Tag: Aldi

Food Banks in Scotland struggle to keep up with rising demand as donations fall

Food banks in Scotland are preparing for their most challenging Christmas yet as they struggle with rising demand and dwindling public donations, new research shows. 

According to a survey by community giving platform Neighbourly – which Aldi partners with to distribute surplus food from its stores – 68% of food banks, charities and community causes in Scotland are worried about having enough food to support people this Christmas. 

Neighbourly polled more than 600 food banks and community causes nationwide and found that 89% in Scotland expect this Christmas to be their busiest yet, with more people than ever needing their support. 

However, the survey also revealed that 71% of food banks in the region have witnessed a drop in donations in recent months – with the fallout of the pandemic and rising cost of living continuing to impact contributions. 

On average, food banks in Scotland expect to see a 36% increase in demand over the next three months, with organisations in the area currently supporting an average of 203 people a week. More than 67% say they’ve already experienced an increase in demand since the summer. 

From tinned foods to festive treats and toiletries, the research also revealed a list of the items that are most needed by food banks over the festive period to help guide supporters. Shoppers can donate food to local charities, food banks and community groups via the community donation points in Aldi stores nationwide. 

Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas can be a particularly busy time for the local charities and organisations we support, but this year is set to be more challenging than ever.  

“As part of our Christmas campaign with Kevin the Carrot and Marcus Radishford, we have committed to donate 1.8 million meals to good causes in the lead-up to Christmas – and we know that our customers in Scotland want to help too.

“If you feel you are in a position to help, your donation could make all the difference to food banks this Christmas.” 

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “The findings of our latest survey highlight that the continued impact of the pandemic, combined with increased inflation, is being very much felt by communities up and down the country, with charities and local causes feeling the effects too.

“We’d encourage anyone who is able to give back in the coming weeks to do so.” 

Aldi works with Neighbourly to donate surplus food from stores throughout the year. 

Top 15 most in-demand items this Christmas 

  1. Tinned food 
  2. Festive treats 
  3. Toiletries 
  4. Tea/coffee 
  5. Biscuits and snacks 
  6. Breakfast cereals 
  7. Juices and soft drinks 
  8. UHT milk  
  9. Laundry and cleaning products 
  10. Dry packaged food 
  11. Rice and pasta 
  12. Gift items 
  13. Cooking sauces 
  14. Children’s toys, crafts and games 
  15. Sanitary items 

Aldi to stock Scotland’s most sustainable beef this Christmas

This Christmas, Aldi Scotland will be stocking what is described by farmers as ‘the meat you can feel good about’, as its range of Galloway joints hits shelves.  

The supermarket is enhancing its Christmas range with Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint (£17.99/kg), Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint (£9.99/kg) and the award-winning* Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire Streaky Bacon (£11.99, 950g), which will be available across all 102 Scottish stores from 19th December. 

Galloway cattle are renowned for the benefits they have for farmers, local communities, and the biodiversity of the natural environment. That’s in addition to being recognised by top chefs across the world for their exquisite taste and outstanding quality. 

The cattle are ‘conservation grazers’ meaning they thrive on agricultural land that face natural challenges, such as exposed high hills. As one of Scotland’s oldest native breeds, the Galloway’s knack for digesting rough grass and foraging on Scottish hillsides have set them apart for their ability to reinvigorate the landscape, creating valuable habitat that allows rich biodiversity to flourish. 

Scott McKinnon from Galloway Cattle Society said: “Scottish farmers are sitting up and taking notice of the fantastic benefits Galloway cattle can have, not only for their buying partners like Aldi who are looking for unmatched quality from their suppliers, but also the benefit these cattle have on the landscape and the wider environment.

“It’s important we all work together to make farming as sustainable as possible and explore opportunities for the agricultural sector to continue to grow and diversify as the world moves to a more circular economy model.

“It’s great to see a leading supermarket like Aldi supporting Scottish farmers and recognising the cattle for their sustainable benefits.” 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Our relationships with our talented, local suppliers gives us a real insight into the sector and allows us to explore options which not only meet our high-standard in quality but that have benefits which exceed essential food production.

“Galloway beef is renowned across the world for its superb taste, and it has been amazing to discover what makes them so uniquely special.

“At Aldi Scotland we only stock products that we are proud of, and we look forward to offering our shoppers a meat they can feel especially good about this Christmas.” 

