Angela Chou 31, and Nivi Jasa 32, from Hackney, London, will appear on Channel 4’s ‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’ on Thursday 10th November.
The American Italian couple are founders of artisan vegan cheese company ‘I AM NUT OK’, which was picked from hundreds of applicants to compete 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 stores.
The business started five years ago, when Angela was determined to create tasty alternatives for newly vegan Nivi, an Italian struggling to give up cheese. Using their diverse palettes, love for cheese, and design backgrounds, they teamed up to start I AM NUT OK.
From a converted warehouse in Hackney Wick, the pair create cheese with cashew nuts before putting it through a process of fermentation to add texture and flavour. Finally, herbs and spices are added to create a delicious dairy cheese alternative that has been making waves in the Hackney community.
Nivi, who studied Graphic Design in Milan, says: “We began by making small batches from our tiny flat in London Fields and trading at local farmers market over the weekend. The response was amazing.
“Getting stocked in Aldi would be a huge validation of all the hard work we have put in over the last five years.”
I AM NUT OK will be competing against five other food suppliers with products ranging from chilli and chocolate cheese to peanut butter and broccoli sausages.
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 I AM NUT OK made it onto Aldi’s shelves watch Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Channel 4, every Thursday 8pm until 24th November.
