Aldi Urges Long-Term Backing for Growers to Strengthen Britain’s Food Security

Longer-term supermarket commitments could help unlock more British food production, Aldi UK’s chief commercial officer has argued, highlighting the importance of investment certainty for growers.

Writing in The Times, Julie Ashfield called for food production to receive greater recognition as a national resilience issue, with retailers and government both playing a part in supporting expansion.

For fresh produce businesses, Aldi’s relationship with Kent-based AC Goatham & Son provides a substantial example of that approach.

Announced in May 2024, their £750 million, 20-year agreement included a dedicated 200-acre “Aldi Orchard” at New Green Farm in Gravesend, growing Gala and Braeburn apples for the retailer’s stores. The announcement also outlined plans for the grower to plant another 100 acres of apple trees annually exclusively for Aldi.

At the time, AC Goatham & Son managing director Ross Goatham said: “This gives us the confidence now to invest for the future and to grow more British apples and pears for Aldi”.

That partnership forms part of a wider push towards longer supplier agreements. In May 2026, Aldi announced a £5 billion commitment to British farming and food production through contracts covering categories including fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy, meat and eggs.

The retailer said these agreements typically run for at least two years. It also set a target to source 50% of its domestic produce through long-term agreements by the end of 2027.

Explaining the programme, Ashfield said: “These long-term agreements give farmers and producers the confidence to plan ahead, invest in their operations and build resilient supply chains.”

The commercial case extends beyond the farm gate. Aldi says greater certainty for producers can strengthen British supply chains, linking supplier investment with the reliability of the food reaching its shelves.

Ashfield’s latest intervention puts that relationship firmly in the food security debate: expanding British production requires buying commitments that give businesses confidence to make decisions years ahead.