NEWRY-based boiled sweets maker Crilco Confections is set for a major expansion and will add six more jobs after bagging a bumper £1 million deal with Lidl Northern Ireland.
The family-owned business, established in 1974 by Peter Crilly, will supply its premium range of traditional handmade sweets to the north's fastest-growing supermarket, which now has 41 stores and a distribution centre in the north employing more than 1,300 people.
Crilco has a growing share of the confectionery market with its popular high-quality boiled sweets, gummies and bonbon products, growing annual sales to a record £10 million in 2022 and exporting to global markets including China, Spain and other parts of Europe.
Its founder and managing director David Crilly said: “We're thrilled with this new supply deal with Lidl Northern Ireland, which demonstrates our commitment to hard work and to investing in our company and the local community. We've no doubt our products will be a firm favourite for Lidl customers.”
Lidl NI buyer Zoe Russell added: “Partnering with a thriving family-owned business like Crilco fully aligns with our commitment to sourcing produce locally.
“Crilco is known for its superior ingredients and recipes with the finest quality at competitive prices. resonating strongly with our own brand proposition – Big on Quality, Lidl on Price.”
The deal with Crilco Confections - which has a 50-strong workforce - is the latest in a string of major local supplier partnerships undertaken by Lidl Northern Ireland.
Recent contracts awarded to Holmes bakery, artisan condiment supplier Erne Larder and apple cider vinegar producers Natural Umber by Lidl continue to underpin the supermarket’s impact on the agri-food sector, which in 2022 saw a record £455 million ploughed into local procurement, almost £390 million of which was exported globally through Lidl’s international store network.
