Major all-Ireland deal for Hellbent sausages from Lidl
Hellbent, the Northern Ireland producer of South African-style meat products, has won a significant contract for Lidl stores throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The company’s first all-island deal is for its delicious Chakalaka Boerewors high in protein beef sausage. The distinctive coiled sausage is made from 90 percent Irish beef seasoned with authentic South African Chakalaka curry along with onions and tomatoes.
Chakalaka spice is popular throughout South Africa for spicy meals including breads, stews and curries.
The distinctive sausages will be on sale soon in over 200 Lidl supermarkets in Northern Ireland and the Republic, providing total island coverage for the small company.
Hellbent was established by rugby stars Louis Ludik, who plays for Ulster Rugby, and Schalk Van Der Merwe, player/coach of Lurgan Rugby Club in county Armagh, in March 2018 to develop a range of meat products including South African style boerewors beef sausages, burgers and meat balls.
The innovation-led company subsequently created Irish pork products with South African flavours which attracted business from Tesco Northern Ireland. The company also supplies its products to the Henderson Group, Northern Ireland’s biggest food wholesaler which also supplies Eurospar and Spar stores.
Hellbent won the Lidl listing on the back of its success in winning the supermarket’s innovative ‘Kickstart’ programme for business starts last year. The products proved an outstanding successs with shoppers.
Louis Ludik, commenting on the latest business with Lidl, says: “We’ve developed a good relationship with Lidl which is assisting our growth in the Republic, now a key external market for us. We’ve learned a great deal from this relationship and been keen to come up with innovative products with distinctive flavours for them. The retailer has also been very supportive in promoting our sausages.
“The Chakalaka boerewors sausages, made from 90 percent beef, offer Lidl shoppers a different flavour based on a spicy seasoning that’s popular throughout our homeland.
“Our existing sausages are proving popular in the Republic and also Northern Ireland because of their unique spicy flavour. It’s a great taste for the forthcoming BBQ season,” he adds.
Image: Louis Ludik and Schalk Van Der Merwe
