Welsh food and drink businesses are in Singapore to promote their first-class products.
Organised by the Welsh Government, the Trade Development Visit to Singapore provides a platform to engage with potential partners, distributors, and buyers in the region. The visit aims to highlight Walesโ diverse range of high-quality products, including dairy, bakery and alcohol products.
Importing about 90% of its food and drinks consumption, Singapore is a country with great potential for Welsh food and drinks exports, as the sector sets its sights on further growth.
Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs, North Wales and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths, said:
โThis Trade Development Visit provides a great opportunity to showcase Walesโ excellent food and drink, and support our businesses to build important connections on an international stage.
โSingapore has great potential for the industry and I wish the producers attending a successful visit. I look forward to hearing about the positive impact this trade development opportunity will have on our food and drink sector.
Companies participating on the Trade Development Visit have meetings with buyers, store visits, and are attending networking events, allowing the producers to interact directly with Singaporean importers, retailers, and consumers.
Attending in person are Daffodil Foods, Daioni, and Zero2Five. Meanwhile, those providing products for the showcase tasting are Village Bakery, Montyโs Brewing, Snowdonia Cheese, Tan Y Castell, Penderyn, Halen Mรดn, Morganโs Brew Tea, and Hensol Castle Distillery.
Morgans Brew Tea
One company hoping to build on links already created in the region is Daffodil Foods, a small independent and manufacturer of dairy and plant-based products.
Lynne Rowlands, Director of Daffodil Foods, said:
โParticipating in this Trade Development Visit is a fantastic opportunity for us. We are currently exporting to Hong Kong and Japan, through connections made at previous Welsh Government BlasCymru/TasteWales events.
โWe are keen to grow our export business and we are aware that Afternoon Tea is very popular in South-East Asia. Therefore, we are attending the Trade Development Visit to Singapore to talk to buyers and experts and learn more about this market. We hope that we can find importers, distributors and customers for our Welsh Clotted Cream to help grow our business through Singapore and Malaysia.โ
One of the companies making up a strong list of Welsh producers in the product showcase is the award-winning family bakery, Tan Y Castell. Owner Paul Mear said,
โIt is with great pleasure that we announce Tan Y Castell Bakeryโs participation in the Trade Development Visit to Singapore, an initiative led by the Welsh Government. Our previous engagements in Japan, South Korea, and Australia, whether in person or virtually, stands as testament to the exemplary planning and strategic partnerships fostered through these events. The Welsh Government has consistently facilitated meaningful introductions to key distributors and partners, aiding in our expansion into new markets.โ
Due to its strong relationship with the United Kingdom, and as being part of the Commonwealth, there is awareness of Welsh products and appreciation of British food and culture.
Singapore is a gateway to other South-East Asia markets, and with an economic growth of 4.6% in 2021 and a GDP per capita reaching over ยฃ58,000, locals have high purchasing power so there is a market for high-end and artisan Welsh products.
Unlocking new markets brings even greater opportunities for these businesses to not only showcase their quality produce around the world, but also generate more revenue and increase profits.
For more information on how the Welsh Government can assist your business with exporting please visit businesswales.gov.wales/export
Cambridge University Press describes a delicatessen as asmall shop that sells high-quality foods, such as types of cheese and cold cooked meat, often from other countries, and, especially in the United States, sandwiches made using these foods. It then goes further with the definition of the deli counter;ย a counter in a supermarket where you can get different types of cheese, cold cooked meat, prepared salads, etc.
These definitions need to be put into context, taking into account the present state of the World, post Covid and with other additional external factors impacting heavily on all shoppers across Wales.
Firstly we want to look at the delicatessen in recent history. The delicatessen really came back into existence within the UK in the 1950โs.
Two factors here: Firstly that of food rationing. Being set up in 1940 as a reaction to World War II and was not totally removed until 1954, even then there was a restriction on the manufacture of cheese. It is also important to remember that during the 1950โs the cost of food took up 30% of household income.
Incidentally it wasnโt until the 1980โs that cheese production increased and is typified by Caws Cenarth, bringing back production of their Caerfilli in 1987, as a reaction to milk quotas.
The second factor is globalisation. Over time food became more plentiful and globalisation of food supply expanded bringing the costs of food down and the variance of foods available growing.
Right now though the globalisation that made food from around the world so readily available at affordable prices, is now starting to have the reverse affect, as world food prices are rising and many believe that this is not going to be short lived.
Returning to the delicatessen definition and its adjunct, the deli counter, the latter is sadly in the descendent with Sainsburyโs closing its deli counters in 2020 and earlier this year Tesco closing 317 of its deli counters. Both companies citing lack of consumer demand as the reason.
So let us look at the definition of delicatessen more closely. Should it be said that a delicatessen is a food shop that offers products both locally sourced and imported, that is largely not pre-packed or not pre frozen (then sold as fresh), with knowledgeable people behind the counter.
This more detailed definition then brings about a change of perspective which has to be for the betterment of local food and drink as a whole.
Welsh Country has never shied away from supporting local food and drink and will continue to do so. The vast majority of local food and drink is sold through delicatessens of sorts, be they called a butchers, a farm shop, a farmerโs market or those wonderful local specialist shops.
Welsh Country considers just a few of the hundreds of these outlets that trade across Wales, supporting those that they sell to, offering helpful knowledge, but also a major part of the supply chain for producers.
Firstly we look at a butcherโs shop founded only a few years ago. It demonstrates the ideal of a delicatessen wanting to stock and sell quality products but with a depth of knowledge and service for the customer that is second to none.ย ย ย ย
Situated in the quaint village of Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant, in the Tanant Valley is Izzyโs Butchers. First and foremost they are a village butcherโs shop supplying the surrounding area with quality Welsh meat and game. However, the growth of tourism and enthusiasm of the owner towards Welsh produce, means that Izzy is expanding her lines of produce to soon include other great Welsh food and drink. Izzyโs emphasis will still be on quality, but also provenance.
The introduction of local beer and cider produced from 2 microbreweries less than 4 miles away, will help showcase the fantastic products of the Tanat Valley, as will the honey and preserves already stocked from this locality.
A small selection of Welsh cheese, charcuterie and even Welsh wine, will ensure that both locals and tourist alike can indulge in a selection of what the rich Welsh larder has to offer.
