Monday 13 January 2014

The Hummus Hunters

For RJ and I, the first working week of 2014 was quite unlike what our weeks usually are. We were off to a rather relaxed start on Tuesday, the 7th (the 6th is a holiday in my part of Germany). We were both working from my place; I have three desks here, all of them with internet access, and so it is no problem to have an efficient day at the home office. Most of what we did on that first day was preparing everything for this year.

On Wednesday, we had a visitor. I hesitate to simply call him a customer, because he is more than that; we also cooperate with him in more than one way, and he has been an acquaintance of RJ's long before the idea of working together came up.
We had several meetings with him in December, but this was the first time we had the occasion to talk in detail about what we were going to do, terms and conditions and so on. Well, it was a session that lasted 12 hours, including lunch, coffee and cake, and a (delivered) pizza late in the evening. For the rest of the week, RJ and I were both knackered and were glad for being able to take things a bit slower at our biggest customer's office on Thursday and Friday.
We still had lots to think and talk about, since several new opportunities have opened up for us, so we used some of the weekend for business as well, not neglecting the fun and relaxing bits; there was my sister's birthday to celebrate Friday night, and we went dancing on Saturday night.

This week, I am on my own again and will do most of my work at the customer's office. But because of last week's many extra hours, I am only going to take the train a bit after lunch, and work just a few hours this afternoon.

Half an hour ago, I have returned from doing my groceries shopping for the week. I have probably mentioned before that I do nearly all my food shopping at Aldi's, which is the most convenient place for me; it covers all my householdy needs, has great prices and good products, and is close enough for someone like me who does not drive but carries all their purchases on foot.

For a few weeks already, Aldi has been offering a new range of (vegetarian) bread spreads. I am not a vegetarian, but I do not "need" fish and meat; usually, I only eat it when I am invited somewhere, or when RJ cooks here and we eat together. The bread spreads come in many different kinds: there are mushroom-shiitake; cashew and red pepper; onion and cream; olive and herbs, and many more. What really caught my eye, though, was the word "Hummus" on the large cardboard box holding the small tins.

[Picture nicked from Aldi's website.]

If you don't know what hummus is, you can read about it here on wikipedia. I love hummus, but am too lazy to make it myself. So getting it ready-made in a small tin was certainly worth a try.


But... each time since I first noticed the assortment of new bread spreads, I have been looking through the big cardboard box (containing 36 tins) and not once found a hummus one. I've lifted the box on top of the pile and searched the box below, something that obviously other customers before me have been doing as well.
So far, not a single hummus tin in sight!
Of course, I have not stopped at the supermarket long enough to search through ALL the boxes - that would have probably taken me about half an hour. But isn't it odd that, out of all the many kinds of spread, that one is the most hunted for? Who, I wonder, are the other Aldi-customers who manage to grab the coveted tins before me? Is it only one person, filtering out all their hummus stock? Or is it a clever marketing trick to add just one single tin to each palette for the lucky winner, similar to the Golden Ticket in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"?
Will I ever get one of those precious little tins?

22 comments:

  1. oh if only we could get a 'golden ticket' in real life eh?
    As for the Aldi product, It does sound like a ploy to get you to try all the other flavours, (which do sound nice). Maybe one of them on closer inspection has a hint of hummus in it? lol.
    It sounds like your first week back at work has been a long but productive one.

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    1. Measured in days, it was a shorter week - Monday being a holiday - but it was important and productive in that we set all sorts of things in motion that will determine much of what is going to happen this year.
      The flavours are all listed in different colours on the packaging, and hummus has its own colour, so it must be an extra product, not just part of one of the others.

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  2. Some clever marketers are calling many different kinds of spreads "hummus," so you might want to ask at the store itself.

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    1. It says hummus on the packaging, listed like all the other flavours that can then be found individually on the tins, so there must be a hummus one somewhere among those 36 tins in each box :-)
      Not worth the time and effort to ask any of the staff at Aldi's - they are terribly busy all the time, and would just tell me to go browse the box like I already have done.

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  3. Interesting. Germany has nice bread spreads (I almost never see them in the UK) but here every old corner shop has hummus. I like Aldi but prefer Lidl. I didn't know Aldi did "foreign" or "exotic" foods. Lidl here is getting to do more and more of them, some really, really good. (and cheap)

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    1. Over the past 10 or more years, Aldi's product range has greatly improved. They really offer quite a lot of "eco-friendly" products now, and plenty of food that at one time we would have deemed exotic. Of course, there are many Turksih and other "not German" shops around where I could easily find as much hummus as I like, but I prefer a one-stop-shop for my household needs.

