College students celebrate sweet success as Yellow Submarine wins Aldi deal

Students from Abingdon & Witney College’s Pathways programme have had an unforgettable taste of success through their work experience with Yellow Submarine, after the Oxfordshire charity won Channel 4’s Aldi: The Next Big Seller.

Through their Pathways programme, students have been gaining valuable, hands-on work experience with Yellow Submarine, a local social enterprise supporting people with learning disabilities and autism to gain skills, experience and greater opportunities for employment.

The organisation was crowned the winner of the “Sweet Treats” episode of Aldi: The Next Big Seller with its Almond Kisses, securing a contract to supply more than 30,000 packs to over 1,080 Aldi stores nationwide.

The winning biscuits went on sale across the country on 6 November, with Aldi also pledging to donate £1 to Yellow Submarine for every pack sold.

For our Pathways students, the success has made their work experience even more special. By spending time in a real working environment, students can see first-hand where the skills they are developing can take them, while building confidence, communicating with colleagues and experiencing the satisfaction of contributing to a team.

Yellow Submarine and the College share a commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autism to develop their skills, build confidence and work towards their ambitions. For our students, being part of Yellow Submarine at such an exciting time has shown just where those opportunities can lead.

This achievement is about much more than seeing a product on supermarket shelves. It shows the impact that inclusive training, supportive workplaces and meaningful work experience can have.

We’re incredibly proud of our students and everyone at Yellow Submarine. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in this fantastic achievement!