Since taking on the shop in March 2020, Izzy has seen a growth in customers asking the provenance of the meat on display. She has also noticed that a lot of customers, both local and tourists, come into the shop looking for local produce. Whether this is in the form of local Welsh lamb, or the local honey, there is definitely a demand for products that have provenance behind them and the larger the selection, the more you can showcase Welsh products which better for us, Wales plc and most importantly the consumer.
There is also a โhybrid typeโ delicatessen, which may be, one we the consumer prefer, a type of shop that carries a wide range of quality local and imported food and drink. Selling mainly on a self-serve basis but with knowledgeable, fully trained, helpful staff always around and able to portion those products such as cheese to the customerโs desire.
A few examples from north Wales to the south and east one has to mention:
Also in north Wales there is Blas Ar Fwyd in Llanwrst and just down the road Llechyd Da in Betys Y Coed.
In mid Wales Ultracomida has a Spanish bent to its offerings in Aberystwyth and Narberth.
Narberth is also the venue for the long established Wisebuys.
To the south east possibly one of the most famous delis in Wales, resides in the arcades in Cardiff, that of Wallyโs established in 1947.
Without exception all of these businesses run their delicatessens alongside other symbiotic business arms, be that restaurants, cafes, or a wholesale operation, with all selling a proportion of their lines online.
Welsh Country looks at one business in more detail that typifies this diversification, but also demonstrates the collaboration with local businesses.
The Welsh Deli at the Corris Cafรฉ are both part of the long established Corris Craft Centre just outside Machynlleth. Shirley Owen tells their story to Welsh Country.
โThe underlying rule at the Welsh Deli is the sourcing of food and drink items that have been grown, reared and produced in Wales. Many of the items stocked have been carefully curated by small artisan producers just a few miles from Corris.
Linked via an archway from The Corris Cafรฉ, the Welsh Deli stocks many items that can be sampled across the Corris Cafรฉ menu. Brand new for 2022, the Dyfi Dog, is a special hot dog filled with a fabulous sausage created especially for us by Rob Rattray butchers, from Aberystwyth and finished off with optional mustard, ketchup and caramelised onions. The Corris Hot Dog Sausage is available to purchase in The Welsh Deli, together with a range of Rob Rattrayโs award winning sausages.
Discover Morganโs Brew Tea, the highest quality, naturally brewed tea from near Welshpool and available in a mesmerising blend of exotic flavours. Discover and taste these flavours in The Corris Cafรฉ and then buy a pack to take away from the Welsh Deli.
The Corris Cafรฉ bara brith is one of our best sellers, created in our own kitchen using quality Welsh ingredients, the bara brith is served with Welsh butter in the cafรฉ and available as a 1Ib loaf to purchase from the Welsh Deli.
The baristas from Mug Run in North Wales supply us with filter coffee we serve in the Cafรฉ and their diverse range of blends are also stocked in the Welsh Deli.
The Welsh Deli stocks The Flawsome drinks range, created from wonky fruit packed with flavours and zero sugar. Made near Cardiff these sustainable health shots save tons of wonky fruit that otherwise would have been sent to landfill. They are available to taste in the Corris Cafรฉ too.
We also serve Toloja Orchards fiery Dragonโs Breath Chutney alongside our classic Corris Rarebit. This popular chutney is made in small batches near Lampeter. We also stock their Dragon Fire mustard, their Welsh Flag Pack containing horseradish sauce (for the white of the Welsh flag) Dragon Fire mustard (for the red of the flag) and green mint and apple sauce (for the green of the flag).ย Their Ploughmanโs Packs contain a selection of their handmade chutneys. Toloja Orchards also create their own marmalades with a Breakfast Pack available. We also create our own in-house relish which is served alongside our selection of Real Burgers.
New in the Welsh Deli for 2022 is a 200ml bottle of fizzy mead made by the Shire Meadery based near Aberystwyth, the mead is available in a variety of flavours.
The Welsh Deli features a sweet aisle with Welsh biscuits, fudge and waffles. Another aisle of the shop includes inspiration for home baking including Welsh spices, seasoning and eggs. Brand new for 2022 is freshly baked bread. The Welsh Deli also sells Talgarth Mill bread kits, enabling customers to create their own bread at home. The range of Welsh alcohol includes Welsh meads, beers, ciders, liqueurs and brand new for this year Gwinllan Llaethliw wine from their vineyard near Aberaeron, we now sell their red, white and rose wine.
A range of Welsh cheeses are available from the Snowdonia Cheese Company and Caws Cenarth. Brand new for this year is Nutchi, a nut based vegan cheese alternative produced in Cardigan. Smokey cashew, garlic & chive, cashew and almond flavours are all available. The Welsh Deli also stocks a range of savoury crackers for cheese including Tregroes savoury waffles. The Welsh Deli sells Valley Mill slate platters and serving boards made from Welsh slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog perfect for serving our Welsh cheeses with crackers and chutneys.
A range of Welsh honey, jams and spices are available including fiery chutneys and spices from the Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm, created from chillies grown on their farm. Also stocked is a Hot Fire Honey made by Black Mountain Honey.
We stock the Coconut Kitchen range โ Thai style products made in Conwy.ย Their own brand of coconut milk has won a Welsh True Taste award.
During the Summer the Deli has its own Pop-up Ice Cream shop selling Marioโs luxury Welsh ice creamโ
With all this diversification the survival and prosperity of the delicatessen in Wales is secured albeit in a non traditional form. ย
We must though revisit two traditional delis firstly The Grate Cheese Deli in Colwyn Bay where owner Cheryl Parry told Welsh Country.
โI love to find as much local produce as I possibly can, we have so many great producers here in Wales, it would be a shame not to share them!
I have a great selectionย of cheeses from small Welsh Award winning producers, Cosyn Cymru, Pen Helyg, Trefaldwyn, Y Cwt Caws, Teifi, Castell Gwyn, Caws Cenarth to name just a few,ย
We have 6 different raw Honeys that are very popular for the health benefits they have.
If you have a sweet tooth we have amazing homemade fudge, brandy snaps, treacle toffee and cinder toffee from Pwllheli. Coffee from Mug Run with bara brith from Blas y Castell which can be topped off with wonderful Norcoed preservesย
An array of chutneys, microgreens, pies, sauces and mustards and a range of Coconut Kitchen curry pastes can finish off a Welsh gift hamper very nicely :-)โ
Also in North Wales is the Trediciย Deli in Beaumaris, a specialist in local Welsh Produce.
