14 Aldi Copycat Products That Taste Like The Real Thing
Everybody likes a bargain. It makes sense, then, that everybody seems to like shopping at Aldi. The supermarket chain has spread throughout the world, bringing its impressively affordable wares to an ever-hungry customer base. Aldi has gained particular notoriety for its copycat products, which mimic beloved branded edibles in both recipe and aesthetics. When you reach for a black bag of white cheddar popcorn at Aldi, you might be reaching for Smartfood — or you might be reaching for a deliberately Smartfood-esque bag of Clancy's White Cheddar Popcorn.
You might assume these copycat comestibles are cheap knockoffs, inferior in taste, texture, and longevity. But instead, they're often excellent. Many of these lookalikes are so successful, they equal the original in every respect — and sometimes even surpass it. The fact that they do so at a significantly reduced price makes them even more worthy of your attention. From Italian dressing to sweet rolls, these are the Aldi copycat products that taste like the real thing.
1. Oaties
McVitie's HobNobs are a classic British treat. These cookies are uniquely rugged, being made from rolled oats rather than silky-soft flour. You might think this constitutes a flaw if you've never tried them before; visions of "healthy" cookies jammed with jagged granola and too-sticky sweeteners are likely to dance in your head. But in fact, the oats make HobNobs into a deliciously nutty delight. Chocolate HobNobs, which are distinguished by a thin layer of sumptuous chocolate, are especially delectable.
Measuring up to such a titan of British tea time can't be easy, but Aldi makes it look like child's play with Belmont Biscuits' Oaties. Reddit users rave about these irresistible copycats; u/FromBrit-cit felt moved enough to start a thread about how he outright prefers Oaties to HobNobs. Top commenter Gazhammer agrees, writing: "I'm addicted to these." In another comment, he reports that he also considers them superior to McVitie's cookie and describes them as "moreish." HobNobs might be one of the United Kingdom's favorite things to dunk in tea, but Aldi's Oaties are just as good, if not better, in many eaters' hearts.
2. Jaffa Cakes
McVitie's Jaffa Cakes are a sweet, tangy, spongy delight. Despite their name, they're somewhere between a cake and cookie, being thin discs of sponge cake slathered with orange jam and chocolate. This unique makeup is difficult to approximate; any contender for the title of Best Jaffa Cake must match the original's springy texture, smooth chocolate, and just-sour-enough jam. That's a lot to get right. Moreover, given the cakes' popularity, every eater who tries a copycat will immediately compare it to their well-worn knowledge of the original treat.
This is a serious hurdle to clear, but Aldi's Belmont Biscuits' Jaffa Cakes sail right over it. Multiple Reddit users on the CasualUK subreddit note that the delectable little discs are just as good, if not better, than McVitie's originals. U/PerceptionGood went so far as to say, "Yep very much agree Aldi's Jaffa cakes are much better than the real deal!! much more moist.These delicate, flavor-mingling treats are well-regarded for their ratio of jam to sponge cake, the smoothness of their chocolate coating, and — like so many Aldi products — their frugal cost. McVitie's better watch out — Aldi's hot on their teatime tail.
3. Nordpak butter
Fancy butter used to be the kind of thing few people cared about, beyond elite chefs. Nowadays, however, your average supermarket carries a wide variety of butter brands, many of which tout their exotic bonafides. Lurpak is one such brand. This Danish outfit boasts that its butter as uniquely rich, versatile, and creamy, thanks to its happy cows and thoughtful approach. People all over the world now keep an eye out for their bright silver packaging in the dairy aisle.
If these shoppers are at Aldi, however, they might reach for Nordpak butter instead. You might think highfalutin butter would be difficult for a famously affordable outlet like Aldi to imitate; as it's such an incredibly simple product, it offers few options for tweaking, substitution, or other sorts of recipe shake-ups. But such assumptions are off-base: Nordpak is delicious. In fact, it might even surpass the original. Over at the Liverpool Echo, writer Emily Sleight opined: "First impressions? I preferred [Nordpak]. I can't exactly pinpoint why, but I think it had something to do with the general creaminess of the butter. The Nordpak was thick and had a bit more of a noticeable flavour, the Lurpak classic was kind of just average." Denmark might have excellent cows, but Aldi can more than match their output.
