Meat-ing of minds after Linden seals deal with Lidl for new product range

By Clare Weir – 19 December 2012

Co Tyrone meat firm Linden Foods has won a contract to supply new products to discount grocery store Lidl.

The products, available under the supermarket's Deluxe range, include a premium Northern Irish Hereford speciality fillet steak, a Northern Irish Hereford sirloin steak and Northern Irish Hereford lean mince beef, and will be available across Lidl's 36 stores in Northern Ireland from this week.

Traditionally, Hereford products have only been available in Northern Ireland through smaller outlets and speciality butchers with Aberdeen Angus products dominating the market.

Linden Foods is a major processor of beef, lamb and rosé veal products and already supplies to Lidl under the Heat, Eat and Enjoy range.

The contract is worth an undisclosed sum and is the latest coup for the company after it made a £10m investment in a new retail packing and product development facility at Granville in Dungannon.

Caitriona McCarry from Lidl said that customers in Northern Ireland will have greater choice with the introduction of the new Hereford meats. "Linden Foods has been supplying Lidl with quality products for some time now and the addition of these new lines is testament to the quality and range of the products we know they provide," she said.

Catherine Hunter of Linden Foods added: "Our company has been focused on innovation within our category and providing our customers with a range of exciting new seasonal products that are well ahead of current trends.

"This contract is the result of our work in this area and bolsters our position as market leader within the meat processing industry."