A BAKER will appear on a Channel 4 TV series tomorrow competing for the chance to have his biscotti stocked by Aldi.

Paul Rostand, founder of the Artful Baker in Christchurch, was picked from hundreds of applicants for the chance of a “life-changing” contract to supply the supermarket nationwide.

His artisan bakery, dedicated to producing sweet and savoury biscotti, will feature on the next episode of the six-part series Aldi’s Next Big Thing.

Mr Rostand began creating biscott in 2017 after finding existing recipes too hard to eat and feeling the flavour options lacked imagination.

He said: “The Italians have only ever given us a rock-hard almond biscotti that will break your teeth if you’re not careful. So we feel we've created the ultimate biscotti, which has got the perfect crunch.

“The Italians have always done almond biscotti. So we thought, let's create a range of flavours, let's adapt the texture and also create a range of savoury biscotti. I love creating new flavours. I just keep coming up with ideas, whether they're savoury, sweet, it's what I love doing.

“I want to make Britain known for biscotti. To get into Aldi would be absolutely fantastic for us.”

The programme is hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4, and Chris Bavin, of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well for Less. The six episodes see suppliers compete in categories such as dinners, baked goods, treats and store cupboard essentials.

Products are presented to Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK, who considers factors such as price, packaging, shopper demand and the ability to scale up, before whittling the contestants down to two.

The finalists then have four weeks to address any feedback before presenting improved products to Ms Ashfield, who decides which will appear as a special buy in Aldi stores.The Artful Baker will be competing against five other food suppliers with products ranging from handmade chocolate pasta to vegan monster feet crisps.

The multi-category competition is part of an Aldi commitment to locally sourced products. The German supermarket chain has pledged to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards spending an additional £3.5billion a year with British businesses by the end of 2025.

Mr Rostand will appear on Aldi’s Next Big Thing tomorrow, Thursday, November 17, at 8pm, on Channel 4.