Aldi’s Next Big Thing: Where to buy lion’s mane mushrooms, Simmer Eats and more
We also saw granola butter, Dung balls, ginger beer and a tofu alternative
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Your support makes all the difference.It’s been a whirlwind few weeks of food and drink, thanks to the latest series of Aldi’s Next Big Thing, which has been filled with everything from bakery staples and sweet treats to food from around the world and even two winners in the party favourites category. However, it all concluded tonight, with a focus on healthy food.
Each week, the show has seen Aldi’s head of buying Julie Ashfield, alongside Countryfile’s Anita Rani and Eat Well for Less’s Chris Bavin, appraise a selection of food and drink from six independent suppliers from across the UK, with one producer walking away with a contract to supply all of Aldi’s 1,000 stores nationwide.
Channel 4’s foodie Masterchef meets Dragons’ Den hybrid has led to Jamaican patties (from the show’s bakery week) selling out within 48 hours, while fans have been waiting for Aldi to restock dinner week’s winning crab cakes.
In the final episode of the series, we saw everything from lion’s mane mushrooms, granola butter and protein-filled ready meals to Düng balls, a fresher ginger beer and a tofu alternative. Here’s where to buy all of the products.
Fungi Foods dried lion’s mane: £2.99, Aldi.co.uk
One of the biggest 180s in the history of Aldi’s Next Big Thing. North Wales-based Gareth turned Ashfield from a complete mushroom hater to a fan of fungi. So much so, against all odds, it was his dried lion’s mane mushrooms that won the Aldi contract.
Successfully proving he could make his versatile packs of dried lion’s mane mushrooms at scale, while bringing down the price, Fungi Foods’ mushrooms will be available to buy from Aldi as of tomorrow morning, costing £2.99 per 20g pack. Described as having a “meaty texture” by Rani, Gareth’s lion’s mane can be cooked in broth or blended into a powder and added to coffee or tea.
Research has shown lion’s mane mushrooms contain compounds that apparently act against memory loss, depression, dementia, anxiety, cancer and neurological disorders. It’s famously protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, meaning it’s illegal to collect them in the wild. However, Fungi Foods also sells a lion’s mane grow kit on its website.
Read more: Dirtea chaga mushroom powder review: Does it pack a punch?
Simmer Eats: Simmereats.com
While Ashfield loved the taste of Simmy and Jhai’s home-cooked peri peri chicken ready meal, which was packed with chicken and tasted home-made, she still wasn’t very keen on the packaging. Hitchin-based Simmer Eats would also still have to scale up big, which would have been challenging for the brand.
Thankfully, if the company’s protein-packed ready meals caught your eye, Simmer Eats runs a subscription ready-meal delivery service, so, you pick your bundle of healthy ready meals and order on a weekly or monthly basis. The menu includes breakfast and dinner dishes, desserts and snacks.
Read more: 12 best recipe boxes for easy meal times at home
Düng protein bars: £2.75, Dungsnacks.com
Tunbridge Wells-based Danny and Martine got really close to making the final cut with their Düng protein balls. While Ashfield raved about the flavour of the brand’s balls, she had some concerns, giving the pair an ultimatum – would they change the name from Düng to something else?
Despite saying yes to the name change, Düng’s protein balls didn’t quite make the cut. The brand has seemingly transitioned away from ball-shaped protein snacks since the episode aired, and now sells a range of protein bars on the company’s website for £2.75 each. They include nuts, flaxseed, dark chocolate and natural ingredients and various flavour toppings.
Read more: Best protein powders and shakes to fuel recovery
The Root Co. ginger beer: £24 for a case of 12, Rootcodrinks.com
Islington-based Will and Lucy’s unconventional ginger beer divided the panel. While Bavin and Rani loved the cloudy appearance and minimal carbonated flavour of Root Co’s cold-pressed ginger beer drink, Ashfield didn’t think it was sweet enough and, well, she’s the boss.
Made with freshly juiced ginger (rather than ginger extract), lime, mint and blended with maple syrup and sparkling water, a can of The Root Co’s original ginger beer costs £2 when bought as a pack of 12. The company also sells a ginger kick flavour, a pineapple ginger beer flavour and a mango ginger beer flavour.
Rootiful tofu alternative: Rootifulfood.co.uk
Nottingham duo Sarah and Gavin really impressed the panel with their tofu alternative. It’s made with British-grown beans and pulses instead of soy, and Rani loved the texture, which she called firmer than tofu, while Ashfield loved the taste. However, it was the short shelf life that ultimately concerned her.
Not currently available to buy, you can find out more about new-fu and the company’s rapeseed texture vegetable protein and hempea 60 texture protein by visiting Rootiful’s website.
Granola Butter Co granola butter: £5.49, Hollandandbarrett.com
Laura was hoping to impress the panel with her allergen-free alternative to peanut butter but, while Ashfield thought the granola butter would definitely taste nice on a slice of bread, she didn’t think the public were looking for a product like it at Aldi.
Thankfully, if you’re that kind of person, Granola Butter Co’s alternative peanut butter is sold in Holland & Barrett. With 70 per cent less sugar than market-leading peanut butter, it’s said to taste like peanut butter but is made without nuts.
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