4. Stackerz
There's nothing quite like a Pringle. This iconic brand of chips has cemented its place in the snack food firmament in a wide variety of ways, ranging from its distinctive tubular packaging to the uniquely paraboloid shape of its chips. It's not all aesthetics, either: Pringles are crispy, easily portable — that tube keeps the chips a whole lot more intact than most snack food bags — and tasty as all get-out.
But Aldi's Stackerz chips go toe-to-toe with Pringles in pretty much every respect. Just like Pringles, Stackerz come in a variety of vibrant flavors, including the ever-beloved sour cream and onion. They also boast a sturdy tube that can withstand all sorts of rough handling. Reddit user lo-key-glass kicked off a spirited debate on the chip by asking, "Anyone else like the Stackerz better than real Pringles?" Plenty of snackers chimed in to agree, or to state they think the two brands are equivalent. "I don't have a preference I think they're both [fire emoji]," noted u/lifeisalittlestrange. Over on SussexLive, writer Jacob Heath set out to compare the chips with a taste test. "[Stackerz] were the real deal, and at about one third of the standard price of a can of Pringles," he noted.
5. Moser Roth Nocciola chocolates
Nothing says "festive" quite like Ferrero Rocher. These elegant candies come in bright gold wrapping and crinkled paper cups, which open to reveal a single orb of hazelnut-studded chocolate. They're just the thing to add a little flair to a Christmas spread, a loved one's gift basket, or a dessert-centric tablescape. It's no surprise, really, that they're a tad bit pricey, especially compared to many other chocolates. They're a special occasion, not an everyday treat.
But Aldi has changed the game entirely with their Moser Roth Nocciola chocolates. These Ferrero Rocher-esque bon bons are considerably cheaper than the beloved originals and no less tasty. As one Aldi shopper, according to The Sun, told a bargain-themed Facebook group, "Saw these in Aldi yesterday. Just as tasty as Ferrero Rocher." Scads of other posters chimed in, expressing their intent to check these chocolates out or the happy experiences they've had indulging in them. One former employee even piped up to say, "These are lovely. I ate loads when I worked at Aldi." Ferrero Rocher taste and aesthetics at a significantly reduced cost? This is a serious step forward in the world of sugar and cocoa. The holiday season may never be the same.
6. Biscuit Spread
The invention of cookie butter might just be one of the greatest of the century so far. Who doesn't like cookies? Who doesn't like butter? Really, it's amazing humanity didn't come up with spreadable cookies decades earlier. A few brands have established themselves as the go-to options for this craveable condiment, with Lotus' Biscoff Biscuit Spread earning particular attention. With its sumptuously smooth texture, delicately caramelized flavor, and excellent balance of sweetness to spice, this spread might just be one of the greatest things you'll ever eat.
Leave it to Aldi to step up to this irresistible edible. Their Belmont Biscuit Spread is more than a match for Lotus' take, and quite a bit cheaper. Available in both smooth and crunchy versions, this spread quickly caught on among Aldi shoppers. According to The Sun, Facebook users raved about the sugary treat, and compared it positively to Lotus' product. "[It] tastes exactly same as Biscoff and good for cheesecakes," one poster enthused. Another noted that they'd gone out to snag some for themselves, only to discover other shoppers had already depleted their local Aldi of their entire stock. Hopefully a restock arrived soon — nobody should have to go without cookie butter for long.
7. Benton's Fudge Striped Shortbread Cookies
Keebler's Fudge Stripe cookies are a supermarket staple. Millions of people all around the world have filled their cookie jars with the classic sweet over the years. Its success lies in its simplicity: This cookie combines an excellent shortbread-esque base with rich stripes of chocolate fudge. It's also remarkably sturdy, resisting the sort of crumbling that plagues lesser cookies, especially when transported in a lunch box.
Though Keebler portrays their treats as being made by confectionery-minded elves, Aldi has proved anyone can approximate — and perhaps even outdo — their cookie-centric work. Their Fudge Striped Shortbread Cookies are more than a match for Keebler's original product. One Facebook commenter compared them in terms of price and taste, and found Aldi's version to be both more thrifty and entirely identical in flavor. Reddit user jumpbell compared them to Keebler's strikingly similar E.L. Fudge cookies, and declared Aldi's option the winner. "I did a blind taste test ... Aldi won," the intrepid cookie investigator remarked. "Even before then, Aldi still won, because no way is EL Fudge 250% better than Aldi, and it costs 250% more." Keebler can keep its hollow tree full of magical bakery elves — Aldi doesn't need it.