Trediciย Deli was opened with the aim of sourcing top quality Welsh produce, from small breweries and distilleries to Welsh meat, preserves and baked goods. Trediciย Deli sells all things local, both to the many tourists that travel to the beautiful island of Anglesey and the locals who love to enjoy the amazing culinary delights that are available right on their doorstep.ย ย
Tredici Deli has its own in-house baker that produces handmade pies that are sold hot and fresh every day. Otherย examples of the wonderful local fayre include the amazing Anglesey Honey, produced just a short distance across the Island of Anglesey and Goetre Farm Preserves who are based in Gwynedd and who provideย a delicious array of jams, chutneysย and pickles.ย
To add to the offering, Tredici also have their own in-house butcher that providesย the very bestย in quality Welsh meats. ย
To wash down what is sure to be a feast of local delights, Tredici also have a great rangeย of beers and ciders, including Jaspal’s Cider from Aberfrawย on Anglesey, ales from Anglesey Brewhouse in Llangefni and if you are after something a little stronger, do sample the range of delicious gins from Llanfairpwll Distillery.ย ย
So what can we conclude? The delicatessen has changed dramatically in the last 50 years and we are sure it will change yet again in the next 50 years. The Covid pandemic is having effects that none of us foresaw and now with the first war in Europe in eighty years, things are changing dramatically. This demonstrates the fact that globalisation can now be considered a hindrance rather than a benefit. Not many of us realised that the whole of Western Europe is reliant on the rest of the world for their energy and food.ย
It may seem a backward step, but it seems inevitable that the proportion of our income spent on food is likely to rise and that to reduce this price increase, buying local becomes more important. That having the education of how to make more from less, using the knowledge that lies within those food emporiums becomes even more crucial.
One could argue that the rise of the Farm Shop started with the demise of the many smaller livestock and produce markets around 50 years ago.
What started as surplus produce sold from the farm gate at the end of the farm track, has in many instances, but not all, moved on. Now many farm shops have evolved to include areas such as delicatessens, cafes, restaurants, butchery counters, off licences and bakeries, places well worth visiting.
Possibly the first Farm Shop that is also a destination was at the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire launching in 1976. However in Wales it was around the year 2000 when Lord Newborough was converting the Rhug Estate to organic status. To ease the financial cost of conversion, he decided a good way to increase revenue for the Estate was to sell burgers. Made from the Rhug Estateโs stock and situated in an Estate car park alongside the A5, this not only increased revenue, but also the message about organic food. In the last 20 years this Farm Shop venture has won many awards but never rests on its laurels as it opened the very first UK Drive Thru Farm Shop and selling a wide range of hot and cold food and drinks, for the family, or for people on the move.
Rhug Estate Drive Thru Farm Shop
Travelling north from the Rhug Estate on the A494 is the Hawarden Estate. Back in 2008 Hawarden converted and expanded what was a 20 year old โStrawberry Shackโ into their Farm Shop. This has grown into what is now a Farm Shop with its cafรฉ and restaurant, using not only produce from its own Estate, but also selling local produce and creating a true food and drink emporium. Keeping its Pick Your Own business operating alongside the Estate Farm Shop Hawarden have also diversified with many events associated with the Estate from bakery and butchery workshops to their Good Life Camps.
Hawarden Estate Farm Shop
So from established Farm Shops let us take a look at two that have grown in the last few years, firstly, Farmers Food at Home, a maker of the most delicious jams and preserves. At the beginning of the pandemic, immediately the future of food festivals and events disappeared. Like many business owners Anne Marie Harries had to think on her feet, but for her it wasnโt the desire to make money that changed things, it was the desire to help other people. Living in a rural part of Pembrokeshire, supermarkets or even local shops selling groceries were few and far between. Anne Marie decided to help her local community by buying in fruit and veg and selling it from her premises. This act of thoughtful kindness soon developed into a tangential business to her preserve making and with a lot of hard work The Paddock Farm shop was born. Saying it is nothing special is far from a derogatory comment but a compliment, that out of nothing, a Farm Shop was created that now sells so much local produce as well as cake and hot drinks for passing visitors, plus, not forgetting this is a superb showcase and shop for that wonderful range of Farmers Food at Home jams and preserves.
Three years ago and a lot further east just outside Cowbridge, the Penllyn Estate decided that opening a Farm Shop would be a good idea to enhance and grow their farming system. This year Forage Farm Shop and Kitchen entered the Farm Shop and Deli Retailer of the Year Awards and yes, deservedly won the Welsh region award.
The Farm Shop and Deli Retailer of the Year judgeโs comments say it so succinctly:
โWell presented application. Excellent sustainability. Good care of staff. Good care of farm land. Like the idea of going to schools to encourage young interest something we should all do more of.โ
โA remarkably funky purpose built farm shop on the Penllyn Estate Farm near Cowbridge, which opened in 2020. There are numerous great initiatives such as transitioning to a regenerative farming system, supplying meat to Cowbridge Comprehensive & the head butcher teaching a butchery skills session at the school. Zero-waste policy with the butchery operating a whole carcass model, working with the kitchen to use excess cuts. Left-over produce is donated to Llamau, a local homeless charity. Much of the shopโs produce is supplied by the estate & theyโve looked at their agricultural & retail activities holistically when reviewing their sustainability achievements. An impressive entry, with lots to talk about.โย ย
Forage Farm Shop
On the main A40 approaching Cowbridge, from the west, there is a new traffic island and one of the exits is a freshly created Forage Farm Shop entrance. As you drive down approaching Forage there is a freshly planted orchard on the left hand side. Well that alone is impressive, but when you realise that the orchard is to be seeded with truffles this shows a business that has long term progressive thinking.
Possibly the largest growth in Farm Shops is in the dairy sector. Milk processing has become a huge multinational business with milk transported many miles. This is clearly seen by the number of milk tankers travelling daily from Wales across the border to England. Dairy farmers have little control on the price, they are paid for their milk and have limited control on the price of inputs, feed, bedding, diesel and electric.ย So over the last few years there has been in Wales an explosion of dairy farmers selling their own milk. The majority of dairy farmers selling this way have self-service vending machines on the farm and /or sited locally. Some milk is sold raw (unpasteurised) others do have pasteurisers, whilst some have broadened their offering serving milkshakes.
Using returnable glass bottles the initial purchase is expensive, but lessened greatly as the bottle deposit is returned when making subsequent purchases.
