Aldi has agreed a one-year contract extension with the Co. Donegal-based fruit juice producer group Mulrines.

According to a statement from Aldi, the deal will see the business provide over €7 million worth of Irish-made fruit juices and smoothies to Aldi’s 137 stores nationwide.

Under the new agreement, Mulrines will increase the volume of product it supplies to Aldi by over 20% year-on-year.

The deal will see several new products developed exclusively for Aldi customers, including a premium 100% Irish fresh apple juice.

The juice will be made from a blend of Irish-grown Cox’s Pippen, Elstar and Jonagold apples.

The ‘Specially Selected Irish Pressed Apple Juice’ will launch in Aldi stores in April 2019, retailing at €2.39.

Mulrines has production facilities and orchards in both Ballybofey, Co. Donegal, and Kill, Co. Kildare, respectively.

This year, Mulrines is celebrating being in business for 100 years and in welcoming the new agreement. Peter Mulrine, CEO of Mulrines, said: “The new contract extension is great news for our business and for Aldi shoppers, who will now get the chance to enjoy even more of our home-grown and produced juices.

Our ongoing success is down to our unwavering focus on product innovation, quality and responding to ever-changing customer preferences.

Aldi’s group buying director, John Curtin, added: “We know that for our customers, Irish-produced products are always their first choice.

“Mulrines share our passion for making the very best Irish products available to consumers at prices that can’t be beaten.”

According to the statement, Aldi is committed to growing its Irish supply base and increasing the number of Irish products available in its stores.

It is investing more than €500,000 in year two of its ‘Grow with Aldi’ supplier development programme, which offers up-and-coming artisan Irish food and drink producers the chance to have their products listed in Aldi’s 137 stores.

Aldi also recently increased its support for small Irish suppliers by reducing its payment terms to 14 days for suppliers that transact up to €300,000 annually with Aldi.

Concluding, the statement outlined that Aldi will sell over €700 million worth of Irish goods this year, sourced from Irish producers, manufacturers and suppliers across the country.