Antrim's Slumberjack Coffee wins Lidl business across the island of Ireland

Antrim-based Slumberjack Coffee is to supply two products to 207 Lidl supermarkets in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The company is providing the coffee – Italian Espresso Ground Coffee in 220g packs and Italian Espresso Coffee Beans in 500g packs  – from its state-of the-art roastery at its base near Antrim in Northern Ireland.

Slumberjack Coffee won the business following discussions with Lidl’s buying team which was seeking to add an Irish supplier to its product portfolio, according to Alf Walker, the coffee roaster’s manager, and is the biggest retail contract won by the small company on the island of Ireland.

“Our discussions with Lidl’s head buyer followed an approach by the influential supermarket chain which had been aware of our reputation as a supplier of premium beans and ground coffee for private label, wholesale and vending in the UK and Ireland. We’ve supplied a number of specialist foodservice and retail outlets including TK Maxx in Britain and parts of Europe,” he says. It has also supplied products for companies producing hampers.

Slumberjack subsequently supplied samples for assessment and secured business for two of its range of premium coffee products. The company has recently moved to a new facility in Antrim to increase production capacity and capabilities.

Mr Walker continues: “We were thrilled to win the business with Lidl which will help to raise the level of awareness of our products and brands substantially in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.”

The company sources beans directly from a family farm in Brazil’s Alta Mogiana Mineira region which is 1205 metres above sea level. The farm has been producing award-winning coffee beans for almost 60 years.

In addition to beans and ground coffee, Slumberjack provides cold brew coffee in ginger and orange flavours, rich chocolate powder, instant coffee in a tin.