Meet the south Warwickshire farmer pitching camel milk to Aldi on Channel 4 TV show

‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’, which airs on Channel 4 at 8pm, will see camel farmer Daisy Smith and her mother Rebecca Fossett pitch for a spot on the supermarket’s shelves.

The family set up Daisy’s Dromedairy – a camel dairy farm – in 2021.

Daisy pioneered the idea for her camel dairy farm having grown up on a camel experience farm in Idlicote, owned by her parents, ex-lion tamers, Joseph and Rebecca.

Daisy says: “When we first started the dairy farm everyone thought we were absolutely raving mad.

"I certainly never thought I’d be milking a camel. I’ve never even milked a cow.

“Camels are very emotional animals; a dairy camel has to trust you in order for you to be able to milk them. If the camel doesn’t trust you, they won’t drop down their milk.

“While the taste of camel milk is not so different to cow’s milk, it has long been drunk in the Middle East, where it is known for its abundance of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals.

“Camel milk is an amazing superfood. It’s got a few things about it that really make it stand out.

"It’s lactose intolerant friendly, it’s rich in vitamin c – it’s great for your skin – and it has a lot of immune boosting and medicinal properties. Plus, most importantly, it tastes delicious.”

As demand for cow’s milk alternatives soars, the small business was picked from hundreds of applicants competing for a life changing contract to stock Aldi stores nationwide.

On the show, 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 whittling contestants down to two.

The finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, before presenting improved products to Julie who decides which product will appear as a Specialbuy in more than 970 stores.

Competing against a broad range of dairy suppliers, Daisy describes the show as a huge moment for her business: “It’s a really big moment to introduce Aldi to camel milk. To have this opportunity is amazing.”