Mayo woman’s award-winning brown bread to hit shelves nationwide

Loretta McGuire from Barnatra, Co Mayo, the winner of the 2023 National Brown Baking Competition sponsored by ALDI in association with the National Ploughing Association and the Irish Countrywomen’s Association, will see her award-winning brown bread go on sale in 161 ALDI stores nationwide for a 12-month period this month.

An enthusiastic home baker, Loretta beat out stiff competition from all over Ireland to be crowned the winner of last year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition with judges dazzled by the bread’s taste and texture. Now ALDI shoppers can taste this hearty, rustic loaf for themselves when Loretta’s Brown Bread €1.99/600g goes on sale in stores nationwide from January 22nd. Local foodies can pick up their own loaf from one of ALDI’s 6 stores across Co. Mayo.

Fittingly, the bread will be produced for ALDI by O’Hara’s of Foxford, a local family-owned company based in Co. Mayo. ALDI has a longstanding relationship with the company as it supplies a number of bread and confectionery products to the supermarket.

Last year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition final took place in the ALDI Marquee at the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co. Laois. Eight amateur bakers from across Ireland competed against one another over the course of a hotly contested two-day bake off. Following much deliberation, Loretta’s bread was judged to be a cut above the rest, and she was named the overall winner, taking home a grand prize of €15,000.

The National Brown Bread Baking Competition aims to showcase the finest amateur bakers and promote the art of brown bread baking across Ireland. Since the competition was brought back in 2014, it is a popular event at the National Ploughing Championships, attracting hundreds of entrants each year.

Speaking ahead of the launch of her new brown bread, Loretta McGuire said: “Winning the National Brown Bread Baking Competition has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When I was baking in my kitchen, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that someday I would see my very own brown bread stocked in my local ALDI store. I am so grateful to ALDI for this opportunity and I can’t wait to share Loretta’s Brown Bread with people at home in Mayo as well as all over Ireland - from my kitchen to yours!” 

Julie O’Hara from O’Hara’s of Foxford said: “As a company with more than seventy years’ experience in baking, we can confirm that this bread is as tasty and wholesome as they come. That is why we are thrilled to partner with ALDI as they share this true taste of Mayo with customers nationwide. We would like to extend our congratulations to Loretta on her richly deserved win and thank ALDI for their continued support of local suppliers.” 

Laurence Kelly, Buying Director at ALDI, said: “ALDI has been a proud sponsor and supporter of the National Brown Bread Baking Competition along with our partners in the National Ploughing Association and Irish Countrywomen’s Association for over 10 years. Last year’s competition was one to remember and confirmed not only that Ireland is home to a huge number of gifted bakers but that the tradition of brown bread baking is alive and well. On behalf of everyone in ALDI, I wish to extend my congratulations to Loretta on her win. We are proud to stock her high-quality, locally produced bread at an affordable price point and look forward to sharing it with our customers nationwide.” 

NPA Managing Director, Anna May McHugh said: “We would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations to Loretta on being named the winner of this year’s National Brown Bread Baking Competition. It fills me with pride to see the competition continue to endure and remain as popular as ever since its inception in the early 1950s with hundreds of the most talented bakers from all over the country competing to be named ‘The Best Brown Bread Baker in Ireland’.”

Loretta’s Brown Bread €1.99/600g is available in all 161 ALDI stores from January 22nd.