Aldi reports that it has sold around 30,000 tons of British apples over the past year, equal to one in five apples sold in the United Kingdom. The retailer now forecasts sales of 32,000 tons for 2026 as part of its long-term sourcing strategy.
The increase follows favourable growing conditions and Aldi's 20-year partnership with supplier AC Goatham & Son. The agreement aims to secure British apples for 52 weeks of the year. AC Goatham & Son has supplied Aldi with apples and pears since 2016 and last year became the retailer's sole supplier of British apples under a £750 million (US$942 million) investment plan.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi, said, "This summer has been excellent for growing apples and, thanks to our near-two-decade partnership with AC Goatham & Son, we're seeing the benefits of sustained investment in British produce." She added, "That long-term confidence means it's our ambition to stock British apples all year long, and we hope to achieve this for the 2025/2026 season with the support of AC Goatham."
Ross Goatham, Managing Director of AC Goatham & Son, said, "This season has been one of the strongest we've seen in recent years, thanks to near-perfect growing conditions and continued investment across our orchards." He added, "Our long-term partnership with Aldi has given us the confidence to keep planting, modernising and investing in technology, ensuring we can supply even more British apples for even more of the year."
Aldi stated that it spent £14 billion (US$17.6 billion) with UK suppliers in 2024 and reaffirmed its commitment to existing British sourcing rules for fresh produce. The retailer said these standards will remain unchanged regardless of future international trade agreements.
Source: Farming Online
