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PIGS IN BLANKETS ICE CREAM MAKERS PITCH FOR SPOT ON ALDI’S SHELVES IN CHANNEL 4 CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
- New show sees British suppliers go head-to-head, with winning festive products landing in stores from 19th December
- Viewers also get behind the scenes look at Aldi in the lead up to Christmas, including planning for the nation’s first ever bottomless Pigs in Blankets Restaurant
- Episode airs on Channel 4, Monday 18th December at 9pm
Aldi considers selling Pigs in Blankets Ice Cream for Christmas, as part of brand-new show, Aldi’s Christmas Secrets, which airs on Channel 4, Monday 18th December at 9pm.
The programme sees British suppliers put festive food creations to Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, Julie Ashfield, and Communications Director at Aldi UK, Richard Thornton, for the chance to land a life changing contract for the festive season.
Hopefuls include Liverpool bakery, Desserts by Dre, who attempts to wow with his Christmas Pudding Cheesecake. Wigston Deli, who pitch Pigs in Blankets Samosas, and a festive themed steamed pudding from Worcestershire based The Pudding Shop.
But the product causing most surprise comes from Ian and Lesley Buxton with their unique Pigs in Blankets flavoured ice cream.
The couple, who have run 80-acre Yorkshire dairy farm Yorvale, since 1984, diversified from standard milk production five years ago and now have an onsite ice cream factory with 14 staff.
They make around 50 flavours including classic vanilla and mint choc chip, but it’s the unusual festive offering they hope will land them a life changing contract with Aldi.
Lesley says: “We experimented with different flavour profiles: Brussels Sprouts, bacon and chestnut, Port-soaked cranberries and blue cheese, blue cheese and smoky bacon. Even a Christmas spiced ‘Cuthbert’ the carrot cake!
“But we finally landed on Pigs in Blankets as it was by far the best, and most festive tasting of them all.”
The ice cream divides opinions of the Aldi team, with Richard commenting: “I am a little bit apprehensive” and “my taste buds are very confused.”
While Julie says: ““It tastes like really nice ice cream, with a smoky bacon crisp.”
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK says: “With so many of our existing suppliers coming up with great Christmas products, we really only have space for one more within our seasonal range.
“We absolutely have to stand out from the crowd at Christmas and new, quirky products are key to this.”
The new Channel 4 show also follows the supermarket as it prepares for Christmas, with a behind-the-scenes look at current suppliers, in-store operations, and the launch of the nation’s first ever bottomless Pigs in Blankets Restaurant.
Aldi’s Christmas Secrets airs on Channel 4, Monday 18th December at 9pm.
The winning Christmas product will land in stores as a Specialbuy from Tuesday 19th December.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact the Aldi Press Office on:
T: 0207 479 0910 or alditeam@clarioncomms.co.uk
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