Scotbeef’s Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint (£17.99/kg), Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint (£9.99/kg) and the award-winning* Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire Streaky Bacon (£11.99, 950g), will all be available, while stocks last, across all Aldi Scotland’s 102 stores from 19th December 2021. 

* The Scotch Galloway Joint with Ayrshire Bacon has won Grocer own Label Award Bronze in 2021 and a Quality Food Awards Commended award in 2020. 

Aldi invests £8,000 in sports clubs across Lothians and Borders

Edinburgh’s Lismore Rugby Football Club received the highest funding available

Aldi has invested £8,000 in ten local sports clubs across the Lothians and Scottish Borders this year as part of the supermarket’s annual Scottish Sport Fund.

As part of the retailer’s wider commitment to help cultivate a healthier Scotland, the fund gives local clubs the chance to receive funding ranging from £500 to £2,500.

Lismore Rugby Football Club secured the highest funding in the region this year, receiving £2,500. The Edinburgh-based charitable organisation, which has two men’s amateur senior teams, one women’s amateur senior team and a community outreach programme, plans to use the funding to start a pilot walking rugby programme for over 50s in the local community.

A slower, non-contact version of the sport, walking rugby is particularly suited to an older audience that are looking to stay fit and active. There are currently no opportunities for individuals to engage with the sport within Edinburgh, and thanks to Aldi’s donation, Lismore Rugby Football Club are going to change this.

Other clubs that have benefitted from this year’s Scottish Sport Fund include Kelso Tennis Club and PHD FUNdamentals – a trampoline and gymnastics club, which each received £1,000.

Saltire Gymnastics, Watsonians Hockey Club, 10th West Lothian Scout Group, Boroughmuir Thistle Football Club, Dysart Sailing Club, Girlguiding Midlothian and Lochend Football Academy were also successful and received £500 each.

Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund aims to help people of all ages to take part in physical activity within their local communities by giving the clubs the opportunity to secure much needed funding.

Since launching in 2016, Aldi has invested over£50,000 and supports over 85 clubs across the Lothians and the Scottish Borders, helping to improve community access to sports across the region.

Eric Jones, Rugby Development Officer at Lismore Rugby Football Club, said: “We are really grateful that our club has received the highest funding available in such a large region. We’re just trying to do our part, keeping people of all ages active, so to be recognised for this is a big achievement for us.

“We applied because we value the mental and physical benefits of exercise and wanted to launch a walking rugby programme in the local community to encourage people to stay active.

“This funding will help us launch a year-long pilot of the programme. I can’t wait to get started!”

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “It’s brilliant that a wide variety of sports clubs across the Lothians and the Scottish Borders have been able to benefit from our Scottish Sport Fund initiative.

“It’s humbling to see how much of a difference extra funding can make to clubs like Lismore Rugby Football Club, and in supporting people across Scotland to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.”

Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the criteria, from rugby clubs to after school groups, and everything in between. Groups can apply for funding for a wide range of purposes, including new strips and equipment, or for putting towards the cost of training facilities and coaching.

For more information about Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, please visit: 

www.aldi.co.uk/scottishsportfund.

Aldi celebrates opening of it’s 100th Scottish store

£6000 OF PRIZES UP FOR GRABS

Aldi reached a huge milestone this week when it opened its 100th store in Scotland. The grand opening took place yesterday in Edinburgh’s Hermiston Gait Retail Park. 

To thank its customers for their ongoing support, the supermarket is giving out prizes worth a total of £6,000 across all its Scottish stores from 25th November. The first 1,000 customers in each Scottish store that spend £25 and over will be eligible for a scratch card, with various prizes up for grabs, including two vouchers worth £1,000 each.

Aldi opened its first Scottish store in Kilmarnock in 1994, and has since expanded operations significantly in Scotland, employing nearly 4,000 people across the country, with the plan to increase their workforce by nearly 400 by 2023. The growth doesn’t stop there as Aldi is constantly looking for new site locations and on upgrading and extending their existing stores.

Aldi Scotland is incredibly proud of their local sourcing, working with 90 Scottish suppliers and stocking over 450 Scottish products, with a target of reaching 500 within 2 years. It is this commitment to supporting local that saw Aldi crowned Scottish Sourcing Business of the Year at the 2019 Scottish Food and Drink Awards and the reason they are widely celebrated as the number one supermarket for supporting Scottish farmers and food producers.

