Dublin-based Sunglow Nurseries has agreed a €7.5m deal with Aldi Ireland to supply 300 tonnes of strawberries annually to the supermarket chain's 150 stores over the next three years.
The family-run business has supplied Aldi for the past 14 years, and now employs 10 full-time and 30 part-time staff at its premises in Rush, Co Dublin.
The company has been able to increase its output capacity by 17 after installing a glasshouse extension last year as a result of its relationship with Aldi.
"Sunglow Nurseries has supplied our Irish stores for more than 14 years and we are delighted to further extend our partnership for another three," said John Curtin, Aldi group buying director.
"Aldi is committed to supporting our Irish growers so that our customers can enjoy the very best Bord Bia Assured fresh local produce. We look forward to continuing to work together with Sunglow in the future."
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Joe McGuinness, partner at Sunglow Nurseries, added: "Working with Aldi has given us the security to invest in our business and we look forward to working with Aldi for the next three years and beyond.
"We’re delighted with this new contract and are proud to bring our 100% Irish grown Bord Bia Assured strawberries to Aldi stores nationwide."
The latest available accounts for Sunglow Nurseries show the company had net assets of nearly €1.2m at the end of 2020, and it employed an average of 28 people over the course of the year, no change from 2019.
Remuneration of key management personnel at the company, which is co-owned by McGuinness and his brothers John and William, rose year-on-year from €252,000 to €312,000.
Aldi has said it currently works with more than 300 Irish food and drink producers, with whom it spent €1bn in 2021. The budget retailer has invested more than €5.5m in its Grow with Aldi supplier development programme for artisan Irish food and drink producers since 2018.
Photo: John, Joe and Billy McGuinness, co-owners of Sunglow Nurseries with Collin Miller, Buying Manager at Aldi Ireland. (Pic: Marc O'Sullivan)