8. Clancy's White Cheddar Popcorn
Smartfood's white cheddar popcorn is a titan of the snack food industry. Its sleek black bag catches the eye among the hundred hues of the chip aisle, while its tangy, cheesy, inimitable taste keeps snackers coming back for more. This popcorn is so beloved, the Smartfood brand is pretty much inseparable from it. Did you know Smartfood makes other flavors of popcorn, including Flamin' Hot and Movie Theater Butter variants? We're guessing the answer is no. Their white cheddar popcorn is just that good.
And so, it turns out, is Aldi's copycat product. Clancy's White Cheddar Cheese Popcorn doesn't just borrow Smartfood's striking black packaging — it mimics its flavor and texture as well. There are no stale popcorn puffs or under-cheesed morsels to be found in these bags, nor an abundance of half-popped kernels, which hamstring so many inferior brands of popcorn. Each bag is a crunchy, cheddar-rich joyride. When a Reddit user inquired as to the Aldi-going public's experiences with this product, they were met with enthusiasm. "Eating these right now," u/brinaw722 remarked, "Absolutely the perfect dupe! So good." U/RobinNicole621 concurred: "I can blow through that bag so fast! I think it's really good!" Here's to smart snacking beyond Smartfood.
9. Marshmallows & Stars cereal
Coming for the Lucky Charms crown is a gutsy move. This colorful cereal is such a cultural staple, pretty much everyone knows that a sentence that begins with "Hearts, stars, and horseshoes, clovers and blue moons," should end, "pots of gold and rainbows, and the red balloons." When a foodstuff's theme song can consist of nothing more than a list of ingredients and be embraced by the entire world, you know you've got a pillar of the industry on your hands.
Enter Aldi's Marshmallows & Stars cereal. Merely by listing two of its major components in its name, this cereal openly mimics Lucky Charms' approach. Then there's the box. This cereal opts to use a wizard as its mascot rather than a leprechaun, but his green apparel, the box's red hue, and its bright gold lettering make it clear it's aping Lucky Charms. Like that infamous morning treat, it consists of frosted oat cereal and cartoonish marshmallows. But how does it measure up in the bowl? Pretty darn well, as it turns out. In a Reddit thread that asked "What Aldi brand product would you say is better than its brand name counterpart?," u/olivemor remarked, "Marshmallows and Stars is better than Lucky Charms. More mallows!" If there was ever a way to beat Lucky Charms at its own game, it would be upping the marshmallow quotient. Your move, General Mills.
10. Happy Farms American Cheese Singles
Nothing says Americana quite like a Kraft Single. Sure, it might not actually be cheese, if we're going by the strictest definitions. But nothing melts better over a slice of buttered bread or a beef patty. Millions of people have been eating Kraft Singles since they were capable of eating solid food, which means they're as intimately acquainted with its taste, smell, and texture as anyone can be. Any item attempting to ape it is in for a major challenge.
This makes Aldi's success in the endeavor all the more impressive — among the most impressive on this list, in fact. There's very little margin for error, here; it is, after all, just a small square of processed cheese product. But, as Saundra Latham at Cheapism explains, Aldi manages to clear the bar with their Happy Farms American Singles. She placed these golden squares in her "dead ringer" category of Aldi copycats, and wrote, "Unless you're offended by the brighter yellow or slightly thicker cut of Aldi's cheese slices, they taste just as gloriously processed as Kraft's ubiquitous singles. And whatever differences there were completely evaporated on a sandwich." Oh, and did we mention each slice will only cost you 10 cents? That makes for a much cheaper grilled cheese.
11. Burman's Mayonnaise
Where would we be without mayonnaise? Eating way drier sandwiches, for one thing, and probably a whole lot less fulfilled. While many brands supply the eating public with the sought-after condiment, Hellmann's is one of the most celebrated. Their mayo is smooth, savory, rich, and ever so slightly tangy, every single time you crack open a jar.