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director Aldi Scotland said: “Reaching 100 Scottish stores is a huge achievement and one that really is a team effort. We would not be here if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication of all our Aldi staff and I want to thank them for their continued commitment over the years.

“We could never have imagined 27 years ago when we opened our first store in Kilmarnock that our customers would take us into their hearts and homes in the way they have.” 

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director Aldi Scotland added: “We are so lucky to work with the most talented suppliers that Scotland has to offer to allow us to bring the very best of Scotland’s larder to our customers and I want to thank them for working in partnership with us so we can offer top quality, award-winning products at everyday amazing value.

“We are always looking at opportunities to expand our supplier base and are proud to say 30% of our range is now locally sourced in Scotland.”

To celebrate this milestone further, Aldi is issuing reusable plastic water bottles to all staff in order to be more sustainably responsible.  Aldi has committed to halving its plastic footprint by 2025.

Aldi is committed to helping local communities through initiatives like the Scottish Sports Fund, which has now donated nearly £300,000 to over 500 Scottish sports club since its inception in 2016 and the Neighbourly partnership, which intends to donate 10 million meals, to those who need it most, in 2021.

Aldi has also been the Proud Supermarket Partner of the Kiltwalk since 2019. 

Aldi reveals Christmas opening hours

Aldi has revealed when its stores will be open over the festive period.  

In the run-up to Christmas, Aldi are extending their opening hours, providing more time to pick up last-minute food and presents before the big day. 

Stores will also be opening until 6pm on Christmas Eve, but customers should check local store details online to avoid disappointment.  

Aldi will close its stores as usual on Christmas Day, and will once again keep all stores shut on Boxing Day as a thank you to colleagues and in recognition of their hard work throughout the year. The supermarket has always remained closed on Boxing Day, ever since opening in the UK over 30 years ago.  

The majority of stores will also be open from 8am until 8pm in between Christmas and New Year, and until 6pm on New Year’s Eve to help shoppers get everything they need to ring in 2022.  

Aldi has everything customers need to make this Christmas and New Year unforgettable, thanks to its award-winning range of delicious food and drink, and an array of gifts for all the family. Details of Aldi’s amazing Christmas range can be found 

The supermarket also offers a Click and Collect service in over 200 stores, meaning thousands of shoppers across the UK will be able to get quality Aldi groceries online at unbeatable prices in time for Christmas.

Shoppers will be able to choose from a range of grocery items online here, then drive to their local store where their shopping is brought to their car by Aldi colleagues contact-free. Pre-order slots for Christmas will be revealed soon.  

Hanna scoops £700 for foodbank at Aldi supermarket sweep in Gorgie

The winner of Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep in Edinburgh’s Gorgie store has raised an amazing £729.32 for a local foodbank, while picking up over £350 in Aldi favourites for herself.  

After a year hiatus, Aldi’s hugely popular Supermarket Sweep returned to Scotland and lucky shopper Hanna Brown, who was chosen as the winner of an in-store competition, took part in the five-minute trolley dash for charity on Friday 22nd October.   

As well as taking home a trolley full of goodies, Hanna successfully found the three Scottish products on her shopping list, so Aldi doubled the total value of her haul and donated the lump sum to her nominated foodbank, Edinburgh North East Foodbank.  

Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Hanna, said: “I had an amazing time at the Supermarket Sweep. The staff at Aldi were so warm and welcoming – just what I needed to help my pre-sweep nerves.

“It also helped that I had my mum cheering alongside. To have been able to support the food bank brings me so much happiness. It was a great opportunity to have had, and one which I am so very grateful for.”

Edinburgh North East Foodbank Manager, Alison Roxburgh, said: “A big thank you to all the staff at the Gorgie store and to Hanna for helping to raise such a fantastic amount of money!

“This will help to continue the much needed support we give to those in need in our community.”

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “The Aldi Supermarket Sweep is a firm favourite across the country, and we are so pleased to be able to bring it back after a year hiatus.

“Congratulations to Hanna who managed to raise an incredible £729.32 for Edinburgh North East Foodbank and take home a trolley full of Aldi goodies for herself.” 

The Supermarket Sweep was run in line with current COVID-19 guidelines and all safety precautions, including social distancing, were adhered to. 

Aldi to open 100 new UK stores over next two years

Aldi is looking for sites in all areas of Edinburgh

Aldi has announced it will open 100 new stores across the UK over the next two years – and it’s looking for new sites all over Edinburgh. 

