Aldi’s Next Big Thing: Where to buy crab cakes, pasta bombs charcuterie and more

We also saw rainbow burgers, a vegan toad in the hole and a short-rib mac and cheese dish

The show has returned to our screens for a second series (Channel 4/The Independent)

After a long break, Aldi’s Next Big Thing is finally back for its second series on Channel 4. A foodie mash-up of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and Masterchef, the show’s first series was watched by more than 7.5 million people in 2022, making it a hit for both Aldi and the broadcaster.

The show sees British independent food suppliers pitch their products to one of the UK’s biggest budget supermarket chains, hoping for a coveted spot in the stores’ aisles. So far, the show has introduced us to chip shop chicken curry pie, Yorkshire pudding beer and even mustard ice cream. 

Split into six episodes and six different supermarket categories, it was dinner products that kicked off the series tonight. Aldi’s managing director of buying Julie Ashfield, Countryfile’s Anita Rani and Eat Well for Less’s Chris Bavin were back to appraise a range of different dinners, with the winning product available to buy as a specialbuy from tomorrow morning (3 April) at Aldi.

We saw everything from crab cakes, short-rib mac and cheese and halal wagyu pastrami to pasta bombs, a vegan toad in the hole and rainbow burgers in the taste kitchen this episode. Here’s where you can buy the tasty dinner products, including Aldi’s winner.

Fabulous Catch Co’s crabulous crab cakes: £2.29, Aldi.co.uk

(Aldi/Channel 4)

After fierce competition from some charcuterie, it’s Hayley Elston and her crabulous crab cakes that have successfully won a spot on the shelves of Aldi, nationwide. The cakes are made from surplus brown crab meat, with its pâté-like consistency. Julie Ashfield described the flavour as strong, while Anita Rani said it would appeal to people who don’t like crab cakes.  

Armed with feedback from Ashfield, Hayley was able to make her crab cakes bigger, and put them into a twin pack, making them instantly ready for Aldi’s shelves. The twin 200g pack of crab cakes costs £2.29, and are loaded with crab meat, potato and leek.

Only around for a limited time, you’ll be able to try Fabulous Catch Co’s crab cakes for yourself, from 3 April. As a specialbuy, once the crab cakes sell out on Aldi’s shelves, they’ll be gone for good, though, you can always buy the original crabby crab cakes from Fantastic Catch Co’s website.

• View now at Aldi
• Buy now at Fantastic Catch Co

Stonehouse Smokery pasta bomb: £2.95, Stonehousesmokery.co.uk

(Aldi/Channel 4)

Cumbrian farmer Lee Scrimgeour got really close to making it to Aldi’s shelves, with his minced charcuterie that can be chucked into pasta dishes. Made from the trim of charcuterie, the mince patties, which can be cut into chunks was described as a “delicious”, “clever idea” by Ashfield, but his so-called pasta bombs didn’t quite make the cut.     

If you were rooting for Lee and want some pasta bombs to spice up your cooking, you can buy the charcuterie patties from the Stonehouse Smokery’s website for £2.95 each.

Buy now from Stonehouse Smokery

Malik Butchers halal wagyu pastrami: £9.50, Malikbutchers.com

(Aldi/Channel 4)

Third-generation butchers Adnaan and Manny have reproduced the “unholy trinity” of sausage, bacon and ham meats into tasty halal versions that British Muslims can eat. While Ashfield wasn’t too keen on the lamb ham, she called the wagyu pastrami “delicious”, with Chris Bevin adding it had an “identical texture”.

Tasty as it was, it wasn’t to be. If you want a taste of the Wolverhampton butchers’ wagyu pastrami, you can buy 100g via Malik Butchers’ online store for £9.50. The other meats are on there, too.

Buy now from Malik Butchers

Leonati rainbow burgers, pack of 30: £37, Leonati.co.uk

(Aldi/Channel 4)

Sussex-based events caterer Leo Ferenc wowed the panel with his colourful buns, but it was the beef burgers that really impressed Ashfield. While she enjoyed biting into Leo’s rainbow burgers, it was the concerns over how well it would translate as a frozen item that gave her pause.

If you want to brighten up your street food or birthday parties with some wicked-looking burgers, you can still get Leonati’s rainbow burgers from the caterer’s online rainbow bun shop. They’re sold in packs of 30 and cost £37.

Buy now from Leonati

Mabel’s vegan toad in the hole: £7, Mabelsveganyorkshires.co.uk

(Aldi/Channel 4)

While it was a short-lived appearance for Manchester-based Lauren and Sophie’s vegan verions of British pub classics, including toad in the hole, the couple left the kitchen with a huge amount of feedback from Ashfield, who was seeking a more universal dinner product this time around.

If you’d like to try the Mabel’s Foods vegan Yorkshire pudding or its toad in the hole, you can get both from the bakery’s online website. The toad in the hole costs £7, while a pack of four vegan Yorkshire puddings costs £6.

Buy now from Mabel’s Foods

Chef Vickz short-rib mac and cheese: Chefvickz.com

(Aldi/Channel 4)

Stormzy’s private chef, Vickz, entered the taste kitchen with an idea (rather than a fully formed product): a ready meal version of the rapper’s most loved dish – short-rib mac and cheese. While it left Anita Rani wanting to swim in the dish because of how tasty it was, it was just too challenging to scale up from kitchen to shelf.

Although you can’t buy Vickz’s short-rib mac and cheese, you can see some of her recipes on Instagram, and she’s shown off a bunch of short-rib dishes. She also caters for private events.

Visit Chef Vickz’s website now

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