Latest news with #Snack
The Star
05-08-2025
- Business
- The Star
Books, ephemera and taste: How fashion shops are also selling culture
To run a buzzy menswear shop in New York these days, it helps to have a few things. Great clothes, of course. Tasteful decor (Noguchi lanterns and ceramic vessels are de rigueur). Friendly, stylish salespeople certainly don't hurt. Increasingly, a stack of books is also a must. Preferably of rare and elusive provenance, concerning matters of art and design, and, in many cases, provided by a neatly dressed bespectacled man named Geoff Snack. 'Whenever I put books in a retail store, it's like: How can this help people?' Snack, 40, said one afternoon this spring. 'How can this contribute to the understanding of what this shop is about, what the brands are about?' He was flipping through a pile of books he had sourced for the clothing store and coffeeshop Colbo on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Stacked on a small table beside a rack of earth-toned clothing were ones featuring Cindy Sherman's shape-shifting photos, an Ellsworth Kelly catalogue and a volume dedicated to the concept of sisterhood. Read more: This menswear savant gets paid to travel the world and buy cool vintage pieces 'It's like the cafe and music we play,' said Eldar Hadad, one of Colbo's owners, as she sold sugar-dusted morning buns. 'It invites you to linger when you have books – you can skim through and you're welcome to stay, read, have a coffee.' Lingering, she noted, is a strategy to help encourage sales. It also aligns with a recent retail trend of conjuring an intimate atmosphere, as if customers weren't shopping at a store but rather hanging out at a chic friend's apartment. Snack's modest literary empire extends to a smattering of popular stores in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, most of which specialise in menswear: J Crew's store on Bond Street, Noah in NoLIta and Ven Space in Carroll Gardens are among them. In Canada, where he grew up and went to school, he has provided books to pop-up shops by the brand Stone Island and the popular boutique Better Gift Shop. 'I think books and unique items help tell the same stories that inspire our clothing,' said Brendon Babenzien, the men's creative director at J Crew and a founder of Noah. 'Fashion and the choices we make around it are deeply tied to our personal interests, and the items we select reflect those same interests. In that way, they complement each other perfectly.' Prices for the books range from US$45 to US$600 (approximately RM190 to RM2,537) for a single volume and are often sold to stores on a consignment basis. Snack calls himself a 'book and paper dealer' because he also traffics in printed ephemera. A drink ticket from Studio 54, a business card advertising a 1986 pop-up shop by Keith Haring and an artist-designed menu from the shuttered SoHo restaurant Chanterelle are some of the things he has listed on his website, Wrong Answer. Geoff Snack provides a curated collection of books, preferably of rare and elusive provenance, to fashion boutiques. Photo: The New York Times 'I really love seeing the stuff that I sell out in the world,' Snack said. 'For me, it's really fun to be a part of the visual landscape of the city.' Peddling books to trendy stores may be a niche gig, but it's not exactly unusual. The fashion and literary worlds have long had a symbiotic relationship, each borrowing liberally from the other. Booksellers at Left Bank Books, for instance, have supplied art and design volumes to vintage clothing shop Sorbara's in Williamsburg, which also has framed posters from Snack hanging on its walls. Des Pair Books in Los Angeles has curated books for Frontier, a store in West Hollywood, California, and for clothing brand Buck Mason's outpost in Nashville, Tennessee. 'Books in stores are, essentially, cultural accessories,' said Judith Thurman, a New Yorker writer who has covered fashion for the magazine, which this year introduced merchandise with J Crew. 