27 Apr SOUTHEND KEBAB SAUCE MAKERS COMPETE FOR SPOT ON ALDI’S SHELVES IN CHANNEL 4 SERIES
Lil Salih, 31, and husband Yuksel Salih, 37, from Southend, will appear on Channel 4’s ‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’ on Tuesday 30th
April, 8pm.
The couple are co-founders of The Kebab Club, an authentic Turkish company specialising in sauces and marinades, and were picked from hundreds competing for a contract
to stock Aldi over 1,000 stores nationwide.
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Yuksel’s father, of Turkish-Cypriot origin, opened his first kebab shop in Romford in 1983. Hoping to continue this legacy and fly the flag for authentic Turkish
cuisine, Yuksel and wife Lil, will be pitching their Chicken Shish Marinade for a place on Aldi’s shelves.
Hosted by broadcaster and author, Anita Rani and Chris Bavin, of BBC’s The One Show and Eat Well for Less, the six-part series will see suppliers compete in a range
of categories including dinners and baked goods, as well as exciting new category additions: party, world, and confectionary.
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 shortlisting contestants down to just two.
The finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, with a follow-up home visit from Anita or Chris who will report back their findings to Julie. The
three then taste test the improved products, before Julie decides the winner which will appear as a Specialbuy in over 1,000 stores.
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, says:
“What’s most exciting about the world foods category is the breadth and what’s possible. What used to be a fairly narrow selection of cuisines like curries and noodles has expanded into new flavours, new dishes and new ingredients. World cuisine presents
an affordable alternative to eating out or takeaways.”
Lil develops recipes for The Kebab Club from her own kitchen, where produce is then transferred over to a manufacturer to supply their online shop as well as local
delis.
The company’s best-selling Chicken Shish Marinade is made from a blend of chargrilled red peppers, paprika, oregano and lemon to create a warming Mediterranean paste.
Lil says:
“At The Kebab Club, we specialise in crafting authentic Turkish marinades and sauces. The humble kebab is the nation’s favourite takeaway
– 1.3 million kebabs are consumed every single day. Despite this, Turkish cuisine is not represented on retailer shelves.”
