The trend of supermarkets launching alliterative animal sweet treats is still alive and well it seems.
We’ve had Colin the Caterpillar from M&S and his nemesis Cuthbert the Caterpillar from Aldi – who were embroiled in a copyright war earlier this year.
We’ve had Percy Pig – who has gone beyond bags of sweets and enjoyed forays into ice cream and party sprinkles.
And we’ve even had Sid the Sausage Dog – a foot-long Dachshund-faced chocolate cake.
But now, there’s a new face in the aisles. And it’s causing quite the commotion.
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Asda has announced the launch of Ginny the Guinea Pig – a party-hat wearing rodent made out of soft Madeira sponge layered with fruity raspberry jam and frosting.
People have gone absolutely bonkers for it.
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The cake popped up on New Foods UK earlier this week and social media users have been falling over themselves to tag their pals – with the comments section threatening to burst at 46,000 responses.
So if you want to grab a Ginny the Guinea Pig Cake, it might be worth heading to Asda ASAP.
Manchester Storm announce partnership with USAsports including NHL pop-ups and more
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have announced a landmark new deal with USAsports, a dedicated home for British fans of North American sporting disciplines and global merchandising suppliers, which will see various exciting events this upcoming season.
Confirming the collaboration ahead of the pending 2026/27 campaign, this crossover will involve everything from special pop-up events to player sponsorships and much more.
USAsports specialise in officially licensed NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB clothing, and while you may have seen the odd jersey here and there at various Greater Manchester locations, they are now gearing up to work with Manchester Storm to deliver better exposure.
Whether you’re just a die-hard member of the Storm Shelter or an ex-pat who still follows an NHL franchise overseas, kit collecting and the fascination surrounding limited edition team jumpers is a big part of ice hockey fandom and culture not just here in the UK but around the world.
Sharing their own announcement, they wrote: “Manchester Storm are thrilled to announce a new partnership with USAsports for the 2026/27 Motorpoint Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) season as the club embarks on an exciting new chapter at the AO Arena.
“As part of the partnership, USAsports will sponsor a Manchester Storm player throughout the season and deliver multiple NHL Pop-Up Shop events at Storm home games during the forthcoming campaign.”
On the subject of sponsorship, commercial entities are the only people who will be given the opportunity to back big players this term, as Storm are once again bringing back their ‘own-and-loan’ scheme.
Speaking on working closely with their new partners, the club’s General Manager, Ryan Finnerty, added: “We’re delighted to have USAsports on board for the 2026/27 season.
“Their passion for the fan experience really stood out to us, and their NHL Pop-Up Shops throughout the season will be a fantastic addition to game days at the AO Arena.
“We’re looking forward to working together throughout what promises to be a very exciting season.”
As casual fans here at The Manc, we’ll admit that watching the growing buzz around the resurgent ice hockey team, especially ahead of their Manchester city centre ‘homecoming’, has got us amped to dive deeper into the sport when it gets back underway next month. We’re not the only ones, either…
Aldi on Market Street is closed and Mancs say ‘that’s ruined my f***in day’
Daisy Jackson
Aldi on Market Street is something of a Manchester legend, and often for the wrong reasons.
Easily one of the busiest, noisiest, most overwhelming places in the city centre, it’s nevertheless a lifeline for those who live and work in town.
Where else are you buying an aubergine and a tin of spaghetti hoops on the busiest shopping street in the North West, on a not-quite-payday-yet budget?
So you can imagine the small panic that’s rippled around Manchester when shoppers have arrived to the Market Street Aldi to find it closed.
Huge sheets of brown paper have been tacked into the windows and the shutters pulled firmly down for the last couple of weeks, leaving people to face the walk to the Aldi in Ancoats or – worse – Lidl on Piccadilly Gardens.
One person (whose username is, fittingly, Anxious Pirate) posted on Reddit: “Freaking out, what’s happened to Aldi Arndale?”
Meanwhile, a Tiktok video said: “Great Ancoats Street Aldi is going to be rammed. Niche but I’m sure others will feel my pain.”
Aldi on Market Street is currently closed
In the comment section, one person asked: “I need to know why this wasn’t a bbc breaking news update”
Another said: “That’s just ruined my f**kin day.”
And someone else joked: “Just say you hate me and want me dead fgs.”
The good news is that the Aldi on Market Street hasn’t closed for good, and is just one of 25 stores undergoing a much-needed refurb.
The bad news is that’s going to take a while – the Manchester city centre Aldi isn’t set to reopen until 28 August.
The Manc -
30th July 2021 
