Aldi invests £750 million with Kent based apple grower
Aldi has signed a new £750 million deal with a family-owned Kent-based fruit farm.
AC Goatham & Son has supplied the supermarket with apples and pears since 2016 and last year became Aldi’s sole supplier of British apples.
In addition to supply, the new 20-year deal will include the introduction of an “Aldi Orchard” on a 200-acre plot on New Green Farm in Gravesend, which will grow a mix of Gala and Braeburn apples.
Named Supermarket Fruit and Veg Supplier of the Year at the FPC Awards 2023, AC Goatham & Son also plans to plant an additional 100 acres per year of apple trees exclusively for Aldi.
Julie Ashfield, managing director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “We are proud to be one of the largest buyers of British apples and of our partnership with AC Goatham & Son.
“This new 20-year deal represents a £750 million investment in British farming and demonstrates our long-term commitment to championing British produce.”
Founded in 1947 and run by Clive Goatham and his son Ross, the business supplies an estimated 250 million apples and pears to Aldi stores each year, which is five times more than it initially supplied in 2016.
AC Goatham & Son will also be working with Aldi to extend the growing season with controlled atmosphere storage.
Ross Goatham, managing director of AC Goatham & Son, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the work both AC Goatham & Son and Aldi have put into the agreement to have created something truly collaborative, a first for the British Top Fruit Sector.
“This gives us the confidence now to invest for the future and to grow more British apples and pears for Aldi, guaranteeing sustainability, viability and most importantly UK food security.”
Aldi was the largest buyer of British apples in 2023 according to the industry body British Apples & Pears.
