French beans from a Farm Africa project hit Aldi’s shelves

Green beans harvested by farmers in Kitale, Western Kenya are going on sale in Aldi stores this week as part of the retailer’s partnership with Farm Africa.

In 2016, Aldi teamed up with Farm Africa to support young farmers in Kenya through its Growing Futures project. Throughout the three-year partnership, the retailer has pledged to donate more than £260,000 to Farm Africa.

To date the project has worked with more than 400 young people and has helped them to grow and sell vegetables that are in high demand, so they can earn an income and build sustainable businesses.

The project trains young people in how to grow high-quality crops, like green beans, tomatoes and kale, as well as how to run their farms as businesses. As a result, the farmers have been able to bring in higher yields, diversify their incomes and build up savings that they can invest in growing their businesses further.

The green beans are the first product from the partnership to hit Aldi’s shelves, with the products going on sale in ten Aldi stores across the Midlands on Thursday 8 November. The specially-branded packs will serve as a tangible example of how the UK food retail industry can use its own supply chains to help deliver impactful development in regions that they source from.

Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “It’s fantastic to see the first produce as part of our Farm Africa partnership going into our stores.”

Farm Africa works with small-scale farmers, government and private sector organisations across Africa to boost food production, creating more sustainable and commercial farming that builds rural incomes and sustains natural resources.

Nicolas Mounard, Chief Executive of Farm Africa, said: “We’re pleased to see growing interest amongst consumers about the origin of the food they buy. Aldi’s sale of beans grown by Growing Futures farmers is a win-win for Kenyan farmers and British customers alike. The young farmers benefit from an international market, while customers benefit from clarity about the journey of their vegetables from farm to supermarket trolley.”

Mary Nyale, Project Coordinator of Farm Africa’s Growing Futures project, commented: “The farmers’ incomes have risen because they have larger quantities of produce to sell, the quality is higher so it can command higher prices, and we have helped farmers to form groups and collectively sell their vegetable in bulk to wholesalers.”

Joseph Kiplagat, a young farmer (pictured above) taking part in the project, describes the impact the project has had on his family: “I have benefited a lot from the project. After the training, I had to enlarge my projections of tomatoes and French beans. After doing this project, we have money, we can meet all the requirements in the family: like taking the children to school. The family is raised up: we can meet the balanced diet.”

It’s not just farmers taking part in the project who are benefiting. Thriving businesses like Joseph’s create jobs for other local people, so the project has wider impact across the whole community. Mr Kiplagat added: “When we started the projects, like the French beans we are harvesting now, we created employment within our people. During planting, education and spraying, when we have access to money, we hire labour. Different people within our community are benefiting: ladies, men and youths not involved in the projects.”

The beans will be on sale at the following Aldi stores for two weeks from 8 November:

• Glascote
• Nuneaton
• Leamington Spa
• Stratford upon Avon
• Daventry
• Towcester
•  Rugby
• Edgbaston
• Tamworth
• Braunstone

Photos: Farm Africa / Lisa Murray