Aldi names its chief Crisp Taster

A 40 year old woman who has been throwing crisp parties for years has been crowned as supermarket Aldi’s chief crisp taster and will be influencing 2026’s crisp range.

Aldi has crowned a woman who has been throwing Crisp-mas parties for the last decade as its new crisp taster.

Anna Barney, a mother of two from Norwich, beat hundreds of entrants in the supermarket’s nationwide competition and will be receiving a supply of free crisps as well as the coveted job role.

Crisp fanatic Anna, welcomes 40+ friends and family to her annual Christmas crisp parties, where she has crisp-themed games, decorations and even has a bespoke crisp-packet dress for the occasion.

Barney’s reviews of Aldi’s crisps will be shared with Aldi’s buyers to influence which flavours make it onto shelves in 2026.

The supermarket launched the search earlier this month, asking crisp fanatics to submit videos explaining why they deserved the role.

Barney impressed the judges with her video application detailing the decade-long tradition of hosting ‘CRISP-mas’ parties where she celebrates the festive season entirely through crisps.

Games include ‘Guess the Flavour,’ and ‘How many crisps in a jar’ with strict rules on what qualifies as a crisp (cheese savouries are banned!).

Reacting to the win, Barney said: “Becoming Aldi’s Official Crisp Taster is a dream come true. To be able to share my passion and have a say in what products hit shelves is incredible. This year’s CRISP-mas party is going to be even more special.”

Anna, an office manager and mum to Edith (7) and Violet (2), has been a loyal Aldi shopper for years and names the new Snackrite Salt & Vinegar Starry Night Mix as her current favourite.

Julie Ashfield, chief commercial officer at Aldi UK, said: “Britain’s love of crisps is undeniable, and Anna takes that passion to another level. Her ‘CRISP-mas’ tradition really stood out, and who better to help shape our future range than someone who dedicates an entire party to their favourite snack? We really value the opinion of our customers and can’t wait to hear her feedback on the range.”

Aldi’s crisp selection, which starts from just 85p, includes fan favourites such as the Specially Selected Lightly Sea Salted Hand Cooked Crisps (£1.09, 150g), Specially Selected Mature Cheddar & Red Onion Hand Cooked Crisps (£1.09, 150g), Snackrite Delta Tortilla Chips (89p, 200g) and Snackrite Tangz (85p, 78g).