Aldi – Page 7 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

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 20^th to Sunday 26^th 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 20^th – Sunday 26^th September.

One lucky shopper will be selected and invited to take part in the event at the Gorgie Park Road store before Sunday 10^th 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 5^th September.

The annual campaign, launched on 4^th 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 5^th 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 2^nd 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.  

Aldi donates over 22,000 meals to Edinburgh and Lothian charities over the school summer holidays

ALDI – GLASCOTE TAMWORTH FOOD DONATION – TAMWORTH HEART CHARITY Pictures by Adam Fradgley Pictured: Lisa Richards (Aldi) and Simon Peaple (Tamworth Heart) with the trolley of donated items at the Tamworth store

Local charities across Edinburgh and the Lothians helped Aldi donate 22,752 meals to people in need over the summer school holidays.

The supermarket paired up its stores with local charities, community groups and foodbanks to donate surplus food, with the majority of meals going to causes supporting families and children.

The donation is part of Aldi’s commitment to donate 10 million meals across the country in 2021, in partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly.

Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “We were proud to support so many incredible causes across Edinburgh and the Lothians this summer, helping them to donate meals to those in need.

“The school holidays can be a hard time for families, particularly when many are experiencing heightened financial hardship due to the pandemic, and this is why we committed to donating more meals than ever before.”

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “The summer school holidays are always one of the busiest times for the nation’s charities and food banks, but this year things were even busier. Aldi’s donations have never been more of a vital support to these organisations.”

Aldi stores across the country work with Neighbourly to partner with local charities, who can collect surplus food and perishable products, such as fruit, vegetables and baked goods, up to seven days a week.

Aldi offers up to £2500 funding to help local sport clubs thrive

Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund has returned for its sixth year and sports clubs across Edinburgh can now apply for a share of £50,000, with one lucky club in with the chance of securing a £2,500 funding boost.

Launched in 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is an initiative that aims to help people of all ages and abilities take part in physical activity within their local communities by offering sports clubs the chance to secure essential funding.

From gymnastics and youth tennis to local sports trusts, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland. This year, Aldi’s prizes will again focus on developing grassroots sports, giving local sports clubs the opportunity to receive funding ranging from £500 to £2,500.

Through Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, over 458 clubs across Scotland have benefitted from a funding uplift of more than £240,000, helping sports clubs across the country maximise their potential and encouraging more people to engage with physical and sporting activity.

In 2020, Aldi supported a selection of sports clubs across Edinburgh including Forth Canoe Club, City Star Majorettes, Edinburgh Pony Club and Leith Archers (pictured).

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Aldi Scotland, said: “Since 2016, the Scottish Sport Fund has given a wide range of sports clubs the chance to benefit from essential funding to help attract new members and invest in much needed equipment and resources.

“The past year has been increasingly challenging for sports clubs across Scotland and has highlighted the important role they play in promoting both physical and mental wellbeing.

“We look forward to welcoming applications from a wide range of local sports clubs and I’d encourage any club based across Edinburgh to get involved and take advantage of this excellent funding opportunity.”

Team GB athlete, Katie Archibald, said: “Local Sports clubs have played a crucial role not only in starting and developing my career but those of all past and present Team GB athletes, and it is often understated the amazing role that sports clubs play in promoting both physical activity and an active lifestyle.

“Aldi’s continued investment in supporting local Scottish sports clubs is admired by all Team GB athletes and those clubs that will benefit from the Scottish Sport Fund are crucial in helping to nurture the next generation of Olympic athletes.”

Sports clubs located across Edinburgh and surrounding areas have until 27^th September to apply. Sports clubs can be based in Edinburgh, the Lothians or the Borders to be eligible to apply for this round of funding.

One applicant will be selected to receive £2,500 of funding, two aplicants will each receive £1,000 of funding, while several other applicants will each receive £500 of funding towards their sports club.

Applications will be selected at random to receive each of the funding brackets.

Applications can be made via www.aldi.co.uk/scottishsportfund.

The Aldi Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria, from rugby clubs to after school groups and everything in between.

All applications will be considered by the Aldi judging panel and entrants will be notified of the outcome of their funding application within four to six weeks from the region’s deadline.

Please see the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more information.

Aldi hiring 140 staff across Edinburgh and The Lothians

Aldi is looking to hire over 140 colleagues in Edinburgh and The Lothians between now and Christmas.

The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is looking for people of all levels of experience to fill roles at its stores and distribution centres across the region.

This includes apprenticeships and part-time positions such as Warehouse Cleaner and Stock Assistant, all the way up to Deputy Manager.

Stores in Edinburgh and The Lothians where Aldi is looking to hire include Bathgate, Hermiston Gait and Livingston.