No it isnโt cheaper than milk from the supermarket, but it tastes like milk used to taste with the cream on the top of the milk. ย
When you think that milk can be transported from Anglesey and west Pembrokeshire to say Shropshire, processed, bottled and then shipped back again via distribution depots near Chester or Newport, for it then to be sold in the supermarkets back in Anglesey or west Pembrokeshire. That is hardly green or cost effective, so milk straight from the farm makes so much more sense from so many angles. ย
Llaeth Beynon Milk Vending Machine
So why are Farm Shops so important to the Welsh food and drink sector and the wider Welsh economy?
Farm Shops, whether they are small or large are individual businesses paying tax in the UK and generally buying goods and services locally or regionally.
Farm Shops shorten the supply chain effectively to zero for produce from the farm/ estate. This makes the products so much more ecologically green in other words, less food miles, which is something we cannot ignore.
For goods not produced on the farm, Farm Shops generally buy, often directly, from local or regional producers.
To explore this aspect in more detail let us look at the case study of the Cribyn Coffee Company. Surprisingly, founded during the pandemic in 2021, owner, Rhys Iley, who had previously spent many years in the Coffee industry before moving back home to Wales, took the bold move and references a local farm shop, as providing some of the inspiration.
โI have always been a huge admirer of Farm Shops and Delis, where local Artisan producers have a real opportunity to sell their products. I was also struck however that in some cases, being โlocalโ doesnโt always mean great quality and that was certainly true with regards to coffee. We invested heavily, renovating and repurposing a 300 year old Coach House to become our Roastery and then buying a state of the art coffee roaster from Germany. It is so important that customers get a consistently good product. In November 2021 we, Cribyn Coffee Company, was the ONLY speciality Coffee Roaster in Wales to be certified by SALSA (Safe And Local Supplier Approval), this was so important to us as it really raises the bar in terms of quality standards. It was only then that we went out to attract Farm Shop Customers.ย
Local to me was โBeacons Farm Shopโ at The Welsh Vension Centre which has a impressive reputation for excellent quality produce and during the pandemic had diversified to provide a home delivery service. I had been a regular customer over the years and had always been impressed with the range of quality products that the Morgan family stock, so would our coffee stack up? Thankfully for us it did and a listing followed in the autumn. I think the owners Elaine and Andrew appreciated the fact that we had really focused on quality and that we sourced our Coffee beans direct from farmers such as Ana and her family farm in Brazil. With our coffee there is a genuine relationship with our farmers and with our customers and that is quite special.
Providing the quality is there at prices that are affordable, the Farm Shop has an increasingly important role to play as consumers increasingly do want to shop locally. With the holiday season upon us there isnโt a better opportunity to show our visitors the best that Wales has to offer”.
Beacons Farm Shop at The Welsh Vension Centre
But what benefits does shopping at our local Farm Shop have for us the customer? Yes there are hidden altruistic benefits such as helping profits and therefore taxes in the UK and even within the county. But what are the benefits for us individually?
In so many cases taste and freshness, but also so much more.
Cost of food? Some argue that Farm Shops are more expensive than purchasing the equivalent from the supermarket. So letโs take on that challenge. Taking the same cut of meat, of the same weight, cooked in the same way, comparing the size of the joints at the point of putting on the plate. Most meat sold in farm shops is dry cured and hung for some time (usually a minimum of 21 days). This means that the meat dries, but that is not something you would notice once cooked, the flavour is therefore intensified, but also means when cooked it shrinks much less.
Perhaps you want a mid-week roast but donโt want to spend on sirloin or silverside, do check out your local Farm Shop where it is more than likely that you can buy shin at half the price per kilo than the more expensive cuts. On top of that it is likely that the person in the Farm Shop can tell you how to cook it, if you are unsure, so that when it gets onto your plate, it tastes as delicious as the more expensive cuts and often better.
We could go on but shopping locally in your Farm Shop helps you…
Make the most of the food that you buy.
Cut the food miles of the weekly shop.
Create and make tasty meals.
Avoid those ultra-processed foods and ingredients such as palm oil and E numbers.
Below we list the contact details of the businesses mentioned in the article plus a random selection of Farm Milk suppliers.ย
Farmerโs Markets, sounds different but actually they are Local Produce Markets or even Community Markets but all run very similarly. Carol Adams, organiser of Riverside Markets in Cardiff commented:
โBuying from our markets also means you know that youโre supporting independent farmers and producers and keeping every pound you spend circulating in our local economy.โ
This so concisely applies to all of these type of markets.
Farmerโs Markets can be of varying size, some part of a group of markets others just individual markets. Wales has at least 38 markets of them spread across the Principality. These bring trade and footfall not only to the producers selling at the market, but the town or community that it exists in, be that an urban conurbation or a wildlife park. A full list of markets and dates can be found at welshcountry.co.uk/farmers-markets-in-wales
Urban Foundry are a creative regeneration agency based in Swansea and run five markets including the award winning Uplands Market. They very succinctly commented:
โThe markets have created a job, generate significant spend in the areas in which they operate, raise profile of the local areas, encourage people to shop locally and support local traders to sell their goods and services. Several traders have used the markets as a springboard to develop their businesses, moving on to supply local businesses and set up their own stores.
We (Urban Foundry) aim to
Bring quality Welsh produce to the community;
Increase footfall in the areas we operate;
Provide opportunities for small, independent artisan Welsh producers;
Demonstrate the value of and new qualities of public space;
Contribute to Swansea’s cultural offer; and
Contribute to a more sustainable Swansea by:
Reducing imported goods and lowering food miles;
Supporting local producers in Wales;ย
Contributing to public health with more fresh produce options; and
Improving the balance of public space between pedestrians, cyclists and driversโ
Again these comments logically focus on Swansea, but certainly apply to any other venue.
Over the years Farmerโs Markets have gained and lost popularity but Cardiff Riverside Market and Uplands Markets each have four satellite markets are now well established surviving recent Covid and its associated lockdowns.
Uplands Market
More from Uplands Market
Other markets have sprung up quickly setting a regular market place. One example is Kenfig Nature Reserve KNR Farmerโs Market which started in 2021. Set up by three producers, this has rapidly become a popular fixture. This market has taken the idea of a Farmerโs Market as a day out to the next level. It is not in the middle of a town or village with natural footfall but on the edge of a nature reserve. It does have the advantage of good car parking and it operates on a Sunday. Thus it creates a great family day out whilst supporting up to 32 local food and drink stalls.
