The keynote speaker at the NI Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) annual dinner held in Belfast last week was John Paul Scally, the head of Lidl in Ireland.

He outlined how the company is currently the fastest-growing retailer in NI, with 38 stores and employing 850 people.

During his presentation Scally also highlighted two important consumer trends likely to have a significant impact on all agri-food business into the future. The first is centred around issues such as responsible sourcing and protecting the environment.

“How we produce, package and transport food will have to change,” said Scally.

Last month Lidl committed to removing non-recyclable black plastic from its entire fruit and vegetable range by the end of this year, and from fresh meat and poultry ranges from August 2019. It also intends to have 100% recyclable own-brand packaging by 2025.

The second trend relates to consumer health and wellbeing, which means reforming some existing products, for example, to have less sugar. It also means offering healthier alternatives and providing clearer front-of-pack labelling to better inform consumers.

“At the moment our vegan and gluten-free ranges are growing by the day. It probably isn’t what you want to hear,” acknowledged Scally.

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