Lidl has announced it will be injecting £1bn into the British egg industry over five years.
The investment, larger than previous years, aims to show the retailer’s dedication to supporting British farmers and ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality, 100% British eggs.
Lidl has established a producer group of British free-range egg farmers which will benefit from long-term cost of production contracts, guaranteed minimum volumes, assistance in securing finance from banks, and additional funding to build new free-range sheds.
This helps the long-term success of farms as Lidl works towards exclusively stocking British free-range eggs in all its stores.
“We are proud to support British farmers – they are critical to our business, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them,” said Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB. “Together with our producer groups, we’ve developed long-term cost of production contracts, providing farmers with the confidence and security they need to invest in their business.
“This commitment ensures a sustainable future for the industry and guarantees high-quality affordable British eggs for our consumers,” he added.
Lidl has also supported the industry by rolling out white eggs across all UK stores, helping producers by utilising more productive and environmentally-friendly birds.
White eggs are produced by white-feathered hens which lay eggs for longer and consume less feed, whilst offering customers the same quality and nutritional value as traditional brown eggs.
“In less than a year, we’ve already seen the benefits of joining the producer group,” said Julia Brewster, a small family-run farm owner and producer group member. “Lidl has invested over £5m into our business and with its support and commitment to buying all our eggs, we’ve gained the confidence to invest further.
“We’re expanding rapidly, quadrupling our output, and building multiple new sheds – setting us up for the future.”
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