Aldi signs £750 million deal with apple grower
Investing in a Kent-based apple grower, discount retailer Aldi has announced that it has signed a £750 million deal with British company AC Goatham & Son.
Discount retailer Aldi has invested £750 million in British based apple grower, AC Goatham & Son, a family owned fruit farm situated in Kent, England.
The fruit farm has supplied Aldi with a variety of apples and pears since 2016 and back in 2023 it was chosen to be Aldi’s sole supplier of British apples.
The latest deal will be in place for 20 years and will reportedly see the introduction of the new “Aldi Orchard” – a 200-acre plot on New Green Farm in Gravesend. On this farm, a mixture of Gala and Braeburn apples will be grown and then sold at Aldi stores across the UK.
“This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the work both AC Goatham & Son and Aldi have put into the agreement to have created something truly collaborative, a first for the British Top Fruit Sector,” said Ross Goatham, Managing Director of AC Goatham & Son.
“This gives us the confidence now to invest for the future and to grow more British apples and pears for Aldi, guaranteeing sustainability, viability and most importantly UK food security,” Goatham continued.
The family run farm was founded back in 1947 and is run by Clive Goatham along with his son Ross. According to Aldi, AC Goatham & Son supplies an estimated 250 million apples and pears to Aldi stores each year which is more than five times the volume it initially supplied to the supermarket in 2016.
Looking to the future, AC Goatham & Son has revealed plans to plant an additional 100 acres per year of apple trees exclusively for Aldi and is working with the discount retailer to extend the growing season with controlled atmosphere storage and is supporting with its journey to Net Zero.
“We are proud to be one of the largest buyers of British apples and of our partnership with AC Goatham & Son. This new 20-year deal represents a £750m investment in British farming and demonstrates our long-term commitment to championing British produce,” added Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK.
Source: newfoodmagazine.com