Another recently set up market that also operates on a Sunday is Talley Pop Up Market. This is a very small market and is growing gradually, whilst satisfying a particular business objective. Cothi Valley can be regularly seen at St Dogmaels Local Produce Market and Aberystwyth Farmerโs Market, but lacked a really local market to them. Lynn Beard of Cothi Valley tells the story of the market:
โBack in January 2020 we started toying with the idea of doing a pop-up in our village, Talley. We sold very little of our produce near to home and a spot outside of the old pub in the village looked like a good place, plus we knew the people who lived there, which is always handy! It was just going to be us and we planned to start at the beginning of March, but typically three weekends of storms thwarted our efforts to get going so the date moved back and back until Sunday 22nd March, yep the day that lockdown was announced to commence on the 23rd. Little did we know what was ahead but we had never been so nervous setting up a market. Bearing in mind that we have sold at some big venues and events, but on that morning in our own village, on our own was very, very worrying. What if no one comes? What if they don’t like our goods, imagine the gossip! What if no one has seen the posts on Facebook etc? Well we needn’t have worried, we soon relaxed into it and, yes, people came. We were so chuffed at the success of our little ‘Pop Up’ and for the next few weeks we carried on alone. Then friends with rare-breed meat joined us and during that fraught summer of 2020 we had queues going along through Talley village. We were even nominated and received a certificate for our community work during Covid.
โEven better we are still going strong, with ourselves and Elmos Kitchen, with their vegetables and fruit are there every week.ย John James comes monthly with his Welsh Black beef, plus a fortnightly visit from Dolwerdd Dairy Sheep with their sheep cheese.ย The Pop Up is still well supported not only by locals, but from further afield and visitors to the area.โ
As can be seen the venue of the market can be so important which is proven by Lampeter Market. Historically Lampeter Farmerโs Market was based in the back streets of Lampeter next to a small national supermarket car park but with little natural footfall. This was superseded by Lampeter Peopleโs Market which was held in the townโs Victoria Hall again not alongside natural footfall but with perseverance did survive. Organiser Dinah Mulholland tells their story:
Lampeter People’s Market
โLampeter People’s Market moved out of Victoria Hall after the first lockdown in March 2020. We were trading first of all in the car park at the back of the hall, then at the Rugby Club car park and then early in 2021 the University agreed for us to relocate permanently on the Lampeter University campus, in the Canterbury Building Car Park at the Harford Square end of town. At his stage we also rebranded as Marchnad Llambed – Lampeter Market, although lots of locals still refer to us as the People’s Market! We still have the same ethos as before, supporting local primary and secondary food producers(1) and quality local crafters and helping to build and sustain a strong local economy.
Since we relocated footfall has massively increased, as has the number of and the quality of our traders. We are now running at approximately 25 traders per market on average and for our special seasonal markets i.e. Christmas Market and Lampeter Late Night Christmas Shopping we had 35+ traders. Also, in December 2021 we won the UK Slow Food Welsh Market of the Year 2021 award, so all in all it has been a very successful period for us. Clearly customers feel safer shopping outdoors and I think that is because the market is such a social event we provided a valuable and safe space for many local residents to socialise while they shopped over the lockdown period. But also I think markets just need to be outside and in town centres and we have, as I have said, thrived since we have moved outdoors and into the town centre.โ
It is so difficult to make sweeping statements about Farmerโs Markets and there will always be exceptions. Having said that Farmerโs Markets tend to follow the chimney pots, shown by well over 60% of Farmerโs Markets in Wales being either along or south of the M4 corridor.ย
Looking at markets in north Wales, they have a slightly different perspective and objective. Their objectives are no less laudable, indeed one could argue that community is often more at their heart. We look at three markets starting with Beaumaris Artisan Market which comprises over 25 Welsh artists, crafters and food and drink producers. With Barista coffee, hot food, nearby parking, access for wheelchairs and pushchairs, plus dogs being welcome this creates a great community area and tourist hotspot.ย
Ruthin Artisan Markets was set up as a Community Interest Company in 2020 and in their own words:
โIn an effort to increase footfall to our town and to help our small businesses to increase their visibility in the area and get their names out there. We host approximately 60 stall holders per event and we even have a lovely food court area where after the market you can sit and have a drink (alcoholic, or not) and either hot or cold food and peruse our pickles and jams and our amazing fruit and vegetable stall. We have some food and drink for everyone.โ
This may be a new market in its present format, but is held in the grounds of the gaol and Nantclwyd y Dre. This is a Grade 1 listed house in Ruthin, and Wales’s oldest dated timbered town house, so is ideal not only for the community but also tourists.
Ruthin Farmers Market
A little nearer the English border is Mold Farmerโs Market and Natalie Griffiths told Welsh Country about their market:
โMold Farmerโs Markets is a small Farmerโs Market that strives to support small local businesses, whatever stage of business theyโre at. A great variety of good quality local produce including handmade pies, organic eggs, fresh fish, local chocolate, fresh cakes, chutneys, relishes, sauces as well as jams and marmalades. We also have fresh fruit and veg sourced locally by Husonโs Farm, who have a great and varied selection of produce that they bring to the market.ย
Weโre also very fortunate to offer a wonderful platform for our local crafters. Itโs this selection that makes the market so diverse and means that we offer something here for everyone.ย
We also have a brilliant service, run by Jan and Chris, of a small seated area where customers can enjoy a homemade cake and cup of tea or coffee. This element of the market really adds to the atmosphere and means the market welcomes customers to become part of the set up. We often have regulars who come every time, for a cup of tea and catch up with the stallholders. More than just a market trip!โ
This last comment that it is โmore than just a market tripโ really sums up one important aspect of Farmerโs Markets, but there are many more benefits.
So what is the history of Farmerโs Markets?
One could start 5000 years ago with the first recorded markets. Or, one could start in the middle ages with by then established livestock markets and droving to the cities from Wales to England. Or, one could start in the middle of the 19th century when railways meant that instead of transporting livestock, transporting meat carcases became the norm. Whenever one considers the start in every market town where there was a mart, there was also a produce market of some sort.ย ย
In the 1920โs a group of Yorkshire Farmers set up a co-operative selling their meat and milk at local markets. This co-operative metamorphosed a number of times eventually becoming the Associated Dairies & Farm Stores Ltd which we now know as ASDA.
Through the middle of the 20th century local livestock markets dwindled and the associated produce markets alongside them could not survive.
