Yorkshire Cheese Makers Compete for Spot on Aldi’s Shelves in TV Series

Razan Alsous and Raghid Sandouk, of Yorkshire Dama Cheese, beat hundreds of hopefuls to appear on the programme with their ‘Hello Mi Rolls’.

The six-part series sees food and drink suppliers compete to be listed in over 1,000 Aldi stores nationwide. Aldi’s Next Big Thing, the ‘Party’ episode, will air on Channel 4, Tuesday 16th April at 8pm and Razan Alsous and Raghid Sandouk, will appear showcasing their Yorkshire cheese.

The business specialises in creating a unique halloumi-style ‘squeaky cheese’, made from 100% cow’s milk, alongside other dairy products including yoghurt, butter and ricotta. But it’s their ‘Hello Mi Rolls’ they are hoping will win over Aldi boss Julie Ashfield in Tuesday night’s episode.  

Yorkshire cheese in Aldi

Hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and Chris Bavin, of BBC’s The One Show and Eat Well for Less, the six-part series will see suppliers compete in a range of categories including dinners and baked goods, as well as exciting new category additions: party, world, and confectionery. 

Products are presented to Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, who deliberates on factors such as price, packaging, shopper demand, and the ability to scale up, before shortlisting contestants down to just two.   

The finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, with a follow-up home visit from Anita or Chris who will report back their findings to Julie. The three then taste test the improved products, before Julie decides the winner which will appear as a Specialbuy in over 1,000 stores.   

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, says: “Gone are the days of simple cheese and pineapple sticks, as people are opting for more exciting, extravagant party foods. It’s certainly a category that invites experimentation!”  

After relocating from Syria in 2012, Razan and Raghid noticed a lack of good tasting, quality cheeses in British supermarkets, and decided to start their own Yorkshire cheese making business in 2014.  

Razan says: “We came to the UK after the war in Syria in 2012. We had lost almost everything and had to settle into a new life in Yorkshire with three young children. Initially, I began searching for a job but despite having a pharmacy degree and a scientific background, my lack of references and work history in the UK made it extremely difficult. After some time, I started to look at what was around me – the expertise I could tap into, the sources of support and other opportunities available. 

“I thought, why not create a business and make Syrian cheese from fresh high-quality British milk? And so started our journey – with an idea and a start-up loan of just £2,500 from the Local Enterprise Agency. We had to adapt the equipment we bought and finally got the approval to start manufacturing cheese in June 2014.  

“After just four months of production, we won the WORLD CHEESE AWARD Bronze Prize 2014/15, which highlights perfectly the quality of our Yorkshire cheese.” 

The multi-category competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to support British suppliers. Last year, Aldi spent an additional £1.3 billion with British suppliers and growers, and they provide more than three quarters of all items sold in its stores. 

To find out if the couple’s Hello Mi Rolls made it on to Aldi’s shelves, watch Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Channel 4 on 16th April. The series will air every Tuesday at 8pm until 7th May.  

If you’d like your product to be considered for any future series of Aldi’s Next Big Thing please click here to register your interest. 

Images supplied

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