Aldi has partnered with Channel 4 for a brand new reality TV food series called Grow with Aldi which will promote emerging food and drinks suppliers from across the UK.
The six-part competition will follow a number of local British food and drink suppliers as they compete to win a life-changing deal and see their product on sale in Aldi’s stores nationwide.
The discount grocer – which was recently named Britain’s favourite supermarket – will uncover and stock exciting new products from the UK’s best undiscovered food and drink businesses, from bakers and chocolatiers, to dairy and alcohol producers.
Suppliers who make it onto the programme will visit the supermarket’s headquarters to pitch their products to an expert judging panel. Each shortlisted supplier will fall under six categories of dairy, free from, confectionery, bakery, frozen and alcohol.
The suppliers will then be whittled down to finalists, who will face a crucial home visit to prove their goods can be mass-produced.
The winner of each Grow With Aldi episode will be awarded a contract to supply Aldi’s 950 UK stores.
Read more: Aldi beats Lidl to be named nation’s favourite supermarket
Aldi UK’s managing director of buying Julie Ashfield – who will be sitting on the judging panel, said that “being able to offer a platform to showcase new food and drink products to the nation is incredibly exciting”.
“From entrepreneurial farmers with flair in the kitchen to tabletop businesses that are going from strength to strength, we can’t wait to see the best of British food and drink producers.”
Channel 4’s senior commissioning editor Anna Miralis added: “This is an incredible opportunity for Britain’s food suppliers and manufacturers to think big, be creative and pitch in their ideas.
“I’ll be extremely excited to see them explain why their product should be awarded this potentially lucrative contract that may well have game-changing opportunities for them.”
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