Aldi’s Next Big Thing: Where to buy Greek Farmer charcuterie, I Am Nut OK, peanut butter sausages and more

If you’re looking for something savoury that’s a little out of the ordinary, this week’s selection may be just the thing

Deli week was packed with delicious-sounding treats (The Independent)

Cure up some meat and melt us some cheese, it’s deli week on Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing and, frankly, we’re starving after watching this episode.

The new business show that sees food-and-drink entrepreneurs pitch their products to Aldi’s managing director of buying, Julie Ashfield, is on its fourth episode now, and has seen everything from chicken curry pies and Jamaican rum cakes to fruit bags for kids enter the retailer’s 970 stores.

This week, Ashfield and presenters Anita Rani and Chris Bavin trialled peanut butter and broccoli sausages, authentic samosas, chocolate-chilli cheese, cured meat, vegan cheese and interestingly flavoured scotch eggs, but only one British producer could win the contract.   

As always, the winning British product will be stocked in your local Aldi as an Aldi Specialbuy, giving you the chance to buy the product we all just drooled over. But, unlike the last three weeks, you won’t be able to buy the product immediately. You’ll find out why in a moment.

We’ve rounded up exactly where you can buy all of the products seen on Aldi’s Next Big Thing this week. As always, spoilers lie ahead, so turn away if you haven’t finished watching the episode yet.  

Read more:

• Aldi’s Next Big Thing: Where to buy Jamaican rum cake  
• Aldi’s wine advent calendar is back for 2022 – here’s how to buy it
• The best Aldi Specialbuys to have on your radar this week
• Where to buy Freddie’s Farm fruit shapes from Next Big Thing
• Aldi’s Next Big Thing: Where to buy chicken curry pie and more

The Greek Farmer charcuterie: £2.99, Aldi.co.uk – available in-store from 25 November

(Aldi)

It was a showstopper from Greek Farmer founders Tony and Aaron, who only started curing meat last year but impressing Julie Ashfield on every level. From the provenance to the flavour to the traditional method of how the pair is producing the meat, the company’s charcuterie made a huge impression.

But with a lead time of four months, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer to buy the Greek-inspired charcuterie in store. The company’s platter of cured meat comes with beef, pork loin, pork belly thins and ham, and will be available at Aldi from 25 November. The meat needs to soak in Cypriot wine and sit in the ageing room for 12 weeks, of course.

Can’t wait that long? A selection of air-dried charcuterie is available on The Greek Farmer’s website, including air-dried pork loin, house salami, air-dried beef, ham and more, starting from £5.50. Some products won’t be available until the new year, however, so you might want to wait for the £2.99 Aldi platter.

• Buy now from Aldi – available in-store from 25 November
• Buy now from The Greek Farmer

I Am Nut OK vegan cheese: Iamnutok.com

(I Am Nut OK )

Despite Aldi not having a vegan cheese range, and Ashfield praising this brand’s selection of cashew-based vegan cheeses – particularly the feta and cheddar – the call of the cured meat was just too strong to turn down.

Thankfully, I Am Nut OK’s range of vegan cheese is currently being sold at Planet Organic, Green Bay and on the company’s own website. The company’s plant-based cheeses go through a process of fermentation and ageing, then they’re given extra notes of flavour with herbs and spices.

The cheeses start from £4.99 and there are Christmas bundles available to pre-order, too. The Fetamorphosis costs £5.99, and you can buy the company’s bestsellers in a bundle for £30. The buffalo notzarella is currently discounted at Green Bay (was £4.99, now £2.99, Greenbaysupermarket.co.uk).

• Buy now from Green Bay
• Buy now from Planet Organic
• Buy now from I Am Nut OK

Surrey Hills Butchers peanut butter and broccoli sausages: Surreyhillsbutchers.com

(Surrey Hills Butchers)

Nicknamed the Porky Blinders, Surrey Hills Butchers founder Simon develops wild flavours of meat. The one invention he showed off on this week’s episode was a peanut butter and broccoli sausage, which the trio absolutely loved. But, for Ashfield, it ultimately came down to scale and whether Simon could produce enough quantity to fill the retailer’s shelves.

Surrey Hills Butchers prides itself on using local produce as much as possible. It also seems to keep things local, too, as you’ll need to visit one of its three stores in Oxshott, Frensham or Windlesham to get a taste. Surrey Hills Butchers has also recently started selling a ‘chicken mini roast’, which is a chicken fillet with sage and onion stuffing, a chipolata and streaky bacon.

Visit Surrey Hills Butchers

Samosa Wallah: Samosa-wallah.com

(Samosa Wallah)

Rani loved Samosa Wallah’s samosas, with Ashfield commenting that, while she thought most samosas all tasted the same, founder Keren’s samosas had something different about them. But, as usual, the concerns were around being able to deliver on the scale and level Aldi needs.

Samosa Wallah sells boxes of three samosas starting from £3.10. There are chicken samosas, lamb samosas and vegetable samosas available to buy direct from Samosa Wallah’s website.

Buy now from Samosa Wallah

Staffordshire Savoury Scotch Eggs: Scotcheggsuk.com

(Staffordshire Savoury Scotch Eggs)

You’ve never seen a scotch egg quite like this. Colin and Deborah of Staffordshire Savoury Scotch Eggs make a range of the picnic staples in inventive flavours, including vegetarian and gluten-free versions. The pair showed off a mango chilli and pepper scotch egg, which the panel loved, but Ashfield felt that people just wanted a really good scotch egg, rather than one that pushed the envelope.

Thankfully, you can buy Staffordshire Scotch Eggs from the company’s website. There are 35 varieties on offer, to cater for all diets and preferences. They start from £3.95 per scotch egg.

Buy now from Staffordshire Savoury Scotch Eggs

Hartington Creamery: Hartingtoncreamery.co.uk

(Hartington Creamery)

You’ve had chocolate and chilli before, but what about chocolate-and-chilli cheese? That’s what Hartington Creamery was serving up in the tasting room in this week’s episode. But while the panel loved the taste, Ashfield thought that differently flavoured cheeses might sell well at Christmas, but not year-round.

Intrigued to try it? You can buy a 200g wedge of chocolate-and-chilli cheese for £5.50 from the company’s website. It also sells smoked-tomato-and-garlic cheese, cranberry-and-orange-peel cheese, lemon-and-lime cheese and many, many more, as well as all the traditional cheeses. There is also a selection of Hartington Creamery’s cheeses available to buy on Amazon.

• Buy now from Amazon
• Buy now from Hartington Creamery

Voucher codes

For discounts on food and drink, try the links below:

• Just East discount codes
• BrewDog discount codes
• Beer Hawk discount codes

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