Farmerโs Markets as we recognise them now started in the USA around the 1970โs. It is said that at this time food in USA passed through six hands and travelled 1300 miles from producer to the household.ย
In the UK the first Farmerโs Market was started in Bath in 1997 and the first recorded Farmerโs Market in Wales was the Vale of Glamorgan which started in 2000. Although this has changed over the years, it is now established as the Vale Market in Cowbridge and has just started a satellite in Dinas Powys.
Cowbridge
More from Cowbridge Farmers Market
So why are Farmerโs Markets so important?
Firstly letโs look at the sustainability and environmental aspect which affects both producers and us the customers alike. Firstly the supply chain to the Farmerโs Market is not only short, but one could argue is virtually non-existent. All primary producers(1) take their own farm produced goods and sell it to you the customer with no wholesaler or any third party involved. The secondary producers(1) buy in raw ingredients, again not using wholesalers or third parties before they sell their products to you. As a consequence food miles are kept to the minimum which surely should now be one of our main objectives.
Again looking at both producers and customers but with a more subjective and unseen benefit, spending locally means that the vast majority of the money spent at markets tends to remain locally which helps the wider local economy.
One aspect that is double sided, is that the customer is meeting the producer. From the customerโs aspect this means they can ask questions about traceability and what is exactly in any product plus so many other questions, including how to use or cook. Add to this there is often the occasion to taste before you buy giving the customer the opportunity to try something a little different.ย
From the producers point of view they are meeting their customers and meeting their fiercest critics, but also meeting their biggest fans. These customers can in turn tell their friends. The producers can test new flavours or new products and get immediate feedback as to whether it will have market appeal, be a likely winner or a loser.ย
As can be seen from the comments of the market organisers the Farmerโs Market is also a place to socialise. To shop with ease with perhaps a sit down with friends to enjoy a coffee, cake and a chat. This can be mentally such a good pressure valve relief which again proves how good Farmerโs Markets are for the wider community. This mental easing also applies to the producers. Working for yourself can be an incredibly lonely occupation and business issues can be discussed and so often sorted when talking to other producers. With customers telling you that they love your products really does make life worthwhile, because in the kitchen you never tell yourself that youโve made the very best product!
But what about the wider aspect of trading at a Farmerโs Market?
All traders / producers have to be registered with their local authority and have Food Hygiene ratings displayed on their stand. This qualification means that the producer understands about food hygiene and safety and that they and their premises have been checked by their local environmental health officer.ย
Farmerโs Markets provides a great springboard for new and smaller producers. Some producers, as seen previously, grow exceptionally such as ASDA. and at some stage leave the Farmerโs Market scene, giving the opportunity for another young business to take its place in the Farmerโs Market. But some producers are more than satisfied to ply their trade locally and there is nothing wrong in that.
Creigiau Community Market
Whether the producer wants to conquer Wales and then the world or remain with their ultra local trade is irrelevant because both help to create a vibrant local market which attracts local customers and also tourists during the season.
Farmerโs Markets are a vital cog in the wider โfood tourismโ which is vital to the Welsh economy. Nobody visits Wales to buy products that are readily available on their own supermarkets shelves. This was demonstrated beautifully with a producer called Foxhill Preserves with St Dogmaels as their main Farmerโs Market outlet. During lockdowns a family who regularly visited north Pembrokeshire to holiday were obviously restricted from doing so. When on holiday they regularly bought Blood Orange Marmalade from Foxhill Preserves which was one of the reasons they kept visiting the area. Obviously the family had run out and missed their delicious spread on their breakfast toast so contacted Foxhill to see if on this occasion they could mail order.ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
No Government body can measure this sort of benefit, to the County or town or Wales as a whole and no Health Authority can measure the benefit of community support given by Farmerโs Markets. Maybe it is time that they all started to do so.
Farmerโs Markets are vital to Welsh Food and Drink as a whole, vital to the food tourism of Wales and vital to the local communities that they operate in. Providing a springboard for new – small โ innovative producers, providing a place for us the public to see news foods new flavours to try them and buy them.
We urge you to find time to go to your local Farmerโs Market enjoy the community the food and drink that comes from your local community. The ideal family experience for a few hours.ย
1 – Primary producers are those the sell products from their own farm or smallholding eg cheese eggs meat. Secondary producers are those that buy in base ingredients adding value to create a homemade product cakes coffee roasters etc.
As ever there are always anomalies take a jam maker that makes jam from their own fruit but obviously has to buy sugar which they cannot grow themselves.
Welsh Country makes no apologies for always saying โBuy Localโ but that isnโt always that easy to do. Here we look at a totally unique event, BlasCymru/TasteWales, which has the objective of promoting and selling Wales as a food and drink destination by:
Inviting the buyers from all the supermarkets to meet Welsh producers.
Inviting those retail buyers that have specialist food and drink departments such as Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason to meet Welsh producers.
Inviting the distributors of food and drink nationwide to meet Welsh producers so that their products can be listed in their catalogues. Three examples that we would recognise here in Wales are Castell Howell, Blas ar Fwyd, Harlech but must also include Ocado and the many regional and specialist companies.
To give you a few examples, this event means:
That your Pembrokeshire Potatoes get onto your local supermarket shelf.
That your favourite Welsh tea is stocked in your corner shop.
That the exquisite Welsh Gin that you gifted to your best friend is available to buy from your local drinks store.
BlasCymru/TasteWales was held over the 27th & 28th October, at the International Convention Centre (ICCW), in Newport. This two-day event is sponsored by one of the largest names in the UK food and drink industry, Princes Limited. We must emphasise though that the purpose of this event is to create a platform for producers from across Wales to meet with trade buyers from retail, foodservice and UK export consolidators, as well as food industry professionals allowing businesses to showcase Walesโ world-class produce and help open new markets.
With Covid restrictions firmly in place, this event was certainly one of the first in the Welsh industry calendar to safely welcome back attendees and the ICCW was an ideal roomy venue.
Despite this being an incredibly challenging year, thanks to Covid, Welsh producers have still been able to develop a number of new products which were showcased here. New product development is all the proof we need to understand the resilience and innovation that exists within the Welsh food and drink sector.
Let us give you a taste of some of the new products. They include seasonal craft ales, a range of flavoured oat crackers, new yoghurt flavours, carbon-neutral potatoes, plant based desserts, alcohol free botanic drinks, organic fermented smoked kraut and Beet Slaw packaged in sustainable, fully recycled packaging.