How does Burman's Mayonnaise, Aldi's Hellmann's-esque offering, compare? Exceptionally well, according to Reddit user drmoze, who started a thread entitled "Burman's mayo=Hellman's" on the Aldi subreddit. "If you like Hellman's mayo (my favorite by far)," they opined, "you'll also like Burman's. It's the only mayo I've found that actually tastes just like Hellman's." Other commenters quickly concurred, including one who noted, "I just saw a tiktok of a woman who has been putting Burman's mayo in Hellman's jars for the last 8 years because her husband refuses to eat the off brand." Plenty of mayo brands are good, but are they capable of fooling a Hellmann's devotee for nearly an entire decade? We think not. Another user recommended fans of Hellmann's Dijonnaise combine Burman's Dijon mustard with their mayo to make a suitable approximation. Clearly, Aldi has the condiment game on lock.
12. Countryside Creamery Irish Butter
Eaters all over the world have fallen for Kerrygold's butter. The golden dairy product touts its wholesome origins right on its glittering golden packaging: This is "pure Irish butter." This isn't just empty talk; Kerrygold butter is indeed uniquely delicious, versatile, and rich. Their brand identity is also incredibly strong.
But, as Aldi also demonstrates with their Nordpak butter, this supermarket chain is more than up for a challenge. Their Countryside Creamery Irish Butter packaging is emblazoned with the Irish flag, a pastoral landscape, more green than you could find in an emerald shop, and a few shamrocks for good measure. Finally, it claims to be "made with milk from grass-fed cows." Does it measure up? According to blogger Lynda Makara, the answer is yes. As she notes, they both boast a rich yellow color, identical texture, and the same ingredients. But what about taste? "They tasted exactly the same to me," Makara wrote. "There's no way I could tell one from the other in a blind taste test. It made me wonder if they come from the same supplier." We don't know the answer to that question, but given Countryside Creamery is significantly less spendy than Kerrygold, we'll bet a lot of shoppers are considering swapping the latter brand with the former.
13. L'Oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls are pillowy bites of heaven. As their name implies, they're delicately sweet without ever being cloying. This makes them delicious to eat on their own, but also well-suited to a variety of savory applications. Sliders are an especially smart choice; the umami-rich flavor of a beef patty is thrown into beautiful contrast by the honeyed taste of these buns. Their texture is the cherry on top: Though King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls are soft as clouds, they're also impressively robust. This makes them capable of supporting the thickest, juiciest burger you can throw at them, without ever becoming a sodden mush of dough.
King's Hawaiian had few competitors in the sweet roll market ... until Aldi came along. The grocery giant's L'Oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls are an excellent alternative, and quite a bit cheaper. In their review, The Fork in the Road Food Review took care to note that they were a King's Hawaiian devotee for years before they dove into their rapturous rave. "For years, Kings bakery has had a monopoly on this sweet type of dinner roll," they wrote, "as no lower cost competition existed anywhere, that is until my last trip to Aldi." Aldi's product was more than impressive: "Not sure I could tell the difference if I was given a blind taste test," the reviewer wrote. Your go-to slider supplies are about to get shaken up.
14. Tuscan Garden Restaurant Style Italian Dressing
Olive Garden's endless profusion of breadsticks might be what they're best known for, but their signature salad isn't far behind. It just isn't a visit to the classic chain without a heaping bowl of greens, onions, olives, and tomatoes, glossy with their Italian dressing. That dressing is a marvel of the modern restaurant; it's creamy, salty, savory, faintly sweet, and altogether delicious. Knowing they have a good thing going, the chain sells bottles of it at a variety of outlets.
For a long time, this was the best way to enjoy the dressing at home — trying to approximate it yourself somehow never manages to turn out quite right. Then Aldi came along with their Tuscan Garden Restaurant Style Italian Dressing. Reddit users raved about the stuff on the Aldi subreddit: "This dressing is amaze balls ... seriously just like olive garden and 1/4 the price!," wrote u/Amyliabedylia. "I refuse to get roped into name brand any longer!!" Other users concurred, and discussed its versatility; apparently, this stuff is good on salads, pasta, chicken, and a whole lot more. Olive Garden better hope Aldi doesn't come for the breadstick crown — if their dressing is any indication, they have the restaurant's number.