Paneer With Panache - All The Aunties’ Listings With Whole Foods Market, Selfridges, Macknade & Ocado

From pitching a brand story with no samples to securing listings with major retailers, All The Aunties is a testament to the power of putting yourself out there. We caught up with the Founder & Chief Aunty, Riya Patel, to hear how Bread & Jam played a pivotal role in turning a bold idea into a fast-growing food brand.

What was the inspiration behind the brand?

All The Aunties started with a very simple question: if halloumi can have its moment, why can’t paneer? It offers all the same use cases—and arguably even wider ones.

I grew up eating paneer in countless ways—crucially, in so much more than just curry. We grilled it, fried it, wrapped it, barbecued it, tossed it into salads, stuffed it into sandwiches and ate it straight from the pan. Its versatility was simply part of everyday life.

Yet when I looked at supermarket shelves, paneer felt misunderstood, mispositioned and under-championed. Instead of being celebrated for everything it could do, it was often relegated to an uninspiring block in the ethnic aisle. There was a clear disconnect between the ingredient I knew and loved, and the way it was being presented to consumers.

That disconnect became the inspiration for All The Aunties. I wanted to give paneer the champion it deserved—one that would showcase its versatility, inspire people to cook with it in new ways, and help it earn its rightful place as an everyday staple.

It was equally important that the brand celebrated paneer in the right way. All The Aunties is rooted in Indian food, family and culture, but designed for the way people eat today: colourful, contemporary, flavour-led and innovative. It's a tribute to the women who shaped my love of food—the aunties who taught me that great cooking is about generosity, creativity and bringing people together.

How has Bread & Jam helped your business grow?

Bread & Jam has been such an important part of the All The Aunties story.

At the first Bread & Jam event I went to, I didn’t even have a finished product. I had no real packaging, no samples and no range ready to sell. I was still working full-time, so I pulled together a mock-up of the packaging on Canva and just stuck the dieline up on the wall!

I applied for the onstage buyer pitching slot, got selected, and found myself pitching to a panel that included Whole Foods Market, Selfridges and Macknade! I was terrified but leaned into the only thing I did have - our brand story. I talked about why paneer was so overlooked, why it deserved better, and how All The Aunties could help bring it into the mainstream.

Unbelievably, I ended up winning that pitch!

At the time, it felt like a huge moment of validation. I'd been building the business alongside my full-time job, largely in my own head, with feedback coming mostly from friends and family. Hearing experienced buyers respond so positively to the idea gave me the confidence I needed to start seriously thinking about leaving my job and pursuing All The Aunties full-time.

Then, just nine months after that pitch, All The Aunties was on the shelves.

Later that summer, I also pitched at the Bread & Jam investor pitching event. I'd never raised investment before and was still figuring out how to tell that side of the All The Aunties story. Once again, I was lucky enough to win the pitch, but more importantly, the exposure from the event proved to be completely game-changing.

In the audience that day was an Ocado buyer, a conversation that eventually led to a listing. We also met two of the investors who would go on to become key backers of the business.

When I look back, Bread & Jam had a direct impact on some of our biggest early milestones. It helped open the door to listings with Whole Foods Market, Selfridges, Macknade and Ocado. Just as importantly, it gave us confidence, credibility, and access to investors at a stage when we were still finding our feet.

What has been your proudest achievement to date?

I was super, super proud of getting up on stage at The Startup Summit with a dieline and no samples. I was so nervous and embarrassed that I didn’t even have packaging but I did my best, put myself out there and it totally changed my year.

Of course – launching Tesco about 12 months later comes a close second…

Which brands do you admire, and why?

I love brands that totally disrupt stagnant categories, especially when they offer so much more value beyond the shelf. Citizens of Soil, Botivo and All Dressed Up are some brilliant examples.

Check out All The Aunties’ range of paneer products and make sure you grab your ticket to the Bread & Jam Festival now - it’s in London on 14th - 15th July, so just around the corner!