A pair of Manchester-based bakers are competing for their vegan toad in the holes to be stocked at Aldi. Lauren Hurley and Sophie Gorecki of Mabel’s Foods beat hundreds of hopefuls to appear on the Channel 4 show, titled Aldi's Next Big Thing. Airing from Tuesday April 2 at 8pm, the six-part series sees food and drink suppliers vying to win a life-changing contract to be listed in 1,000 Aldi stores nationwide. Married couple Lauren and Sophie were picked from hundreds of applicants for a spot on the show. Lauren, 34, has been a vegan since the age of 16 and found herself missing what she considers the best part of a roast dinner - a Yorkshire pudding. She managed to recreate the Sunday dinner staple without using dairy or eggs. READ MORE: Move over Dubai - the overlooked destination you can reach from Manchester Airport that's one of travel's best kept secrets It was 2019 when Lauren and Sophie, originally from Hampshire and
France respectively, began posting their vegan Yorkies to
Instagram. Lauren told the Manchester Evening News : "We had all these people start to ask how we made the Yorkshire puddings and that’s when we realised we could have something here. So Sophie decided to start generating sales and it kind of went from there." Lauren went on to quit her office
Job to focus on Mabel's fulltime. Sadly, a family bereavement and the
Coronavirus pandemic hit. "Covid was an especially tough time for me because it was the same month my gran passed away. I’d quit my full-time job to work on the business fulltime. Mabel's vegan toad in the hole (Image: Supplied) "I had no idea what was around the corner and suddenly I was in a position where I had no job, I couldn’t get any flour, I couldn’t get any soya milk. I couldn’t actually get the business off the ground for a good six months. That was definitely a challenging time." Fortunately, the business began to grow and soon enough, Lauren went from baking in her kitchen to a dedicated unit in Dane Bank, Denton . Mabel's has grown to sell wholesale to pubs, restaurants and independent shops, as well as direct to customers online. They also make plant-based sweet treats, including tiramisu, brownies and crepes - 'with lots more to come!' added Lauren. She said: "It’s been a slow burn with the business, we’ve grown organically and it’s all been through word of mouth and our reputation really." Lauren added that she and Sophie had built a 'strong fanbase among vegans' but are now reaching a wider audience, including those who are wanting to cut out eggs and dairy. "We’re hoping to go in that direction that we can be Yorkshire pudding and toad in the hole for everyone, not just vegans," Lauren said. Lauren, who moved to Manchester from Brighton 10 years ago, had watched the debut series of Aldi's Next Big Thing last year. She explained: "I love programs like this that shine a spotlight on small businesses around the UK. I find it really interesting to see what people are up to and for inspiration. I watched the first series last year and was a big fan. "What I liked about it was that it was very positive about the companies it was showing and I thought you know what, let’s just apply and see what happens." Lauren said she was surprised when she 'immediately' got a call back. "You do apply to these things and think it’s worth a shot but you don’t always expect such a quick and positive response," she added. Hosted by broadcaster and author, Anita Rani and Chris Bavin, of
BBC ’s The One Show and Eat Well for Less, Aldi's Next Big Thing sees suppliers compete in a range of categories including dinners and baked goods, as well as new category additions: party, world, and confectionery. 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. 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. To see how Lauren and Sophie get on, tune in to Channel 4 at 8pm on April 2. Aldi’s Next Big Thing airs on Channel 4 on Tuesday April 2 at 8pm. The series will air every Tuesday at the same time until Tuesday May 7.