Author: National Ploughing Association

Winning Lemon Drizzle Cake to be stocked in Aldi stores nationwide

Aldi will once again this year sponsor The National Junior Baking Competition, in association with Foróige, Ireland’s leading youth organization and the National Ploughing Association. The finals will take place in the Aldi Marquee at the National Ploughing Championships in September.

The theme of the National Junior Baking Competition this year is ‘’Lemon Drizzle Cake’ and the judges are anticipating some delicious cakes from the wealth of talented young bakers around the country. Jessica Doherty (13) from Melvin Foróige Club, Co. Leitrim emerged as the winner last year, and her Lemon Drizzle Cake has been flying off the shelves in all 130 Aldi stores nationwide since Christmas!

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said, “The popularity and success of the National Junior Baking competition at Ploughing is growing each year, and we’re delighted to once again have Aldi and Foróige working on this. It is wonderful to see the younger generation taking part and seeing this alive and well at Ploughing is always a thrill for us. The total attendance figures for the 2017 National Championships came to a record breaking 291,500 and this year’s event looks set to be bigger and better than ever.”

“I couldn’t believe it when I won at the Ploughing last year,” said Jessica. “I was up against some other really great bakers on the day. The support from my friends and my family since then has been amazing, and it is so exciting seeing ‘Jessica’s Lemon Drizzle Cake’ on the shelf in Aldi every time I go into the store. I’d like to wish the very best of luck to everyone entering this year!”

The winner of the National Junior Baking Competition will win a €1,000 bursary to help them on their baking journey, as well as a trip for their local Foróige group to Delphi Adventure Centre in Co. Mayo. In addition to this, and for the third year as part of the National Junior Baking Competition, Aldi will be stocking the winning lemon drizzle cake – a huge achievement for any budding young baker!

Finbar McCarthy, Group Buying Director at Aldi Ireland said, “At Aldi, we are a proud supporter of Irish suppliers, so we are delighted to sponsor The National Junior Baking Competition for the fourth year in a row. We are encouraging all junior-baking enthusiasts, whether novice or expert home bakers, to whip out the mixing bowl and perfect their baking skills. The creations that came from the young people last year were excellent, and we expect this year’s entrants to be even more creative.”

The qualifiers of The National Junior Baking Competition are currently being held nationally through youth organisationForóige, in their 810 clubs and projects nationwide, with the regional finals taking place in late July. The National Semi Finals and Final will be held from 18th – 20th September at the Aldi Marquee during the 2018 National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

€10,000 prize on offer as 2018 National Brown Bread Baking Competition Launches

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition 2018 is open for entries

New for 2018 –  Aldi is encouraging non ICA members to enter through regional Aldi heats

Aldi will once again this year sponsor The National Brown Bread Baking Competition, in association with the National Ploughing Association (NPA) and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (ICA). Relaunched four years ago by the NPA, the event has proven to be a huge success, with entries from each one of the 26 counties. TV presenter Síle Seoige and TV3 Chef Shane Smith were joined by NPA MD Anna May Mc Hugh, ICA President Marie O’Toole and reigning champion Mary Conway to announce details of this year’s competition.

NPA Managing Director Anna May McHugh said “We are delighted to be renewing our partnership with Aldi and the ICA given the popularity and success of the National Brown Bread Baking competition at Ploughing.  There has always been a long and great tradition of baking in Ireland and it is wonderful to see this alive and well at Ploughing.  The total attendance figures for the 2017 National Championships  came to a record breaking 291,500 and this year’s event looks set to be bigger and better than ever.”

Last year, Mary Conway’s bread rose to the challenge and the Sligo native emerged victorious. Speaking recently, Mary commented on her win, “I was thrilled to have won last year, I was up against some of the best. The competition was great fun and I met some wonderful people along the way. It is so exciting for me seeing my bread, ‘Mary’s Soda Bread’ on the shelves of Aldi stores nationwide. The very best of luck to everyone taking part this year.”

The National Brown Bread Baking competition is open to both members and non-members of the ICA, and baking enthusiasts have the opportunity to earn some serious ‘dough’, with a share of the profits from the sale of their winning loaf once it goes on sale in Aldi*. Second place will receive €1,000, €500 for third, €300 for fourth and the other semi-finalists will all get €200 each**.

A new addition to the competition for 2018:

This year, entering the competition will be easier than ever, and Aldi is encouraging any bakers over the age of 18 to take part to be in with a chance of seeing their bread on shelves nationwide. Keen bakers that can’t make it to any of the ICA heats will be able to bring their freshly baked bread to 3 Aldi locations nationwide for tasting by the panel of independent judges.

Keen bakers can now enter the Aldi heats by dropping their bread off at the following locations on the following dates:

• Aldi Ireland Head Office, Newbridge Road, Naas, Co. Kildare on the (22 May 2018)
• Aldi Regional Office, Limerick Road, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork on the (22 May 2018)
• Aldi’s store in Oranmore, Co. Galway on the (29^th May 2018)

People that are interested in entering through the above Aldi venues are asked to email brownbread@aldi.ie to register.

Group Buying Director, Finbar McCarthy said, “At Aldi, we are a proud supporter of Irish suppliers so we are delighted to sponsor The National Brown Bread Baking Competition again, celebrating something as quintessentially Irish as brown bread. ‘Marys Soda Bread’ has proven a hit with our customers, and we hope the winner this year will achieve the same success with their brown bread. This year, we are making it easier than ever for people to enter with our regional drop off points, and so we hope to see keen bakers getting involved. At Aldi, we sell a range of great value baking essentials in our 130 stores nationwide so consumers can stock their pantries and make home baked goods all year round.”

ICA members can participate in the competition through local guilds, with heats taking place nationwide and regional finals taking place at An Grianán, ICA Adult Education Centre on July 31^st. The three finalists selected from the Aldi bread drops, along with the five finalists selected through the ICA will compete at the National Finals. The National Semi Finals and Final will be held from 18^th – 20^th September at the Aldi Marquee during the 2018 National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

Speaking at the launch, Marie O’Toole, President of the ICA said, “Our members are once again delighted to be taking part in the National Brown Bread Baking Competition to find the best Brown Bread baker in Ireland.  There has been huge interest and the winner will be generously rewarded.”

If you think you have the recipe for success, log onto www.aldi.ie/brown-bread-competition or www.ica.ie for information on how to enter and further details about the county finals.

* The winner’s brown bread will also be stocked in all Aldi Stores in Ireland for a minimum of six months and they will receive a share of the profits, guaranteed to be at least €10,000.

**All winners (with the exception of first place) will receive their prizes in Aldi Vouchers.

Jimmy Grainger RIP (NPA Life Member and former President and Chairman)

Jimmy Grainger an NPA Director and life member from Kilteel, Naas, Co Kildare has sadly passed away and will be deeply missed by all in the National Ploughing Association. 

His absolute dedication and whole-hearted contribution to the NPA has spanned several decades.  He was even a founder member of the Kildare Ploughing Association in 1952. 

Jimmy has been heavily involved with Ploughing throughout the years both as a competitor and judge, and he was a former under 21 Champion.  He was an exceptional NPA Chairman from 1994 until 1997 and served the association diligently as President from 2008 to 2014 by going above and beyond the call of duty.

The NPA would like to pass on their sincere sympathy and condolences to his wife Teresa, sons James & Shane, daughters Emma & Elaine, daughters in law, grandchildren and all of his extended family and friends and thank Jimmy for all he gave to Ploughing throughout the years.