€10,000 prize for top brown bread baker

KEEN Wicklow bakers are invited to take part in the 2018 National Brown Bread Baking Competition to be in with a chance of winning a €10,000 prize.

Wicklow has had lots of success in this competition in recent years with Ballycoog mother and daughter Statia Ivers and Susan Kenny reaching the finals a year apart.

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.

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.

Keen bakers can now enter the newly introduced Aldi heats by dropping their bread off a number of locations in May. For details and registration email brownbread@aldi.ie