The supermarket has pledged to invest £1.3 billion by 2023 in a bid to further grow its retail estate, as it continues to push ahead with plans to open an average of one new store a week. 

Aldi is looking for sites in all areas of Edinburgh.  

Aldi, which now has more than 920 stores across the UK, is searching for freehold town-centre or edge-of-centre sites suitable for property development.  

The supermarket says it is on the lookout for sites that are big enough to accommodate a 20,000 sq ft store and around 100 dedicated parking spaces, preferably on a prominent main road and with good visibility and access.     

Additionally, Aldi will also be investing in the development of new and expanded distribution centres. 

Richard Thornton, Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “We’re continuing to gain even more customers – with over 60% of UK households shopping with Aldi in the last year.  

“Our focus is on expanding our store estate, making sure Aldi is accessible to as many of these new shoppers across the country as possible. Looking ahead, we are excited to provide millions of new customers with access to Aldi’s award-winning quality and unbeatable value as we create even more places and more ways to shop with us.” 

The full list of locations it is targeting in Scotland are: 

  • Edinburgh – all  
  • Glasgow – Cathcart, Bishopbriggs, Darnley, Maryhill, Port Dundas/Springburn, Tannochside/Uddingston 
  • Scottish Borders – Peebles 
  • Lanarkshire – Blantyre, Stepps/Moodieburn 
  • Aberdeen – Stonehaven 
  • Inverclyde – Gourock 
  • North Ayrshire – Largs 
  • East Renfrewshire – Clarkston 
  • West Dunbartonshire – Dumbarton 
  • Stirling – Dunblane  

Clifton Hall’s Isabella wins Aldi’s Design A Lorry competition

A pupil from Clifton Hall School in Newbridge has been awarded the top prize in a nationwide lorry design competition hosted by Aldi, as part of its long-standing partnership with Team GB.

Isabella, aged five, was voted the winner of the Design a Lorry competition, which asked young people across the country to hand draw a lorry design celebrating fresh, healthy food.

She impressed the judges, including Team GB athletes Jack Carlin and Max Whitlock with her colourful pictures which showcase fresh Aldi fruit and vegetables.

An Aldi lorry with Isabella’s winning design parked up at Clifton Hall School last week, while Team GB athlete Jack Carlin also paid the school a visit to mark the occasion.

When visiting the school, Jack held a Q&A with the children and took part in an assembly on what it’s like to be a Team GB athlete, their training regime and what Jack eats to stay healthy.

The supermarket has also rewarded the young artist with Aldi vouchers and an exclusive Team GB goody bag. Isabella’s school will also receive £1,000 in Aldi vouchers, which they plan to put towards healthy goodies for the students.

Max Whitlock, triple Olympic champion who was on the judging panel, said: “It was great to see so many children across the country get involved in the competition.

“Selecting a winner from a pool of more than 24,500 entries wasn’t easy, but Isabella’s design really stood out to us due to the bright, colourful and beautifully drawn fruit and vegetables.”

Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said: “The Design a Lorry competition is just one of the initiatives we’ve created to encourage young people to think about and engage with healthy eating.

“Our judges were really impressed with Isabella’s submission, and we hope that winning this will inspire her to continue learning more about the benefits of healthy eating.

“Drivers in Edinburgh and across the country should keep an eye out for the lorry when they’re out and about.”

Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said:“Throughout our partnership with Aldi on the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme they have continuously created new and innovative ideas to engage and inspire young people around the topic of eating fresh and healthy food.

“This was yet another fun opportunity for school pupils to see their creativity rewarded and for their schools to benefit also.”

The Design a Lorry competition was launched as part of Aldi’s Get Set To Eat Fresh initiative that aims to inspire students aged five to 14-years-old to cook and eat healthy, fresh food. Over the past five years, the programme has reached more than 2 million children across the UK.

Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep is back!

After a year hiatus, Aldi’s hugely popular Supermarket Sweep has returned and customers in one of our Edinburgh are now being given the opportunity to ‘go wild in the aisles’ and raise as much money as possible for a local foodbank. 

One lucky shopper will be chosen to do a five-minute trolley dash in store and take home all the products they can grab in that time, with Aldi donating the cash value of the trolley to a local foodbank. Run in accordance with current COVID-19 safety guidelines, the shopper will also be given a list of three Scottish products they need to find. If successful, Aldi will double the cash donation to the foodbank, and the savvy shopper will get to pick a Specialbuy item of their choice*.  