'They're consumed like that. You would buy a cool necklace and a book with a cool cover.' Not to mention, the fashion set has long had an interest in what's known as 'world building'. Read more: These brothers are Malaysian fashion's next act – guess who their father is Books – especially rare ones concerning highbrow matter, like those Snack sells – can be tools for telegraphing taste or authenticity. Stores that sell contemporary clothing alongside vintage books and printed ephemera, said W David Marx, the author of Status And Culture: How Our Desire For Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion and Constant Change , are 'kind of associating these new products that you make with this heritage'. Snack caught the collecting bug as a child in Peterborough, Ontario, where he frequented flea markets with his father, who liked to hunt down Coca-Cola memorabilia. Snack preferred to forage for video games, hockey trading cards and, later, magazines and punk albums. He recalled cutting out pictures from Wallpaper magazine and hanging them in his bedroom as a teen. He sought out art and design books in Toronto, where he studied English at the University of Toronto, and visited local book shops whenever he travelled. At some point he crossed the fine line from casual enthusiast to collector. 'I was never going to own a Warhol,' he said. 'But I could get a Warhol book, or a poster from one of his early shows. It was just getting myself into closer proximity with the culture I love.' At first he wasn't interested in selling anything from his collection. But a book dealer he met in Boston hatched the idea. 'She said to me: 'Every collector becomes a dealer. It's inevitable,'' he remembered. 'And now that I look back on it, she was totally right.' This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Observer
25-07-2025
- Business
- Observer
Fashion meets literature in the hands of a collector
BLURB: Peddling books to trendy stores may be a niche gig, but it's not exactly unusual. The fashion and literary worlds have long had a symbiotic relationship, each borrowing liberally from the other. To run a buzzy menswear shop in New York these days, it helps to have a few things. Great clothes, of course. Tasteful décor. Friendly, stylish salespeople certainly don't hurt. Increasingly, a stack of books is also a must. Preferably of rare and elusive provenance, concerning matters of art and design and, in many cases, provided by a neatly dressed bespectacled man named Geoff Snack. 'Whenever I put books in a retail store, it's like: How can this help people?' Snack, 40, said one afternoon this spring. 'How can this contribute to the understanding of what this shop is about, what the brands are about?' He was flipping through a pile of books he had sourced for the clothing store and coffee-shop Colbo on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Stacked on a small table beside a rack of earth-toned clothing were ones featuring Cindy Sherman's shape-shifting photos, an Ellsworth Kelly catalog and a volume dedicated to the concept of sisterhood. 'It's like the cafe and music we play', said Eldar Hadad, one of Colbo's owners, as she sold sugar-dusted morning buns. 'It invites you to linger when you have books — you can skim through and you're welcome to stay, read, have a coffee'. Geoff Snack, a vintage and rare book dealer, rummages through a box of books for display in the Colbo menswear store, in Manhattan. Lingering, she noted, is a strategy to help encourage sales. It also aligns with a recent retail trend of conjuring an intimate atmosphere, as if customers weren't shopping at a store but rather hanging out at a chic friend's apartment. Snack's modest literary empire extends to a smattering of popular stores in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, most of which specialise in menswear: J Crew's store on Bond Street, Noah in NoLIta and Ven Space in Carroll Gardens are among them. In Canada, where he grew up and went to school, he has provided books to pop-up shops by the brand Stone Island and the popular boutique Better Gift Shop. 'I think books and unique items help tell the same stories that inspire our clothing', said Brendon Babenzien, the men's creative director at J Crew and a founder of Noah. 'Fashion and the choices we make around it are deeply tied to our personal interests and the items we select reflect those same interests. In that way, they complement each other perfectly'. Prices for the books range from $45 to $600 for a single volume and are often sold to stores on a consignment basis. Snack calls himself a 'book and paper dealer' because he also traffics in printed ephemera: a drink ticket from Studio 54, a business card advertising a 1986 pop-up shop by Keith Haring and an artist-designed menu from the shuttered SoHo restaurant Chanterelle are some of the things he has listed on his website, Wrong Answer. 'I really love seeing the stuff that I sell out in the world', Snack said. 