There was a small, but important competition between the producers as to the most popular of the new products. This was voted for by the buyers at the event and the winner was Welsh Kimchi from Monmouthshire business Jones Trust Your Gut. ย
Regular readers will be well aware that we at Welsh Country are real foodies and when we look at Wales, we picture this country as a humungous food larder with a massive array of tempting Welsh food and drink. So saying that we were obviously delighted to be invited to attend BlasCymru/Taste Wales and we must say how impressive this event is as it strives to do everything possible to showcase Welsh food and drink. Over the years we have been to hundreds of food events, but what was heartening at BlasCymru/TasteWales, was that we didnโt speak to a single producer who was unhappy with this event! Of course there were some suggestions for the future, but they were constructive and we think can quite easily be acted upon. ย
Huge thanks must be directed to Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Governmentโs food division which organised the event. Food Innovation Wales also played an important role in supporting the various businesses to develop their products, including bringing companies together to share and work through new ideas. There has also been masses of support offered to start-ups through Cywain, along with training and skills development thanks to Lantraโs Food Skills Cymru.
The event was effectively split into three.
The first is The Zones Area
An area with all the organisations that support – help โ promote Welsh food and drink.
Amongst those in this area were:
Lantra
Lantra is a training organisation from entry level training to expert user qualifications. With their specific programme, Food Skills Cymru, they work within the Welsh food and drink processing and manufacturing industry to ensure employees have the right skills and training for their business and the wider industry as a whole.
Sarah Lewis Food Skills Cymru Programme Manager told Welsh Country:
โWe are at BlasCymru/TasteWales to engage with existing producers already working with us and new producers, offering support and complete training courses to suit their needs. After the restrictions of the pandemic it was good to meet face to face, albeit with face masks, with those that maybe we have only spoken to by email or Zoom.โ ย ย ย
Menter Mon
Menter Mon is of course based on the Isle of Anglesey and has a number of projects under way, one of which is Larder Cymru.
This project, in part, aims to get local food into the public sector which has been a long term grumble at Welsh Country.
Larder Cymru is a local food and drink hub bringing regional producers and processors together so that both of them are in a better position to respond to the opportunities to supply into the Welsh public sector.
The focus is on co-ordinating and strengthening support within the local supply chain to position regionally produced food and drink, making it a compelling proposal for large supply contracts.
The project will aim to open opportunities for food and drink SME’s, to supply into the public sector. It will also be able to respond to the short and medium term issues for the food and drink sector and help businesses in the region to survive and recover from the pandemic.
National Geographic Dome
National Geographic has been a great partner of Welsh Food and Drink for some time getting the essence of the wonderful food and drink from Wales spread across the world.
In 2019 Food and Drink Wales exhibited at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival.
But at BlasCymru/TasteWales, National Geographic had on show its Geo Dome.
The Geo dome is a huge black canvas dome that was first seen at the Rugby World Cup in Japan where it was promoting Wales and Welsh food and drink. The dome itself from the outside is not that impressive, but on the inside the lighting and atmosphere gives a feeling of decadence and opulence. Over the two days event invited guests were treated to a wonderful tasting menu of the very best of Welsh Food and Drink comprising of:
Pan seared scallop infused with beetroot, Welsh gin and chopped dill, on a laverbread blini pancake finished with a citrus cockle, cucumber natural yoghurt dressing.
Garlic marinated rump of Welsh Lamb slow cooked rested and carved with a butternut squash chilli salsa relish, garnished with crispy Welsh sea salt leek strips & a parsley natural lamb sauce.ย
โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆย
Chocolate & Welsh whisky tart, Honey nutmeg cream, ginger rhubarb.ย
Rich dark chocolate and Welsh whisky tart with a nutmeg, honey cream finished with gently poached ginger scented rhubarb compote.ย
The second is the Conference and Seminars Area. ย
With seminars such as Why now is the time to invest in technology and Innovation in branding given by leading experts in their field. Those in the industry had ample opportunity to get up to speed about food and drink production and its marketing for the challenges of today.
The conference programme was headlined by Adam Henson: Countryfile presenter and farmer speaking about How Wales is addressing the sustainability challenge.
A common theme touching on the issues of today is typified by a presentation from, Ian Wright: CEO, Food and Drink Federation on the subject, Running on Empty? โ As the UK navigates the shortages storm, how can Wales food and drink thrive?
The conference and seminar facilities were superb, allowing delegates to listen and interact easily and hopefully learn a great deal with much food for thought. ย
The third is the Meet The Buyer Area
Bethan Jones, is the Project manager at Total Food Marketing which is part of Menter a Busnes, the semi-public administrative body, charged with looking after this area. Bethan explained to Welsh Country how the Meet The Buyer area worked:
โFor buyers this is a unique event and brilliant use of their time. Being a brokerage event, it is directed to producers looking after their needs to meet, see and work with buyers that are suitable for their business.โ
In terms of numbers:-
There were 200 buyers in attendance over the two days.
There were 1100, 20 minute meetings booked.
There were 80 established food and drink businesses.
There were 20 businesses classed as โRising Starsโ that had successfully come through the Cwyain training scheme (a programme of Menter a Busnes).
Daffodil Foods
Director Lynne Rowlands commented:
โWe have a range of plant based chocolate truffle desserts, which taste fantastically rich and indulgent with a melt-in-the mouth silky texture. Made to a vegan recipe in Wales to reduce food miles. Potted Plants desserts are naturally better for you and better for the environment. Their specialised heat treatment extends the shelf life to reduce the risk of contributing to food waste. The desserts are packed in glass ramekin jars with metal caps, which are currently more effectively recycled in the UK than most plastics.
BlasCymru/TasteWales is a great event for us to showcase these sustainable chocolate desserts as well as our wider range.โ
Teifi Cheese
Asked why Teifi Cheese had attended the event, the founder John Savage-Onstwedder said:
โThis is a great example of showing how WAG and business can work together.โ
Puffin Produce
Managing Director Huw Thomas commented:
โThe food system contributes up to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing the planet to heat up faster than ever before. We have to act now, so weโre on a mission to become carbon neutral and farm in a way that protects and regenerates our land, plants and wildlife. Root Zero potatoes are certified carbon neutral and grown using sustainable farming practices to remove carbon dioxide, create healthy soil and increase local biodiversity. We are hoping that these sustainably packed products will start to tackle the huge impact of the food industry on climate change.โ
Blas ar Fwyd
Managing Director Deiniol ap Dafydd commented.
