Channel 4 Aldi series sees the supermarket consider selling camel's milk

Aldi’s Next Big Thing is a series which sees businesses pitching their products in the hopes that the supermarket will decide to stock them on its shelves.

The chain has shops in Hereford, Leominster, Ross-on-Wye and Ledbury in Herefordshire, all of which could be in line for the strange item.

Camel farmer Daisy Smith, 24, and her mother Rebecca Fossett will pitch the camel milk during the Healthy & Wholesome edition of the series.

The family set up the UK’s only camel dairy farm, Daisy’s DromeDairy, in 2021 and the small business was picked from hundreds of applicants who hoped to be awarded with a contract to stock Aldi stores nationwide.

Rebecca and Daisy will pitch their product in Thursday's episode (Image: Aldi)

The series is hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4, and Chris Bavin, of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well For Less.

It’s broken down into six parts with suppliers competing in a variety of categories including dinners, baked goods, treats and more.

The 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.

Finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback before they must present the improved products to Julie who then decides which product will earn a spot in more than 970 Aldi stores as a Specialbuy.

The show is on every Thursday until November 24 (Image: Aldi)

Daisy pioneered the idea for her camel dairy farm having grown up on a Camel Experience Farm in Idlicote, Warwickshire, owned by her parents Joseph and Rebecca who are ex-lion tamers.

Daisy says: “When we first started the dairy farm everyone thought we were absolutely raving mad. I certainly never thought I’d be milking a camel. I’ve never even milked a cow.

“Camels are very emotional animals; a dairy camel has to trust you in order for you to be able to milk them. If the camel doesn’t trust you, they won’t drop down their milk.

“While the taste of camel milk is not so different to cow’s milk, it has long been drunk in the Middle East, where it is known for its abundance of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals. It is even said Cleopatra used it as a beauty treatment for her skin.”

Daisy said: “Camel milk is an amazing superfood. It’s got a few things about it that really make it stand out. It’s lactose intolerant friendly, it’s rich in Vitamin C – it’s great for your skin – and it has a lot of immune boosting and medicinal properties. Plus, most importantly, it tastes delicious!”

Competing against a broad range of dairy suppliers, Daisy describes the show as a huge moment for her business: “It’s a really big moment to introduce Aldi to camel milk. To have this opportunity is amazing.”

The competition forms part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to locally sourced products.

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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.

This week’s episode, featuring Daisy’s DromeDairy Camel Milk, will air on Thursday, November 3 at 8pm on Channel 4.

The series will continue every Thursday until November 24.