Naked Bakes, a cookie dough supplier, secured the permanent listing with the retailer following a successful stint on Lidl’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme.
Aisling Tuck joined Lidl’s programme in 2024 and supplied the Naked Bakes Cookie Dough to Lidl stores across the country on a promotional basis.
Speaking about the new opportunity, she said: “It really is a dream come true for us.
“Getting our foot in the door of a major retailer like Lidl has been a massive win for us and now securing a permanent placement in every store across the country is life changing for our business.
“By joining the Kickstart programme, we’ve benefitted from hands-on support and guidance from Lidl experts across supply chain, packaging, product formulation and even marketing.
“[This] has been a game changer for us to scale up our operations and our future. We couldn’t be happier.”
The €700,000 deal means that Naked Bakes will be in Lidl’s 223 stores across Ireland, following a successful stint on its 2024 Kickstart Supplier Development Programme.
Kate O’Driscoll, Supplier Development Manager at Lidl Ireland and Northern Ireland, added: “We’re delighted to support suppliers like Naked Bakes and several others on getting fully listed and now being part of Lidl’s everyday product range.
Aisling Tuck of Naked Bakes, which was part of Lidl’s Kickstart programme for small businesses
“Other products have benefited from the expansive international store network, reaching the shores of the UK, Europe and even the USA over the nine years of the programme.
“Lidl’s Kickstart Supplier Development programme allows us to support Irish producers building their businesses while providing our customers with a great range of new and innovative Irish products.
“We saw a record number of applicants in 2024 across a range of categories and we’re looking to build on this again this year.”
Applications are now open for the 2025 intake, Lidl is keen to hear from up-and-coming small and medium sized suppliers looking to grow their business. The deadline for new applications is January 31.
The retailer’s six-month development programme offers suppliers dedicated business support from Lidl’s in-house experts, advancing their product, brand and business with practical guidance on how to scale production and drive production efficiency, as well as product development and packaging support.
Fiona Twomey, Global Retail Specialist at Bord Bia, said: “Bord Bia would like to congratulate Naked Bakes on securing a permanent listing with Lidl, a significant achievement.
“The Kickstart programme provides companies with a great opportunity to engage with a global retailer like Lidl, picking up important learnings and experience along the way through capability development workshops.
“Kickstart can also open doors for participating companies to explore export opportunities through Lidl’s global network of stores.”
Since its launch in 2017, Lidl has invested €37m in supporting over 300 Irish businesses through the Kickstart programme.
