Evesham-based supplier Walsh Mushrooms is planning to invest in operations and create local jobs, after securing a long-term supply deal with supermarket Aldi to stock its produce until 2024.

Having worked with Aldi for over a decade, the new five-year deal starting in 2019, will enable the mushroom grower to further invest in its factory and operations, drive efficiency and create jobs in the business to enable it to fulfil increased demand from Aldi.

Since the partnership began, the investment has enabled Walsh to create over 100 jobs and introduce multiple sustainability measures to its farms across the UK and Ireland. Its farms now benefit from the use of woodchip boilers and efficient cooling systems, resulting in over 600 tonnes of CO2 and over 500 tonnes of carbon saved each year.

The Evesham site also benefits from solar panels and LED lighting, reducing electricity demand and saving over 150 tonnes of CO2 per annum. The measures led to the business being awarded the Wychavon Intelligently Green Award in 2016, recognising its commitment to sustainability.

Paul Parmenter, senior commercial manager at Walsh Mushrooms, said: “Aldi are a really important part of our business and the relationship has allowed us to continually invest to improve efficiencies and produce high quality mushrooms.

“In today’s very competitive market, maintaining some stability in production is key and this will allow longer term investment and provide security to our staff.”

Aldi is committed to supporting local growers and 100 per cent of its core mushroom lines are supplied solely by British farmers.

Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi, said: “Our approach when working with suppliers is to build a genuine partnership based on trust and fairness.

“We support British farmers up and down the country,

and the relationship we have with Walsh Mushrooms is a good example of this in practice.”