The trending Lion’s Mane wonder 'shroom North Wales man wants to sell in 1,000 Aldi stores

A Gwynedd entrepreneur is hoping to land a deal with Aldi with an exotic variety of mushroom that’s trending in the wellness world. Gareth Griffith-Swain will next week make his pitch to the budget supermarket on the Channel 4 show Aldi’s Next Big Thing.

The 33-year-old was picked from hundreds of applicants competing for a contract to stock Aldi stores nationwide. He’ll be presenting his dried version of the Lion’s Mane mushroom, an unusual variety that looks like a fluffy white pom pom with thin, wispy strands.

Used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, it’s been winning fans in the west and is now at the forefront of the “functional fungi” movement. The hype is such that Lion’s Mane has become breakout term on Google as people search for its claimed benefits.

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These include improved immunity, gut health and cognitive function. As research is in its infancy, evidence to support these claims is still tenuous. But the odd-looking ‘shrooms do contain bioactive properties which medicinal researchers say show promise.

Lion’s Mane has a meat-like quality likened in taste and texture to lobster. As founder of Fungi Foods, based on a farm near Waunfawr, Gareth has developed a dried version which can be used in cookery or added to soups, coffee, smoothies or tea.

He believes mushrooms are a sustainable and versatile food source. “I believe mushrooms have a big part to play in the future of food,” he said.

“There is a lot of neurological research focused on two compounds found in Lion’s Mane that help the growth of brain receptors. In doing that, they can improve memory, focus and concentration.” The North Wales Live Whatsapp community for top stories and breaking news is live now - here’s how to sign up

Gareth’s fungi venture was supported by Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s Food Technology Centre in Llangefni. When developing his dried product, he used the Anglesey centre for shelf-life testing and safety assessments.

“The service I’ve received was invaluable,” he said. “It helped us plan the next stages of the business and see how we can grow and develop – as well as the mushrooms!” Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox

The Channel 4 show involves suppliers competing in different categories including dinners, baked goods and confectionery. Gareth's dried Lion’s Mane will feature in next Tuesday’s “Healthy and Wholesome” episode.

Contestants present their products to Aldi UK’s head buyer Julie Ashfield, who evaluates them for price, packaging, shopper demand and scalability. The latter is often the stumbling block: suppliers blanche when asked if they can produce 100,000 units for 69p per unit.

Julie said: “What’s exciting about this category is the creativity and ingenuity we see. In terms of trends, there’s gut health, menopause support, plus advances in plant-based products and functional foods and drink. We’re looking for something that ticks the box of healthy and nutritious but also has all the flavour and innovation that our customers love.”

Two finalists are chosen to refine their products and the winning product will feature as a Specialbuy in more than 1,000 Aldi stores. To find out if Gareth’s Lion’s Mane mushrooms made it onto Aldi’s shelves, watch Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Channel 4 on Tuesday, May 7.

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