'For me, it's really fun to be a part of the visual landscape of the city'. Peddling books to trendy stores may be a niche gig, but it's not exactly unusual. The fashion and literary worlds have long had a symbiotic relationship, each borrowing liberally from the other. Booksellers at Left Bank Books, for instance, have supplied art and design volumes to vintage clothing shop Sorbara's in Williamsburg, which also has framed posters from Snack hanging on its walls. Des Pair Books in Los Angeles has curated books for Frontier, a store in West Hollywood, California and for clothing brand Buck Mason's outpost in Nashville, Tennessee. Geoff Snack, a vintage and rare book dealer, in Sorbara's clothing shop in Brooklyn. Not to mention, the fashion set has long had an interest in what's known as 'world building'. Books — especially rare ones concerning highbrow matter, like those Snack sells — can be tools for telegraphing taste or authenticity. Stores that sell contemporary clothing alongside vintage books and printed ephemera, said W David Marx, the author of 'Status and Culture: How Our Desire for Social Rank Creates Taste, Identity, Art, Fashion and Constant Change', are 'kind of associating these new products that you make with this heritage'. Snack caught the collecting bug as a child in Peterborough, Ontario, where he frequented flea markets with his father, who liked to hunt down Coca-Cola memorabilia. Snack preferred to forage for video games, hockey trading cards and, later, magazines and punk albums. He recalled cutting out pictures from Wallpaper magazine and hanging them in his bedroom as a teen. He sought out art and design books in Toronto, where he studied English at the University of Toronto and visited local book shops whenever he travelled. At some point he crossed the fine line from casual enthusiast to collector. 'I was never going to own a Warhol', he said. 'But I could get a Warhol book, or a poster from one of his early shows. It was just getting myself into closer proximity with the culture I love'. At first, he wasn't interested in selling anything from his collection. But a book dealer he met in Boston hatched the idea. 'She said to me: 'Every collector becomes a dealer. It's inevitable'', he remembered. 'And now that I look back on it, she was totally right'. — The New York Times
Scotsman
02-07-2025
- Scotsman
Marella Discovery 2 - a ship with a trip that ticked all the boxes
"The thing about this ship," says Alan, pausing for a brief chug on his bottle of Peroni," is that everything is just right for us. That's why this is our tenth time with Marella Cruises, and the last four being on Discovery 2*." (asterisk to be explained) Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... We've just embarked at Limassol, Cyprus, on the Discovery 2's Aegean Delights itinerary, and I've just struck up a conversation with my Aberdonian pool deck sunbed neighbour, gauging his opinion of this 70,000 tonner. Later at the pool bar, a chat with Coventry cruiser Peter, a five-time Discovery 2 stalwart, goes along similar lines, and it doesn't take me too long to see what they're getting at. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad I've been on quite a few cruise ships in my time, some wondrous in size, and each with their own areas of excellence, but this particular vessel seems to tick all the boxes for me. Marella Discovery 2 For a start, while still no minnow among the world's ocean cruisers, it's no massive bewildering behemoth either. With 918 cabins it's big enough to encompass many different bars, places and restaurants, yet still easy to find your bearings very quickly. And then there's the gorgeous gastrogrub, exquisite entertainment and exciting excursions that just synergise to make for a week of fun, frolics and fulfilment. Marella cleverly taps into what many British cruisers look for - an all inclusive experience. So the price you pay back in the UK covers everything, including food, alcoholic drinks, entertainment and, quite importantly for many Brits, all tips! Of course there are extras you can add while on board, but we'll come to that. The ship has just had a recent makeover and oozes opulence, with an Atrium resplendent in marble, gleaming metal and glass, meticulously polished timbers, and contemporary furniture and fittings that seem incongruous to the flip-flopping of your footwear as you explore this 11-deck vessel. Some of the staterooms have been upgraded too, with our balcony cabin offering a fresh and modern look with a new bathroom, balcony and more storage and clothes space. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So, feeling peckish? There are so many options to eat while on board, and always somewhere you can eat from 7am until 1am the following day. If you want to stay on the pool deck, the Snack Shack offers fish and chips, chicken wings, sandwiches and salads, all washed down with whatever you've got yourself from the bar or via the attentive and ever-smiling, courteous waiters, 'on the prowl' almost to take orders from guests without drinks! A balcony cabin on the Discovery 2 Islands is the ship's buffet restaurant - just off the pool deck - and is open for breakfast, lunch afternoon tea and dinner, and The Glass House - the ship's indoor pool area, complete with couple-sized Balinese beds - provides the same and a late-night snacks offering. Included in your price is entry to the ship's more formal waiter-service eateries. 47° offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and no reservations are required. This being the biggest of the ship's restaurants, we were always seated immediately, though depending on your time of arrival, you might be offered a pager to notify you to return when your table is ready. Gallery 47° offers the delights of an Italian trattoria, with a changing myriad menu of amazing Tuscan, Milanese and Roman dishes to tempt your tastebuds. Meanwhile, Piccadilly's offers a regularly rotating menu of reimagined British classics - so expect the likes of fish and chips with a modern twist. We really enjoyed the indulgent 'Arthur Duke Pasty Duo' (Sharing Plate) - a pork, apple and apricot wellington and a pulled beef and mushroom puff pastry served with vegetables. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad If you want to push the boat out (sorry, couldn't resist) the menus in all the above three formal restaurants include additional payable dishes, such as 'Seafood Thermidor Frites' (£11.95), 'Rack of Lamb' (£11.95), 'Pan Seared Sirloin Steak' (£11.95) and a decadent 'Belgian Chocolate Dome' (£4.45). The impressive Atrium on Marella Discovery 2 And if you want to make it even more special, there are three a la carte eateries which incur extra charges. The Sushi Bar entices you with spicy tuna rolls, salmon sashimi and seabass nigiri to name but a few fishy feasts, while Kora La offers a selection of pan-Asian dishes from gyozas and dumplings to curries and bespoke dishes including a Thali option - an Indian-style meal made up of a selection of dishes served on a platter. Expect some amazing amuse-bouches and 'pre-puddings' thrown in for good measure! This time we decided on a steak-par-excellence at the Surf and Turf restaurant, with my opting for a plumptious jumbo scallops starter, an umami-unctuous onion soup then followed by a marvellously-marbled juicy ribeye with all the trimmings (elasticated trousers recommended). Bars include those on the pool deck and the upper deck, Bar Eleven on Deck 11, the Atrium bar and in two of the main entertainment venues, the Live Room and The Squid and Anchor. Both offer live music from the ship's resident solo acts, bands and guest artistes, with the latter larger venue also hosting karaoke, quizzes, TV show-themed games, and the popular-for-all, Silent Disco experience - a set of headphones for each person, a choice of two tracks, with dancers seemingly dancing out of time with one another in silence for those wandering in! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is always something to do on the ship for all ages, be they ship games, quizzes, and of course the amazing clubs for tots, youngsters and hangout spaces for older teens, all supervised by professionally-accredited staff. Broadway Show Lounge Last but not least on the entertainment front is the Broadway Show Lounge - and this is no misnomer as the ship's entertainment team put on amazing Broadway/West End-quality shows, their pinpoint harmonies often inducing tears and raising hairs on the back of the neck with amazing vocal performances. There was even an 'elephant' on stage at one time! A talented team of professionals, headed by the Duracell battery-charged Cruise Director Cree, whose non-stop effervescence, humour and charm deserve a special mention. As I referred to, there are other things you can add to your experience. The Premium Drinks package (an extra £12 pp per day) allows you to add more premium brands of spirits and wines to your tipple portfolio, plus an even greater choice of cocktails and your favourite latte or cappuccino Lavazza coffee at The Coffee Port, the ship's dedicated Java lounge. And, you're on holiday, so why not pamper yourself at The Oceans Spa. We enjoyed some 75 minutes of thoroughly-relaxing Deep Tissue Muscle Massage indulgence for £149pp under the expert and dextrous fingers of therapists Shan and Ghie. Wifi internet is an optional extra, but you can log onto the ship's own wi-fi via the Navigate 'app' and access everything shipwise from restaurants to entertainment, your room bill to cocktail lists and much more, all at the push of a button. It's also recommended before your journey to visit TUI's Cruise Control 'app' where you can complete the online check-in process to access your travel documents, print your luggage labels and boarding passes for your cruise and book your excursions and onboard experiences. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad So much to see and do on this ship it's very difficult to cover everything. One thing I did wish to mention is that cruising with Marella is not just for couples and families, but solo travellers are welcomed with activities on board included for individuals to meet up. And the final accolade must go to the staff. Tireless, ever polite and smiling, their entire ethos is to ensure you have the time of your life. Oh, and the asterisk at the beginning of this review? It's to finish what Alan was saying to me. "That's why this is our ship," he concluded. Sums it all up really. The Live Room So where did we go? Our seven-day Aegean Delights cruise began and ended in Limassol with a day at sea (chance to dress up here in your formal clobber) and then stop-offs in Izmir, Alanya and Marmaris in Turkey, and Patmos and Rhodes in Greece. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad We really enjoyed the Patmos Highlights excursion, packing in some of this picturesque Greek island's historic places including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Cave of Jesus' disciple St John. It's here where he lived for two years back in 95 to 97 AD. You'll visit a monastery dedicated to him, too. It's an impressive place with huge 15th century walls that tower over Patmos Town with breathtaking views. A stroll around the nearby maze of winding streets lined with sugar cube houses saw us end up at 300-year-old Simandris House, to browse a fascinating collection of antiques including beautiful gilded mirrors and silverware. The last stop was a lovely little taverna to sample homemade meze dishes, local wine and traditional Greek dancing. (Adult £64 & child £32) While in Marmaris we enjoyed the Dalyan Riverboat Tour and Iztuzu Beach, which saw us visit one of Turkey's most pristine beaches via a gentle cruise down the River Dalyan, with stops at 'anti-ageing' mud baths to get covered in skin-softening mud, a relaxing dip in the thermal pool and a riverside restaurant for lunch. Endangered loggerhead turtles nest here and, while glimpses are not guaranteed, we were lucky enough to see quite a few of them. As we continued on the riverboat we sailed past the Lycian Rock Tombs – dating back to 400BC – carved into the cliffs and an amazing sight to behold. Prices were adult £46 and child £28, which I thought was great value when you consider there's a lunch included. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Marella Cruises offers a seven-night Aegean Delights round trip from Limassol, Cyprus on Marella Discovery 2 from £921 per person. Price based on 2 adults and 2 children (aged 10 and aged 10) sharing a Deck 2/3 inside cabin on an all-inclusive basis. Calling at Limassol, Cyprus, day at sea, Izmir, Turkiye, Thira, Santorini, Bodrum, Turkiye, Rhodes Town, Rhodes, Alanya, Turkiye and Limassol, Cyprus. Includes flights from Bristol Airport to Paphos, Cyprus on 29 October 2025, luggage per person, transfers, tips, and service charges. For more information and to book, visit All prices quoted are correct to the particular product package at the time of issuing the price package/packages to the publication. Price was quoted on 26/06/2025. Prices provided are subject to change and have limited availability. Terms and conditions apply. Holiday Extras With an early flight from East Midlands Airport, we got our break off to a relaxing start with a hotel stay the night before and parking for the duration with Holiday Extras, the market leader in UK airport parking, hotels, lounges, and transfers. According to HX, last year's customers saved an average of £196 per trip by booking their airport parking in advance. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Booking an airport hotel means you can enjoy more holiday with less hassle. Plus with Flextras, if you need to cancel or amend you can without charge. One night's accommodation in a Standard Room at Leonardo Hotel, East Midlands Airport with eight days' parking with JetParks 2 is available for £230.00 based on arrival on 12th August 2025. Holiday Extras were also able to arrange entry to the Premium Lounge at Paphos International Airport Lounge. This costs £73.30 for two adults for entry three hours before the flight, based on entry on 20th August 2025. For more information and to book, visit or call 0800 316 5678. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad *All costs supplied are the cheapest available rates for the product specified and therefore availability may be limited at this price. Prices are correct as at 26/06/2025. Escape Lounge We eased ourself into our trip with a relaxing visit to East Midlands Airport's Escape Lounge, conveniently located just beyond the main F&B and retail area close to the departure gates. It offers passengers a chance to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal where all-inclusive food and drink can be enjoyed immediately prior to catching a flight. The lounge is suitable for passengers of all ages and offers fast unlimited WiFi, flight information boards, bar service for alcoholic and soft drinks, and a hot and cold buffet. Pre-book from just £35.99 per person. For more information or to book, please visit: Escape Lounge
Scottish Sun
02-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Foodies are racing to Aldi to nab ‘delicious' new dips that rival M&S – they're much cheaper and ‘perfect for picnics'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH the bank holiday weekend finally here, if you're planning on going for a picnic with friends, you've come to the right place. Aldi has released a new range of 'delicious' dips - and not only do they look tasty, but they're strikingly similar to the more expensive alternatives from M&S. 5 Foodies are going wild for Aldi's new range of 'delicious' dips Credit: tiktok//@squashedpickled 5 Not only are they cheaper than those from M&S, but they're 'perfect for picnics' too Credit: tiktok//@squashedpickled 5 The dips are now available to nab in Aldi stores nationwide Credit: Aldi 5 They're perfect for loading up crisps or poppadoms and are £1.61 less than those from M&S Credit: Aldi So if you're on a mission to save cash on your food shop, then you'll need to get your shoes at the ready and head down to your nearest Aldi store - and fast. One foodie was left beaming by the new Aldi dips - and there's four options to choose from. Posting on social media, a young woman who is known online as the 'Snack Queen' shared her honest thoughts on the tasty buys, which are priced at just £1.99 each. Thanks to the new Specially Selected Loaded Dips, your mouth is sure to be watering this weekend. According to Aldi bosses, the cool and refreshing dips are the 'ultimate summer picky bits'. They have landed just in time for the bank holiday weekend and have been hailed as 'perfect for picnics'. So if you want to load up your popadums, you won't want to miss the Indian Mint Yoghurt and Mango Chutney Loaded Dip. But if you're searching for something aromatic yet creamy, the Mascarpone Loaded Dip with Italian Herbs, Roasted Tomatoes and Parmesan is sure to offer a taste of the Mediterranean. There's also the Chicken Caesar Loaded Dip that provides a creamy, tangy Caesar taste that Brits are bound to love. The new dips are available to buy in stores now, and from July, shoppers will also be able to pick up the Tzatziki Loaded Dip which is topped with a vibrant Greek Salad. ALDI goes undercover to showcase its great-value wines Posting online, the 'Snack Queen' beamed: 'It's dip season at Aldi - check this out.' Particularly impressed with the Indian-style dip, the foodie beamed: 'That sounds so good.' 5 Also keen on the Caesar-style option, the Aldi shopper added: 'If you love a Caesar salad, you're gonna love that.' The content creator, who has amassed 52,400 followers on TikTok, then advised foodies: 'You gotta run to Aldi because they look amazing.' Omg these sound delicious TikTok user While the M&S loaded dips are £3.60 when ordering from Ocado, at less than £2 each, Aldi's alternatives are a real steal. So if you're looking to pocket pennies, you're sure to be thrilled to know that you'll save £1.61 on each dip with Aldi's purse-friendly buys. Foodies beam The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @squashedpickled, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 235,200 views, 5,019 likes and 182 comments. Foodies were left gobsmacked by the tasty dips and many eagerly raced to the comments to share their thoughts on the M&S dupes. One person said: 'Omg these sound delicious.' Why do Aldi and Lidl have such fast checkouts IF you've ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you'll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff. Aldi's speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals. It's all part of Aldi's plan to be as efficient as possible - and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers. Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process. It also uses 'shelf-ready' packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock. Another added: 'I look forward to trying these! Love the M&S loaded dips so let's see how the Aldi ones compare! Enjoy.' A third commented: 'Ooooft!!! NEEEEED to try the caesar dip! M&S DUUUUPE!' At the same time, someone else beamed: 'Consider me influenced.' Not only this, but another savvy shopper wrote: 'Thanks for sharing. I'm going to Aldi.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club
The Sun
02-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Foodies are racing to Aldi to nab ‘delicious' new dips that rival M&S – they're much cheaper and ‘perfect for picnics'
Abigail Wilson, Senior Digital Writer Published: Invalid Date, WITH the bank holiday weekend finally here, if you're planning on going for a picnic with friends, you've come to the right place. Aldi has released a new range of 'delicious' dips - and not only do they look tasty, but they're strikingly similar to the more expensive alternatives from M&S. 4 4 4 So if you're on a mission to save cash on your food shop, then you'll need to get your shoes at the ready and head down to your nearest Aldi store - and fast. One foodie was left beaming by the new Aldi dips - and there's four options to choose from. Posting on social media, a young woman who is known online as the 'Snack Queen' shared her honest thoughts on the tasty buys, which are priced at just £1.99 each. Thanks to the new Specially Selected Loaded Dips, your mouth is sure to be watering this weekend. According to Aldi bosses, the cool and refreshing dips are the 'ultimate summer picky bits'. They have landed just in time for the bank holiday weekend and have been hailed as 'perfect for picnics '. So if you want to load up your popadums, you won't want to miss the Indian Mint Yoghurt and Mango Chutney Loaded Dip. But if you're searching for something aromatic yet creamy, the Mascarpone Loaded Dip with Italian Herbs, Roasted Tomatoes and Parmesan is sure to offer a taste of the Mediterranean. There's also the Chicken Caesar Loaded Dip that provides a creamy, tangy Caesar taste that Brits are bound to love. The new dips are available to buy in stores now, and from July, shoppers will also be able to pick up the Tzatziki Loaded Dip which is topped with a vibrant Greek Salad. ALDI goes undercover to showcase its great-value wines Posting online, the 'Snack Queen' beamed: 'It's dip season at Aldi - check this out.' Particularly impressed with the Indian-style dip, the foodie beamed: 'That sounds so good.' Also keen on the Caesar-style option, the Aldi shopper added: 'If you love a Caesar salad, you're gonna love that.' The content creator, who has amassed 52,400 followers on TikTok, then advised foodies: 'You gotta run to Aldi because they look amazing.' While the M&S loaded dips are £3.60 when ordering from Ocado, at less than £2 each, Aldi's alternatives are a real steal. So if you're looking to pocket pennies, you're sure to be thrilled to know that you'll save £1.61 on each dip with Aldi's purse-friendly buys. Foodies beam The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ squashedpickled, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 235,200 views, 5,019 likes and 182 comments. Foodies dupes. One person said: 'Omg these sound delicious.' Why do Aldi and Lidl have such fast checkouts IF you've ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you'll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff. Aldi's speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals. It's all part of Aldi's plan to be as efficient as possible - and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers. Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process. It also uses 'shelf-ready' packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock. Another added: 'I look forward to trying these! Love the M&S loaded dips so let's see how the Aldi ones compare! Enjoy.' A third commented: 'Ooooft!!! NEEEEED to try the caesar dip! M&S DUUUUPE!' At the same time, someone else beamed: 'Consider me influenced.' Not only this, but another savvy shopper wrote: 'Thanks for sharing. I'm going to Aldi.'
