A TURKISH food company born out of a Southend kitchen is battling to have its range of “authentic” sauces become Aldi’s next big product.

The Kebab Club, run by couple Elizabeth Salih, 31, and Yuksel Salih, 37, is set to star in the Channel 4 show Aldi’s Next Big Thing.

On the show they will be competing with six other businesses to get a shot of having their product based on family recipes picked up by Aldi bosses.

The business, which makes authentic Turkish marinades, sauces and rubs got its start in April 2021, beginning in their kitchen in Ennismore Garden before exploding in popularity and now being factory produced.

Mrs Salih said: “The show is like a cross between Dragons’ Den and The Great British Bake Off. We were invited to Aldi headquarters in Birmingham to produce a tray of food and you have to pitch it to bosses each episode.

“It gets whittled down and eventually goes before Julie Ashfield, Aldi’s head of marketing who makes the decision of whether to take it on or not.

“It was really exciting to take part in, we had no idea what to expect and we have never pitched to anyone before.

“In the days leading up to it we were so nervous, and we were also sick of eating our own Chicken Shish for days on end.”

Mrs Salih originally trained as a chef ten years ago and has been running the business with husband Yuksel, whose family ran a popular Romford kebab shop for 30 years.

“We want to create a real authenticity, we want to tell our story and show that this is a family business, the recipes have been passed down over generations and we have perfected them,” Mrs Salih said.

“Our kebabs are healthy meals, they are more cost effective than getting a takeaway and we have a lot of people who bulk buy them for health reasons, body builders particularly.

“It can be a really healthy alternative and, on the show, that was received really well.”

The Kebab Shop will be featuring in the fifth episode of Aldi’s Next Big Thing, airing on April 30.