The recruitment push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive in recent years, with the supermarket currently looking to fill thousands of roles across the UK before the end of the year.

Kelly Stokes, Recruitment Director at Aldi UK, said: “As we continue to grow, we’re looking for more ambitious and hard-working individuals to join our team at stores across Edinburgh and The Lothians.

“There’s something here for everyone, from new starters looking to take their first step on the career ladder to more experienced team managers seeking a new challenge.

“Our amazing colleagues are central to everything we do at Aldi and remain one of the key factors in our success. We’re looking forward to welcoming our new recruits to the team.”

Those interested in applying for a career with Aldi can visit

www.aldirecruitment.co.uk.

Aldi adds a splash of gin-spiration to your summer drink

Pimms not packing a punch? Well get ready to be gin-spired by the newest additions to the Scottish gin range at Aldi.

You can never tell what you’re going to get with a Scottish summer, but Aldi is channelling all the sunshine this August with brand new additions to its Toradh gin range including two new Scottish Gin Liqueurs and four delicious pre-mixed Gin Fizz cocktails – making sure your summer drink has that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’, even if you didn’t quite make it to the Riviera.

At just £1.49 for 250ml (6% ABV), the Rhubarb Gin Fizz, Citrus Gin Fizz, Tropical Gin Martini and Fruit Gin Bramble are the perfect tipples to enjoy while taking in the rays. These handy cocktails in a can are made by long term supplier Eden Mill and with four to pick from you are guaranteed to find a favourite….or four.

Bursting with botanicals, the two brand-new Toradh Gin Liqueurs are priced at just £8.99 for 50cl and come in Rhubarb and Ginger or Raspberry. The perfect addition to any drinks cabinet, the liqueurs can be topped up with Aldi’s own Ridge Valley tonic, or topped with Aldi’s Costellore Prosecco (£5.99, 75cl) for the perfect summer evening cocktail.

These new additions to Aldi’s Scottish gin line-up join Aldi’s award-winning* Scottish Gin range including its premium Scottish Gin, Eidyn (£19.99, 70cl) and Toradh Scottish Rhubarb & Ginger Gin and Premium Pink Gin (£14.99, 70cl) and the Botanical Project Scottish Gin available in Scottish Dry, Passionfruit & Coconut, Plum & Pink Grapefruit and Chilli & Ginger (all £15.99, 70cl), and McQueen Colour Changing Gin (£14.49, 70cl).

Aldi’s new summer flavours are on sale now at all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland and are sure to shake up any BBQ or garden-party this August. You can find your nearest Aldi store here.

Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, and after reaching their initial goal of stocking over 450 Scottish products by the end of 2020, the supermarket has now increased this target to stock over 500 locally sourced products in the next two years.

Which brew are you?

Aldi launches summer Scottish Beer Festival

Aldi has launched its summer Scottish Beer Festival with a fun quiz, designed to help customers find the best Scottish craft beer to suit their personality.

Aldi’s ‘Which Brew Are You’ asks people a few simple questions to identify their personality type. The quiz then breaks down four personas, from the ‘Hipster’ to the ‘Strong, Mysterious Soul,’ ‘The Cool Character’ and the ‘Adventure Seeker,’ and pairs each with a selection of top quality Scottish craft beers, chosen by Aldi experts, to suit the tastes of the individual.

Aldi’s summer Scottish Beer Festival launches on Thursday 29^th July across all 96 stores in Scotland and will showcase 30 unique craft beers from 14 of the best local craft breweries, with prices starting at just £1.49.

From fruity IPAs to crisp Lagers and hoppy Pale Ales, there is something to suit every palate. For Aldi’s ‘Cool Character’ a simple Lager or Pilsner would be the go to brew, such as Bellfield’s Bhoemian Pilsner or Genius Brewing’s Gen!us Craft Lager.

For the ‘Hipster’, Aldi suggests Barney’s Beer’s Cranberry Margarita or Hidden Lane Brewery’s RS Raspberry Saison. Meanwhile, for the ‘Adventure Seeker’ there is nothing quite like a Scottish crafted IPA or Pale Ale to round off the day, and customers can choose from a range of brews including Stewart Brewing’s Island Getaway, Loch Lomond Brewery’s Too Orangey For Crows, or Six° North’s Slipstream IPA.

Finally, Aldi’s ‘Strong, Mysterious Soul’ can choose from a range of stouts and ginger beers, including Loch Lomond Brewery’s Mocha Doodle DHU and Glasgow Beer Works Jaggery Imperial Stout.

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Our summer Scottish Beer Festival has launched at exactly the right time, giving Scots the chance to sip on cold, refreshing beer during a rare spell of good weather.

