Lidl is the first retailer to seal the deal with pioneering Pembrokeshire Creamery and sell milk that has been both produced and bottled on home soil.
The move means that from 1st June, Lidl customers in Wales will be able to pick up ‘fully’ Welsh milk products with cream to follow soon after. Welsh milk had previously been bottled in factories in England before being transported back to Wales to be sold in stores.
Through the security of its long-term contract with Lidl, along with an injection from the Welsh Government, Pembrokeshire Creamery has invested £20 million to build the country’s only bottling facility certified to supply supermarkets, initially creating up to 80 jobs for the community.
The products will join Lidl’s existing range of Welsh produce, which includes bread, butter, yoghurt, eggs, lamb and beef.
Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, commented: “Our partnership with Pembrokeshire Creamery is testament to our commitment to offer Welsh shoppers the very best in homegrown food and drink. At Lidl we take pride in championing local producers, and this contract marks a significant milestone for the Welsh dairy sector, whilst also supporting the local economy in Pembrokeshire.”
Mark McQuade, managing director at Pembrokeshire Creamery, said: “We are very excited to have partnered with Lidl to supply their stores across Wales with milk from Welsh dairy cows, that has been bottled right here in Wales. The partnership will deliver products from farm to shelf in a more efficient way, removing the need for Welsh milk to be sent to England for bottling, before coming back to Wales.”
