Chloe Evans, 30, from Pencoed in Wales will appear on Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Thursday 17th November.
The food producer owns Lilo’s Handmade, which creates artisan pasta in unique colours and flavours. Chloe was picked from hundreds of applicants competing for a life changing contract to stock Aldi stores nationwide.
Hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4 and Chris Bavin, of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well for Less, the six-part series sees suppliers compete in categories such as dinners, baked goods, treats and store cupboard essentials.
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 whittling contestants down to just two.
The finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, before presenting improved products to Julie who decides which product will appear as a Specialbuy in all Aldi stores.
While studying at the University of South Wales, Chloe enjoyed creating and eating a variety of different pasta dishes. During her last year of university, she decided to turn her culinary skills into a full-time business and, in 2014, co-established Lilo’s. Following on from this in 2020, she decided to start creating the pasta for her takeaway stores and started the company Lilo’s Handmade – where she creates different coloured and flavoured pastas using vegetables & superfoods.
Chloe now has two takeaways in Cardiff and Pencoed – the latter featuring a viewing window where people can watch the fresh pasta being made.
Flavoured pastas on offer include beetroot, garlic & herb, turmeric, smoked paprika & chilli, spinach, sea salt & cracked black pepper, activated charcoal, and chocolate, which the panel taste on the show.
Chloe says: “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. To win a contract with Aldi and see our products on shelves would be an absolute dream come true.”
Lilo’s Handmade pasta will be competing against five other food suppliers with products ranging from artisan mustard to vegan monster feet crisps.
The multi-category competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to locally sourced products. Aldi has pledged to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards spending an additional £3.5 billion a year with British businesses by the end of 2025.
To find out if Lilo’s Handmade Pasta made it on to Aldi’s shelves watch Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Channel 4, every Thursday at 8pm until 24th November.
