In 2013, the German supermarket chain Lidl increased its purchases from Spanish suppliers by 20%, spending around 3,000 million Euro and confirming its position as Spain's largest horticultural client. Half of the purchases were devoted to exports, with an increase in the same proportion (+20%) and a total value of 1,500 million. The fruits and vegetables purchased by Lidl were distributed to the chain's 10,000 outlets that the company has across 26 European countries, explained the general purchasing director, Miguel Paradela.
Last year, Lidl bought over one million tonnes of fruit and vegetables valued at 928 million Euro; 8% more in both cases, of which 80% were exported. It also purchased Spanish meat and fresh fish, as well as deli products and wines. It shipped fruits and vegetables worth 740 million Euro. Thus, over 60% of the 1,600 products in Lidl's current assortment are supplied by Spanish producers (compared to 38% in 2008).
At present, Lidl's number of Spanish suppliers is 21% higher than in 2012, reaching a total of 445 suppliers.
180 million invested in 2014
On the 20th anniversary of Lidl's first store in Spain, the company organised a celebration at the International Convention Centre of Barcelona (CCIB), which was attended by 1,400 of its nearly 10,000 employees in Spain. In those twenty years, the chain's outlets have evolved from selling only dry and refrigerated products to the introduction of fruit and vegetables in 1997, frozen products in 2000, fresh meat and fresh bakery products in 2005 and fresh fish in 2012. Fresh produce already accounts for a third of all sales, compared to the 23% registered five years ago.
Lidl plans to invest 180 million Euro in Spain in 2014 for the opening of 20 new supermarkets and the refurbishment of another 50, by which 400 jobs will be created and a total of 10,000 employees will be reached. The firm already owns over 525 stores and eight logistic centres in Spain.
Since the start of the recession in 2008, Lidl has invested over 1,000 million in Spain, 340 of which between 2013 and 2014. One of its main innovations is the self-service bakery and pastry product service implemented in 130 stores, where sales in this segment have tripled.
Source: abc.es