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  4. Hummus is not only very common in the UK supermarkets but also here in New Zealand. I eat a lot of it. I have made it but, frankly, proper good quality bought humus is so much easier and they get the flavours much better than I have managed (plain hummus is good for you but I find it rather uninteresting). I use chick peas a lot in other things too.

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    1. I love chick peas but very rarely use them in my kitchen. Interesting to know hummus is so common in NZ, I had no idea!

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  5. Aldi has changed that way in the US, too...:Lots more special things, plus many German ones around Christmas time. I began shopping there in "92 when we lived in Austria and when I began going there in the US I had to laugh at myself because I expected to see the same clientele I saw in Austria! And the same interesting sausages. But neither were there!

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    1. The bit about the interesting sausages made me smile, Kristi :-)
      Aldi has been a firm favourite of mine since my early teens, when they simply had the cheapest range of chocolate and sweets, and my favourite coconut-filled chocolate, too. And now that it is the closest shop for me within walking distance, I'd be daft to go anywhere else.

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  6. Hummus is really easy to make, Meike! And not expensive. You might try it.

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    1. Maybe I will one day, if I can be bothered ;-)
      (I really am terribly lazy when it comes to cooking, even though I am actually not bad at it when I put my mind - and heart - to it.)

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  7. Hey! We have Aldi Foods too! I was just there yesterday and bought a fresh pineapple for 99 cents!
    I used to never shop there but one of my friends told me that there are more gluten free items available and since it is so close-by I think I will visit more often.
    Hmmm, I wonder about that hummus. I hope someone is not being greedy and grabbing it all up! More like, they might have it in the wrong spot? And hummus is usually gluten free, YAY! :-)

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    1. I have made RJ an Aldi-convert over the past 3 years, he had no idea they have such good products at such good prices. Usually, all their fruit and veg is very fresh - it never gets a chance to get old there :-)

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  8. I noticed this remark - "Someone like me who does not drive but carries all their purchases on foot..." Ever the helpful fellow, may I suggest the purchase of a tartan shopping trolley? This would enable you to carry more goods back from "Aldi". I have sourced a suitable and stylish trolley for you. Go to:-
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/weight-shopping-trolley-wheels-foloded/dp/B00BOSY80K/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1389968360&sr=8-25&keywords=shopping+trolley+on+wheels

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    1. Do you know what these trolleys are nick-named in Germany? "Rentner-Porsche", which means "OAP's Porsche". Much as I like tartan for clothes and other things made of fabric, I think I'll wait another 20 years before I'l invest in one of those. (That's what you get for being a helpful fellow, YP, sorry!)

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  9. Have you asked someone in the shop? I know there are very few workers at Aldi’s except for the cashiers (at least here in England) but occasionally you can find one. Make friends with a Verkaeufer - seeing that you go there regularly - perhaps somebody will keep a tin for you.

    Aldi is very definitely a discounter here, I prefer the new Lidl, which is just slightly upmarket from Aldi.



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    1. Here, the cashiers ARE the workers at Aldi's. Whenever they have a spare moment, they are expected to restock, clear empty boxes and do all manner of other stuff necessary to run the supermarket. The only job that is given to other people is the actual cleaning of the floors inside and the parking area outside.
      Your idea of befriending one of them and have them keep a tin for me is good and certainly worth a try!

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  10. I smiled as I read your post. I've had a similar experience with breakfast cereal assortments. There are always a few which are terrific -- and some which even the birds won't eat. So I've stopped buying assortments, and stick to the larger boxes of things I know I really like! xoxox

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    1. Oh, I would not want the other spreads, they sound nice enough, but I really only want to try the hummus. The box with 36 tins is not meant for a single purchase as an assortment; it is normal at Aldi's that items are presented on the shelves in their larger boxes.

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  11. I hope you find a good hummus source; they sell it in every grocery store here in California. A favorite brand is Sabra at Safeway store and Whole Foods has many varieties, our favorite is Lemon Hummus. Enjoy it when you find it. Here it is kept in refrigerated cases.

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    1. I know where to get hummus (every Turkish supermarket sells it, and there are several of them not far from my place), it is just that I usually do all my groceries shopping at Aldi and can't be bothered to go to another shop for just one item :-)
      Once the tin or jar is open, I guess it is best to keep it refrigerated.

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