Budget supermarket Aldi is launching caviar at a fraction of the typical price, meaning you can enjoy the delicacy this Christmas – if you can stomach it, that is.

The divisive foodstuff, stereotypically enjoyed by the extremely wealthy, are the eggs of the sturgeon fish and should be eaten chilled and straight off the spoon, or with a blini. Yum.

Aldi has paired up with ethical caviar manufacturer KC Caviar, a Yorkshire based father-son duo, to provide its Specially Selected British Caviar to shoppers for just £17.99 for 10g. To put that in perspective a tin of the same size from the manufacturer itself will set you back £59.99. Although, you won’t be able to stockpile as sales are limited to one pot per customer, and available from 22 December in store.

So what makes this caviar “ethical”? Traditionally eggs are harvested by slaughtering the fish, but KC Caviar is famed for a slightly unusual method of gently massaging the sturgeon’s stomach.

“[This allows] the fish to naturally spawn around 30kg of perfectly ripe and optimum Caviar that is full of flavour and bite,”  John Addey explained in a press release. “At the end of the fish’s egg-producing years, they are left to ‘retire’ to live out the rest of their days peacefully in conservation lakes around the world.”  

If you’re unsure how to eat it, which unsurprisingly only one third (32%) of Brits have, according to Aldi’s research carried out by YouGov in October 2018, caviar should be served cold. Store the tin in the fridge before serving it up on its own or slathered on top of canapé blinis. Of course, keep the Champagne nearby on tap for a truly decadent duo to enjoy during the Christmas festivities.