A family-owned Kent-based fruit farm has signed a new £750 million deal with Aldi. AC Goatham & Son has supplied Britain’s fourth largest supermarket with a variety of apples and pears since 2016 and was announced earlier last year as Aldi’s sole supplier of British apples.

The new 20-year deal will also see the introduction of the “Aldi Orchard” – a 200-acre plot on New Green Farm in Gravesend, which will grow a mix of Gala and Braeburn apples for Aldi stores across the country.

This long-term deal will provide vital support for British farmers — assuring them of supply and helping to give them the security they need to grow and thrive.

The news comes as British Apples and Pears Limited (BAPL) named Aldi as 2023 Apple Retailer of the Year and the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) awarded Aldi Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year 2023.

AC Goatham & Son, named Supermarket Fruit and Veg Supplier of the Year at the FPC Awards 2023, also has plans to plant an additional 100 acres per year of apple trees exclusively for Aldi.

Founded in 1947, and run by Clive Goatham and his son Ross, the business supplies an estimated 250 million apples and pears to Aldi stores each year – more than five times the volume it initially supplied to the supermarket in 2016.

The business has big plans for its future, including working with Aldi to extend the growing season with controlled atmosphere storage and working in partnership with the supermarket on its journey to Net Zero.

Ross Goatham, Managing Director of AC Goatham & Son, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the work both AC Goatham & Son and Aldi have put into the agreement to have created something truly collaborative, a first for the British Top Fruit Sector."

“This gives us the confidence now to invest for the future and to grow more British apples and pears for Aldi, guaranteeing sustainability, viability and most importantly UK food security.”

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “We are proud to be one of the largest buyers of British apples and of our partnership with AC Goatham & Son. This new 20-year deal represents a £750m investment in British farming and demonstrates our long-term commitment to championing British produce.”

Aldi was the largest buyer of British apples in 2023 according to the industry body, British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) and are poised to repeat this feat in 2024.