Two north London sisters are bidding to be the 'Next Big Thing' by getting their Nigerian sweet treats stocked in Aldi.
Wood Green bakers Marianne Olaleye, 29, and Yossie Olaleye, 30, are set to appear on Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Tuesday. (April 28)
The duo run Puff Puff Ministry, a bakery creating traditional West African doughballs with a twist - adding popular toppings such as Oreo and Nutella.
They were picked from hundreds of applicants competing for a life changing contract to be stocked in the supermarket's 1,000 UK stores.
Hosted by broadcaster and author Anita Rani and Chris Bavin, of BBC’s The One Show, the six-part series sees suppliers compete in a range of categories including dinners and baked goods, as well as party, world, and confectionary.
Viewers can see the sisters pitch their bestselling flavours - Biscoff and Cinnamon sugar - to Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK, who deliberates on factors such as price, packaging, demand, and the ability to scale up.
Marianne and Yossie spent most of their childhood in their mother’s bakery, run from their grandfather’s home in Lagos. They launched Puff Puff Ministry in August 2020 using their mum’s 20-year-old recipe as a foundation.
The duo explain that traditional Puff Puff is a West African street food, usually served plain. They wanted to keep the traditional base with its delightfully chewy texture, but add exciting flavours to the mix.
Marianne says: "We have big dreams for Puff Puff Ministry. Traditionally it’s served plain and we thought, why not add some really delicious chocolate toppings to it? It would mean a lot to be stocked at Aldi, taking our family recipe from Lagos to the UK."
Each week, contestants are shortlisted to just two, who are given four weeks to address any feedback, with a follow-up home visit from Anita or Chris.
They then taste test the improved products, before Julie decides the winner which will appear as a Specialbuy in Aldi Stores.
Julie Ashfield said: “What's most exciting about the world foods category is the breadth of what's possible. What used to be a narrow selection of cuisines, such as curries and noodles, has expanded into new flavours, dishes and ingredients. World cuisine presents an affordable alternative to eating out or buying takeaways."
Aldi’s Next Big Thing, the ‘World’ episode, will air on Channel 4, Tuesday 30th April at 8pm
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