Northern Ireland, providing it with milk and butter on a weekly basis which is then distributed through community food banks and charities across Northern Ireland.

FareShare Northern Ireland is directly tackling food poverty by collecting food from industry and redistributing it to charities that provide meals to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups.

Caroline Martin, Corporate Marketing and Communications Manager, Dale Farm said:

“FareShare and the local charities they work with carry out vital work in reaching out to and supporting the most vulnerable people in our community all year round and, given the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, that work is more important than ever. We are proud to be partnering with FareShare and we take our responsibility to support the community seriously.

“Getting nutritious dairy to people, including those who are self-isolating or find it difficult to safely access a local store, is extremely important and we have been developing new ways to help do this during the pandemic. Through our My Milk Delivery service for example, we have been working with our network of independent local milkmen and women to bring our range of milk, cheese, butter and yogurts safely and directly to doorsteps.”

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Dale Farm’s world class quality cheese in addition to cottage cheese, quark and yogurt was recognised where the cooperative celebrated receiving an impressive array of accolades including 11 gold, 7 silver and 11 bronze awards. At Nantwich, expert judges sampled over 5,500 entries from some of the world’s leading cheesemakers and dairy producers.

Dale Farm markets its cheese ranges under the Dale Farm and Dromona brands in Northern Ireland and Great Britain; and Rowan Glen in Scotland. Dale Farm also supplies cheese to many major retailers for their own brand ranges. The company produces 50,000 tonnes of cheddar per annum from its state-of-the-art plant in Cookstown, County Tyrone, using milk supplied by its dairy farmer owners.

Stephen Cameron, Group Commercial Director at Dale Farm, said:

“We are extremely proud to once again have our quality product recognised by the industry. These accolades represent not only a stamp of approval from the experts, but also a guarantee of product quality for the consumer.

“Our world-class dairy products come from world-class milk, and these awards are testament to the high quality of milk produced by the farmers within our cooperative, and the skill of those involved throughout the production process.”

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Based in Derrylin, Fermanagh, Crust & Crumb employs more than 300 staff and has been a preferred long-term supplier to Lidl Northern Ireland since 2013.

The new, dramatically-expanded Lidl Northern Ireland supply contract will see the leading local bakery supply 20 varieties of Deluxe range sourdough pizza, selected for its premium quality and craft ranges, six Chef Select pizza lines chosen for its supreme taste range, and two flavours of its Simply pizza value range – something to cater to every shoppers’ budget.

Conor Boyle, Regional Director of Lidl Northern Ireland, said:“From small beginnings in 2013, we’ve built an outstanding relationship with Crust & Crumb and we are thrilled that this new contractual arrangement will bring its great-tasting, quality, locally-made products to thousands of new consumers in stores across the UK and Ireland.

An innovative company with renewed capacity for growth, Lidl Northern Ireland acknowledges this company’s hard work and commitment afforded by its team of staff and we’re proud to support its expansion.

This new partnership is also part of our commitment to provide shoppers with the best choice and value while also supporting ambitious local suppliers and quality produce.”

Crust & Crumb has two major production facilities in Derrylin, County Fermanagh, one of which is a gluten-free site. It also operates a further site in Ballyconnell, County Cavan, which it opened last year.

Mark McCaffrey of Crust & Crumb Bakery Ltd., said: “Supported by a dedicated team of craft bakers, we take great pride in producing a range of world class products which pack real punch in quality, taste and value. We’re delighted to expand our partnership with Lidl Northern Ireland as part of a significant investment which supports our plans for continued growth.

This partnership has enabled us to access new markets and expand our customer base across the UK and Ireland and it supports our ambitions for export sales to additional EU markets later this year.”

Since the beginning of its relationship with Crust & Crumb in 2013, Lidl Northern Ireland’s supply deal has helped to create 160 new full-time roles, in addition to improving access to sales in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and EU markets.

Lidl Northern Ireland is a major supporter of local food suppliers.

Last year, as part of its 20th anniversary in Northern Ireland, it commissioned an independent report into the economic impact of its operations which indicated that it spends at least £290 million annually with suppliers across the region while also supporting 3,500 jobs.

Welcoming the announcement, John Hood, Invest Northern Ireland’s Director of Food & Drink said: “Crust & Crumb is a highly ambitious company which we have supported since it established almost a decade ago. In what is an immensely challenging time for companies across Northern Ireland, we welcome Crust & Crumb’s longstanding partnership with Lidl Northern Ireland. This announcement is testament to the company’s sharp focus on innovation, which has been the driver in helping it to increase its product range and further its relationship with Lidl.”

In 2018, Lidl Northern Ireland struck a deal with Northern Ireland’s Dale Farm, the UK’s largest farmer-owned dairy co-operative, to supply cheddar cheese to Lidl stores across the UK, Europe and the United States.

That deal represented the single biggest contract awarded by Lidl to a Northern Ireland agri-food company, which saw Dale Farm’s locally made block cheddars, as well as grated and sliced varieties, stocked in some 8,000 stores across 22 countries.

The new Crust & Crumb fresh pizza product range is priced from £0.49 for the Simple range, up to £3.29 for its premium Deluxe sourdough range.

For more information visit www.lidl-ni.co.uk

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