Mud Foods Chip Shop Chicken Curry Pie .jpg

Source: Aldi

The pies are on Aldi shelves from today (21 October)

A family-run West Sussex pie making business is the first winner of the Channel 4 series Aldi’s Next Big Thing.

Mud Foods has won a listing as a Specialbuy with the discounter after impressing Aldi UK buying MD Julie Ashfield on the first episode last night (20 October).

The business’s Chip Shop Chicken Curry Pie lands in Aldi stores as a Specialbuy from today.

“To say I’m shocked, overwhelmed and overjoyed would be an understatement,” said Mud Foods’ owner Christian Barrington, who showcased the product to Ashfield, beating five other hopefuls.

“We wanted to deliver the taste of a classic chip shop curry sauce in a pie that’s amazing from the outside in. Now, thanks to Aldi, it’s going to be discovered and enjoyed by many more people across the UK.”

Ashfield said: “Christian really took on our feedback during the pitch process and came back with a product that wowed with its flavour and quality ingredients. It’s a pie that combines two British classics and we know will be an instant hit with our customers.”

Each episode of the six-part series, hosted by presenters Anita Rani and Chris Bavin, sees hopeful British suppliers compete for a space on Aldi’s shelves, before Ashfield decides on a winner.

The show is due to air each Thursday until 27 November.