Channel 4's new show 'Aldi's Next Big Thing' to feature Scottish islander with boozy dessert sauces

Scottish dessert sauce entrepreneur Mairi Hawkes, from the Isle of Lismore, is set to appear on Channel 4's new six-part series Aldi's Next Big Thing.

Hosted by Anita Rani of Countryfile and Chris Bavin from BBC's The One Show, the programme will see suppliers compete across various categories such as dinners and baked goods, along with new additions like party, world, and confectionery, to have their products on the shelves.

Mairi is the brains behind Slainte, a company specialising in boozy dessert and savoury sauces for adults, with flavours including Rum and Salted Caramel, Whisky with Raspberry and Vanilla and White Chocolate and Raspberry Martini all boasting a hefty 25% alcohol content.

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, will be assessing the products based on factors like price, packaging, shopper demand, and scalability, before narrowing down the contestants to just two finalists.

These finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, followed by a home visit from either Anita or Chris who will report back their findings to Julie.

The trio will then taste test the improved products, before Julie makes the final decision on the winner, whose product will feature as a Specialbuy in over 1,000 stores.

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Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, commented: "Gone are the days of simple cheese and pineapple sticks, as people are opting for more exciting, extravagant party foods.It's certainly a category that invites experimentation!"

Translating to 'cheers' in Scottish Gaelic, Slainte, pronounced 'Slan-cha', is Mairi's pride and joy, and she is now looking to claim a spot on Aldi's shelves.

Mairi, who makes all the sauces herself, says: "There are no words to describe how big this is for me. I keep pinching myself - is this real? I really want a big contract,I can actually see my sauces in Aldi. I can see myself going in there, taking photos of them. It would really change my life."

The multi-category competition is part of Aldi's ongoing commitment to support British suppliers. Last year, Aldi spent an additional £1.3 billion with British suppliers and growers, and they provide more than three quarters of all items sold in its stores.

To find out if Slainte's Boozy Dessert Sauces made it on to Aldi's shelves, watch Aldi's Next Big Thing on Channel 4 on Tuesday, April 16.

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