Aldi begins search for the UK’s best craft distillery

Craft distillery numbers are on the rise in the UK, with more Brits than ever looking for local when shopping the spirits aisle. In support of this trend, Aldi is launching Grow with Aldi, a grass roots spirits competition to support small distillers in the UK.

The supermarket chain says ‘Grow with Aldi’ will encourage local craft distillers to enter their best spirit with the winner taking pride of place on Aldi’s shelves this summer.

“There are so many amazing craft distilleries across the UK,” said spirits expert and TV mixologist Pritesh Mody, who will be on the judging panel for the competition.  

“Together with Aldi, I am really looking forward to uncovering fresh talent in the UK’s thriving drinks sector. I’d urge any producer, from Perth to Penzance, large or small, to send their prized tipples our way to be in with a chance to take their business to the next level.” Entries will close on 5 April, with the winner announced in June and the final product hitting British Aldi supermarkets in the summer of 2021.  

“We are incredibly excited to launch this new initiative to support local UK distilleries,” said Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK.

“We can’t wait to unearth the UK’s hidden spirits gems and see what new and unique products come forward. Aldi is committed to supporting British producers, whether large or small, and we’ve pledged to buy an additional £3.5 billion more British food and drink products per year by 2025.

“We’re pleased to be able to offer the Aldi platform to showcase such exciting, homegrown products.”

“The British Distillers Alliance (BDA) has supported and represented the small independent spirits sector since July 2016 and we have seen the phenomenal growth of distillers in all spirits types with no let-up, even during Covid,” added Alan Powell, Founder of the British Distillers Alliance.

“It’s very encouraging and exciting that Aldi, a major retailer, is championing the cause of small spirits producers in this way.”

As part of what it calls its commitment to British suppliers, Aldi recently saved more than 25,000 gallons of beer by buying excess stock from breweries that would have gone to waste.

Aldi says it has supported 13 breweries by buying such stock due to a surplus created by lockdown and the closure of the UK’s hospitality outlets.