Aldi signs £100,000 bacon deal

Robertson’s Fine Foods, a family-owned £12.5M turnover company, has supplied Aldi’s stores in Scotland since June 15 this year.

The Ayrshire-based firm is supplying the discounter with middle bacon under Aldi’s MacAulays brand, it said.

Robertson’s, which employs 70 people, refused to comment on whether any new jobs had been created as a result of the contract.

Plans to invest​

However, there were plans to invest in the company’s facilities in the near future, FoodManufacture.co.uk understands.

Aldi md Richard Holloway said: “Robertson’s Ayrshire bacon has proven to be really popular as part of our fresh meat special buys programme so we were excited to be able to add the product to our core range.” ​

Aldi’s announcement was also a positive signal to the Scottish pig industry, according to Quality Meat Scotland chairman Jim McLaren.

“This is a further great example of Aldi’s innovation and forward-thinking approach, building on its existing commitment to stocking ‘Specially Selected Pork’ approved by the SPCA ​[Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals],” ​McLaren said.

“It helps to boost awareness of our industry’s excellent welfare credentials as well as reflecting increasing consumer demand for evidence of strong animal welfare.”​

‘Major coup’​

Robertson’s business development manager Barry Robertson said the deal with Aldi was a “major coup” ​and hoped the company’s relationship with the discounter would continue to grow in the future.

Meanwhile, Aldi announced plans to create 150 jobs​ and offer training for 100 staff and apprentices each year at its new Liverpool store and training centre development in Liverpool.

The centre, which opened on June 4, would generate up to 50 local jobs, with additional roles created in four retail units, including a sandwich outlet for Subway, it said.

Aldi’s new training centre would be its first purpose-built training facility and was created to support the retailer’s recruitment academy.