Entered into: Best Brand-Driven Format 2023

Produced by: South Shore Productions
For: Channel 4
Distributed by: ITV Studios

Each episode follows the story of six small food businesses as they compete in a specific product category, such as ‘Dinner Time’ and ‘Store Cupboard’, for a coveted spot on Aldi’s shelves. Collectively, contestants range from entrepreneurial farmers with a flair in the kitchen to immigrants bringing the flavours of their homelands to the UK and tabletop businesses that are going from strength to strength.
These six contenders arrive at Aldi’s headquarters bringing with them a product that they think has the potential to become the next Fever Tree, Dorset Cereals or Giggly Pig. Their first task is to prepare for their pitch in the development kitchen. That might mean cooking a dish that shows off their product in the best possible light, mixing cocktails or creating a display for their ready meal range. Then, with their preparations complete, it’s time for the moment of truth, where each hopeful will pitch their product to the panel — consisting of award-winning grocer Chris Bavin, television presenter Anita Rani and most importantly, Asda’s Managing Director of Corporate Buying, Julie Ashfield.
After the pitches, four of the potential suppliers are eliminated. The remaining two then must go and develop their product based on the feedback they received. Chris and Anita respectively make a visit to the top two’s production sites to check out the progress they have made. They then meet Julie back at the HQ to showcase and advocate the progress the top two producers have made since their pitch. But from there, it is up to Julie to decide who will be Aldi’s Next Big Thing.