Whilst Ulster shoppers have long enjoyed buying unpronounceable foreign brands at Lidl, the supermarket chain has only just revealed that its stores on mainland Europe are conversely stocked with Northern Irish products that continental customers have never heard of.
“Ze veggie roll ist our favourite!” confirmed German shopper, Hans Crownfeld. “Est ist so delizious, especially inside und slice of Knutty Krust. So it is”
But whilst shoppers from Amsterdam to Zurich can now be seen loading their trolleys with multipacks of Spicy Bikers, crates of Maine lemonade and Cookstown sausage rolls, it took several years before NI produce won the hearts of EU shoppers.
“Le first time I see a ‘pastie’ I was all like, what la actual fork!” admitted French shopper Philipe McEnnedy. “But when I taste, c’est magnifique! Especially inside le ‘bap’!”
“It was, how you say… quare le packing?”
Indeed Lidl’s new bakery departments are thriving across the continent as customers flock to buy cheap soda farls, potato bread, gravy rings and Veda loaves. Meanwhile bargain boozers find great deals on Northern Irish lager and tonic wine in the off-sales aisles.
“Est iz only €2.49 for 24 dumpy bottles of Harp!” said an excited Estrella Damm from Barcelona. “Und if you buy 3 packs, you getz a free bottle of Buckie.”
But whilst Northern Irish food has proved to be a hit in Lidl’s European grocery areas, it’s the Ulster themed central homeware aisle, stocked by the Nutts Corner market, that had really taken off with shoppers.
“I can buy any three DVDs or four pairs of white sacks fur a fiver,” said an overjoyed Bastian Swallysteiger. “Und five lighters fur ein pound!”
“They are fantastisch fur keeping her lit!” he added.