One of the most enjoyable ways to get in your weekly shop, local residents can apply by filling out an online application form accessed via a QR code, which will be displayed in the Gorgie Park Road store from Monday 20th to Sunday 26th September.   

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Scotland, said: “The Supermarket Sweep is a hugely popular event in the Aldi calendar, and we are thrilled to bring the competition back this year and offer one local Edinburgh resident the chance to win a shopping experience like no other.  

“We know how much foodbanks have struggled during the pandemic, and because we had to pause Supermarket Sweep last year, we thought we’d offer to double the cash donation if contestants can find certain Scottish products during their dash around the store. 

“From Elgin to Ayr and Inverness to Hawick, we hope to give as many people across Scotland as possible a chance to take part this year and raise as much money as we can for local foodbanks in the process.” 

The Supermarket Sweep will be run in line with current COVID-19 guidelines and all safety precautions, including social distancing, will be adhered to. Shoppers will be asked to nominate their chosen foodbank when applying to take part.

Entrants must be over 18 years old to take part and alcohol products are not included in the sweep.

Before the sweep, the winner will be given a shopping list of three products and if they are successfully found, they will get to select a Specialbuy item of their choice. Aldi will also double the value of their trolley and donate it to the chosen local foodbank.  

Entry for the competition is free and applications open from Monday 20th – Sunday 26th September. 

One lucky shopper will be selected and invited to take part in the event at the Gorgie Park Road store before Sunday 10th October. Entrants must be available to take part in the sweep after 10pm on their chosen date.   

*Supermarket Sweep winner can select a Specialbuy item up to the value of £50

East Lothian mum signs deal to have her Spice Pots stocked in Aldi

East Lothian based Spice Pots are the latest product to hit Aldi’s shelves for Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight.  The tasty and simple to use spice mixes feature in all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland since the 5th September.

The annual campaign, launched on 4th September, celebrates the unbeatable larder which Scotland produces, and, in support of the industry, Aldi Scotland is showcasing its largest ever special-buy range of Scottish produce.

Included in this range are Spice Pots’ Dry Spice Blend in Tandoori Masala (£1.49, 40g) or Bhuna (£1.49, 40g),which are on sale from 5th September. The Dry Spice Blends are a mix of herbs, spices and ground ingredients designed to add a punch of flavour to any meal. After enjoying success in independent shops in the Lothians and beyond, the simple, healthy and tasty curry blends will be available throughout Aldi Scotland’s 96 stores while stocks last.

Founder, Melanie Auld, began the business back in 2014 after being inspired by the Indian chefs and mothers who taught her how to cook authentic curries during her time travelling and working in Chennai, India.

Melanie believes simplicity and ease is the most effective way to encourage people to eat and cook diverse and healthy foods, and with each blend developed from her own culinary experience, she is sure that Spice Pots will be every busy family’s saviour in the kitchen.

She said: “I’m an advocate for making it easy – take the short-cut. If you can do it in one pan – then do it in one pan. The idea for Spice Pots came from watching the amazing mothers and chefs I was staying with in Chennai cook for their families and friends, but it wasn’t until I was a mother myself that I realised the complexity of cooking balanced and varied meals for others.

“I had three very small children and nothing but my creativity and a tiny kitchen when it all began in 2014. From then until now the only thing that has really changed is that I have a team who are as passionate as I am, and we have the capacity to grow and bring Spice Pots to a wider market thanks to retailers such as Aldi Scotland.

“As part of our mission to make dinner time easier, we also provide our customers with recipes, instructions and inspirations for how to use their Spice Pots to complement the seasonal produce available at that time in Scotland.  I am proud to be working with a retailer which really embodies my own mission to provide top quality, delicious and local products without all the fuss.”

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight is one of the biggest dates in our calendar, allowing us to put the spotlight fully on our fantastic collection of Scottish producers. 

Working with Melanie and her team to offer these tasty and simple to use Spice Pots has been a pleasure and I am sure our customers will enjoy cooking up a storm with them. 

This year, we are excited to bring our largest ever Specialbuy range of Scottish sourced produce, which will truly highlight the diversity, creativity and passion of our local suppliers.”

Aldi Scotland’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight range will be in stores from 2nd September 2021, adding 46 products to its shelves in celebration of Scotland’s natural larder. Aldi currently stocks over 450 products from 90 suppliers and aims to reach 500 products within the next 2 years.  

You can find your nearest Aldi here.