Aldi Ireland has announced Julia Sommer as the winner of the inaugural ‘Rise With Aldi’ bread baking competition.
The grand final on 3 September at Airfield Estate, Co. Dublin showcased three outstanding finalists from across Ireland.
Julia Sommer from Tipperary emerged victorious, dazzling the judges with her remarkable seeded sourdough bread.
As part of the prize, Aldi will stock Julia’s bread in stores nationwide and she will receive €15,000.
Rise With Aldi
The retailer launched the competition to discover Ireland’s best amateur baker. It culminated in a live final that promised to be transformative for the participants.
Síle Seoige hosted the live final with a distinguished panel of judges.
Aldi buying director Laurence Kelly, Julie O’Hara from O’Hara’s of Foxford and Johnny Murphy, also known as the Hungry Hooker judged the competition.
Fionn Corcoran from Co. Kerry came second in the final with his fruit soda bread and Brian Reilly from Co. Wexford came third with his brown soda bread.
Each baker brought their best bread to the competition. The finalists impressed the judges with their creativity, skill and dedication to the craft.
‘Nothing Short Of Inspiring’
On her victory, Julia said, “I am truly honoured to have had a chance to be a finalist in the Rise With Aldi competition.
“Baking has been a lifelong passion for me, and having the opportunity to showcase my bread on this national stage is a dream come true.
“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Aldi, the esteemed judges, and everyone who has supported and encouraged me throughout this journey.
“This experience has been nothing short of inspiring, and I am grateful for the chance to share my love for baking with others.”
Speaking at the final, judge Johnny Murphy said, “It was an honour to judge this competition and witness such incredible baking skills.
“Julia’s bread truly demonstrates the creativity and passion for bread baking.
“Congratulations to our finalists for getting this far and Julia on a well-deserved win!”
Fellow judge and Aldi buying director Laurence Kelly added, “We are delighted with the success of Rise With Aldi.
“This competition is a fantastic platform for amateur bakers to showcase their skills and creativity.
“We are proud to have launched this brand-new initiative within the business and to have found such an outstanding winner.
“Julia’s bread will be featured in Aldi stores nationwide in the new year, and we look forward to sharing her exceptional baking with our customers across Ireland.”
The competition began with a nationwide search for Ireland’s top amateur baker, highlighting remarkable talent across the country.
Read More: Daybreak Ireland Commits To '30 For 30' In Aid Of The Irish Heart Foundation
