‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’ returns for another series next week, with artisan suppliers pitching for a contract to have their products listed in the discounter’s over 1,000 UK stores.
Starting on 2 April, the six-part Channel 4 TV show will be hosted by broadcaster and author Anita Rani and Chris Bavin of BBC’s The One Show and Eat Well for Less. Suppliers will compete in a range of categories, including dinners and baked goods, as well as new additions: party, world, and confectionery.
Products are presented to Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, who deliberates on factors such as price, packaging, shopper demand, and the ability to scale up, before shortlisting contestants down to just two.
Finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, with a follow-up home visit from Rani or Bavin, who report back their findings to Ashfield. The three then taste-test the improved products, before Ashfield decides the winner, which will appear as a Specialbuy in over 1,000 Aldi stores.
Ashfield commented: “I’m always looking for quality, but if I can also land something that will surprise our shoppers and keep them coming back for more, that’s the absolute dream.”
Rani added: “For these small food and drink businesses, winning a contract with Aldi is a potentially life-changing opportunity. Seeing products go from a prototype to supermarket shelves, in just a few months and finding out the stories behind them, has been a really special experience. I’m excited to see viewers’ reactions – I’m sure everyone will love the winning products just as much as we do.”
