Ken Owens to Open Brecon Food Festival on October 3rd in Brecon Market Hall
Some may know Ken from his rugby career. Joining Llanelli RFC as a hooker, he made his debut for the Scarlets in 2006. It was the same year that he won his first cap for Wales Under 19’s. Going on to win caps for both the Under 20 and Under 21 sides, it was May 2010 he was called up by the Barbarians for their match against England.
Ken finally gained his full Welsh Cap at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, as a substitute in the match against Namibia.
Always in and around the Welsh Squad it was 2016 when he broke through becoming the first-choice hooker for the summer tour of New Zealand.
When the Wales team won the Grand Slam, and reached the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup Ken was an established member of the team.
Then when Warren Gatland, in 2023, returned to coach Wales, Ken became team captain indeed the Welsh teams oldest ever captain.
But for the opening of the Brecon Food Festival Ken commented:
“Prynhawn da, for those who don’t know me, they call me ‘The Sheriff.’ And as the Sheriff in town on October 3, I am laying down the law: nobody leaves Brecon Market Hall hungry!
“Jokes aside, supporting Welsh agriculture and local food businesses is something incredibly close to my heart.
“When we back our local farmers and producers, we keep our Welsh communities thriving. There is so much passion packed into every exhibitor booked in.
“Have a wonderful day, sample everything you can, and let’s get this festival started.”
But Ken also has direct connections with Welsh Food and when looks back just twelve months you find Ken at the heart of Welsh Food.
It was Blas Cymru / Taste Wales the premier event for Welsh Food where Ken together with his business partner Ruth Davies promoted Sheriff’s Biltong a thoroughly Welsh snack brand.
Having been just an image on a computer screen in 2025 the product had been tried and tested packaging designed and completed to showcase to an international audience.
Brecon Beacons Food Festival organiser Andrew Powell told Welsh Country:
“Ken Owens is an ideal fit to open the festival because of his personal dedication to Welsh agriculture, his own entrepreneurial background in the Welsh food industry, and his status as a celebrated national sports hero.
“With his passion for local farming Ken Owens has openly shared that supporting Welsh agriculture and rural producers is deeply personal to him, noting that backing local farmers keeps Welsh communities strong.
“But further than that and beyond the rugby pitch, he is a co-founder of the award-winning Welsh snack brand Sheriff’s Biltong, giving him first hand insight into the hard work and dedication required for local food businesses to scale and thrive.
“Known affectionately as ‘The Sheriff’, his prominent role in Welsh culture—including membership in the Gorsedd of the Bards—brings a unifying, high-profile energy that champions local Welsh pride and draws crowds to community events.”
As ever the Brecon Food Festival has over 60 stands demonstrating, showcasing and selling delicious Welsh products. Be it drinks alcoholic and non-alcoholic, savoury delights as well as sweet delights. Foods to eat as snacks foods to take home to add to your own favourite recipes the festival has them all.
To see who is there go to: breconbeaconsfoodfestival.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitors/