“To mark this, we wanted to do something a bit different, and have created a fun quiz which helps people explore the range and find the right craft beer for them.

“We are all naturally drawn to the products we are most familiar with, and while it might not be an exact science, our ‘Which Brew Are You’ quiz will allow customers to discover new tastes and flavour profiles. Every beer we have in stock is of an exceptionally high quality and is sourced locally from top breweries, so no matter your choice, you won’t be disappointed.

“We are committed to supporting the Scottish craft beer industry and are exceptionally proud of the relationships we have established with local breweries. As we look to the future, we will remain committed to our suppliers and will continue to grow our partnerships.”

Aldi’s summer Scottish Beer Festival launches in stores across Scotland tomorrow (Thursday 29^th July).

You can find your nearest Aldi here. 

Aldi launches Scotch Wagyu Steaks in time For Father’s Day

WAGYU WAITING FOR?

Aldi customers are set to enjoy one of the world’s most expensive meats at a fraction of the price as the supermarket launches Specially Selected Scotch Wagyu Ribeye, Sirloin and Fillet steaks.

Believed to be the first supermarket to stock the famous Wagyu beef in premium PGI-certified Scotch, customers will be able to snap up a Scotch Wagyu steak for as little as £6.50 a pack based on average weight.

What’s more, the Specially Selected Scotch Wagyu steak range will be available from all 96 Scottish Aldi stores from Thursday 17^th June, making them the perfect Father’s Day meal. If he’s a sirloin fan, you can treat him to a steak for around £6.50 (based on £30.75/kg) or a ribeye for an average of £7 (based on £30.75/kg), or he can dine out on fillet for about £10 (based on £44.00/kg).

Renowned for being one of the most expensive meats in the world, Wagyu tends to only be available in top restaurants or from specialist suppliers and is rarely found on supermarket shelves.

The steak is famed for its intensely rich flavour and buttery, melt-in-the mouth texture provided by the unique fat marbling in the meat. Once cooked, the marbling melts into the meat, creating an incredibly tender texture and rich flavour.

Aldi’s Wagyu steaks are produced from traditional pure bred Japanese cattle breeds that are born and reared in Scotland as part of the supermarket’s commitment to championing the highest quality Scottish produce.

To get the most out of the Scotch Wagyu steaks, Aldi recommends allowing them to come to room temperature before cooking and season well with salt and pepper.

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “The launch of our Specially Selected Scotch Wagyu steaks is another step forward in our support of the Scottish red meat industry. We are the first retailer to offer Scotch Wagyu steaks and I am so pleased that our loyal customers can enjoy this delicacy at an affordable price.

If you are looking to treat your Dad to a gourmet meal this Father’s Day, or just fancy indulging yourself, look no further than Aldi Scotland. But be quick, because as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Aldi is the biggest retailer of Scottish origin beef* and regularly tops NFU Scotland’s ‘shelf watch’ surveys, which means customers are guaranteed to find the highest quality, locally sourced meat all year round at Aldi stores in Scotland.

Meat labelled as Scotch Beef PGI means it has been sourced from farms that meet the most stringent criteria in animal welfare and natural production methods.

Lindsay scoops over £690 for her local foodbank as Aldi resumes Supermarket Sweep

The winner of Aldi’s Supermarket Sweep in Livingston has raised an amazing £698.36 for a local foodbank while picking up the same value in Aldi favourites for herself.

After a year hiatus, Aldi’s hugely popular Supermarket Sweep returned to Scotland and lucky shopper Lindsay Smith, who was chosen as the winner of an in-store competition, took part in the five-minute trolley dash for charity on Sunday 6^th June.

As well as taking home a trolley full of goodies, Lindsay 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 charity, Polbeth Community Hub.

Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Lindsay Smith, said: “Aldi Supermarket Sweep was an amazing experience that I will never ever forget, all the staff were brilliant and I’d like to thank them all. I am particularly delighted with the amount they kindly donated to my nominated food bank, I feel so happy and proud to be able to give something back to such a great cause.

“Polbeth Community Hub is at the heart of our village and they pulled out all the stops during the pandemic, delivering food parcels to all those isolating or shielding, and continuing services like counselling and advice sessions online wherever they could.”

Jane Cooper, Community Development Worker from Polbeth Community Hub, said: “We are extremely grateful to both Lindsay and Aldi for the kind nomination and wonderful donation that will be put to great use helping the community during times of need.

“We appreciate the support of our local Aldi and the kindness shown in what has being a very trying year for all.”

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 Lindsay who managed to raise an incredible £698.36 for Polbeth Community Hub 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.