โThis is an event to open potential avenues for food businesses. Having booked 20 minute slots for buyers has to be the best use of everybodyโs time. The only annoyance is a few people making appointments and then not turning up. Perhaps there is a way this can be tightened up on for future events.โ ย ย
Bluestone Brewery
Director Sales Operations Amy Evans told Welsh Country when asked what could be done to improve the event said:
โWeโd love there to be more specialist drink buyers in attendance, but generally from our side this is more than a good event.โ
Futura Foods
National Account controller John Cullen commented:
โThis event has been very beneficial for us. There is a desperate need to get back to meeting face-to-face. BlasCymru/TasteWales, is really flying the flag for Welsh Food & Drink Businesses.โ
Ty Nant Spring Waterย
Marketing Manager Anna Bevan commented:
โBeing under new ownership itโs good to look to the future. It is so good to be here, seeing people and meeting buyers.โ
Blaenafon Cheddar
Managing Director Susan Fiander-Woodhouse was full of praise:
โThis event allows producers and buyers to target the people they both need to see. Thinking of the future from our side Iโd love to see more hamper and deli buyers being invited.โย
Trailhead Fine Foods
Managing Director Arwyn Watkins told Welsh Country:
โThis was an unpressurised opportunity to have face-to- face conversations in a neutral environment. This meant that we had really good quality appointments from serious buyers. It is also good that the appointments were made from producer to buyers and also vice versa.โ
ย
Situated in the Rising Stars Sub Area of the Meet the Buyer
WRC Holdings
Produce Devils Bridge Spiced Rum. The holding company was established in 2019 and the rum launched in 2020. This is a company and product very much in its infancy but has made a huge impact in its time on the market. Not quite ready for the larger buyers, MD Gregor Shaw was realistic, but also optimistic going forward.
โThis was a learning curve and once we are SALSA accredited we can take on the world. I am impressed that there were so many incredibly good quality buyers invited by the Welsh Government. Iโve found this event truly humbling. I am Scottish and know that if I was a food producer in Scotland I would not get the support that I have had at BlasCymru/TasteWales.โ
Summary
The first BlasCymru/TasteWales was first held in 2017 and was always intended to be a biennial event. As it establishes itself as an event different to any other in the Food and Drink world across the UK, its reputation continues to rise.
At Welsh Country we hope readers can now understand a little more of the complexity of getting our favourite products from the factory floor to the shop shelf. Food and Drink Wales are to be applauded for continuing to promote Welsh Food and Drink businesses both inside Wales and in the United Kingdom and of course across the rest of the world.
With so much in the news about food distribution and possible empty shelves in supermarkets across the country Welsh Country looks at food logistics and ways that food producers can put their products in front of us consumers.
This is the first of a series looking at Welsh food and drink from production to our plates specifically in this article considering food festivals.
Over the last two years food festivals have been a rare sight and this autumn we have seen a few return.
But what is the objective of a food festival?
There are a few answers to that, depending very much on where you are coming from:
From a consumerโs point of view:
It gives us the opportunity to, in so many cases, try before we buy. This in turn means we can try foods or flavours that we would not normally try and certainly would not buy in case we did not like itย
It gives us the opportunity to meet the producer / the maker of the product. This isnโt a hard sell, but can be so interesting knowing how a product is made, how we can make best use of the product in recipes. Youโll surely be impressed with of course the producerโs knowledge but also their enthusiasm. Iโll never forget learning about Earl Grey Victoria Sponge so delicious
From a traderโs point of view:
It gives the trader a chance to try new products / flavours and see what we the consumer thinks before going into fuller production. A food festival is a brilliant โtest marketโ.
It gives the trader a chance to meet us their customers because without us they literally have no business so our feedback is really vital. Consumers will also have questions, where can we get the product after the show? Is it available in my area? Is it available online?
From a wider more generic view:
The local council, local area, regional government all want their area to be a place that is business vibrant and if in the right geographical place a tourism hot spot. Food tourism is a huge market now and it is important that Wales and Welsh producers do not miss out. ย
The NHS is still at the front of our minds and they have an objective of getting us to eat healthy. Yes I agree the sweet treats we can buy at food festivals are not the healthiest in one way, but bear in mind nothing at a food festival is highly processed, no trans fats, little if any Palm Oil, little if any E numbers.
Education. Where does milk come from? The supermarket! Such myths can be debunked at food festivals, giving school children and at time us parents a realisation about where our food comes from and is made ย
So what is a food festival?
This can vary from a very small community event that has perhaps a dozen food and drink traders alongside local competitions events performances. The traders are very likely to be micro home cooking ventures, although these businesses still have to be registered with the local councilโs Environmental Health officers. This can be the start for so many Food and Drink businesses to cut their teeth, remember Marks & Spencer and Tesco started as a market stall.
The other extreme is a food festival such as Abergavenny held on 18th โ 19th September 2021. ย Firstly congratulations to the organisers for actually getting the festival put together this year which cannot have been without many challenges. ย
This sort of food festival is for real foodies with trade stands coming from across the UK with around just 50% of the stands being Welsh. It does though give Abergavenny town and the county of Monmouthshire a real buzz. This festival certainly rates highly on the food tourism map, with food and drink being the priority over local and sustainable.
But let us now take an in depth look at a smaller festival that has its origins in a festival that has been going for many years, but due to Covid has moved venue for this year to give us all more chance to be socially distanced.
Brecon Food Festival
Brecon Food Festival has for many years lived in the market hall in the centre of Brecon. A wonderful venue with great atmosphere, but lacking ventilation and space so not best suited during Covid. The organiser this year has moved this festival to Builth Wells and the Royal Welsh Agricultural Societyโs show ground.ย
Many traditions of the Brecon Food Festival continue, for instance with the emphasis for traders to be local or Welsh (90% plus) but also a family day out.
The range of food and drink producers is eclectic from butchers to vegan nut cheese from gin to non – alcoholic herbal distillations. From sweet treats to hot chillies, from traditional street food to spiced Indian dishes (still made in Wales of course).
On the more serious side as with every industry it is more complex than it looks and this is reflected within the festival.ย ย
There is within Wales a group call the Culinary Association of Wales which is effectively an association of Welsh chefs which successfully represent Wales at culinary competitions across the world and at this yearsโ festival are putting together cooking demonstrations for us all to enjoy.
Gareth Johns (The Wynnstay Machynlleth) cooking.
Yet how does one become a chef? Yes, there is the traditional way of starting as a bottle washer within a kitchen hoping that the boss or head chef is good enough to realise some potential and teach and promote you. Today there are many places offering apprenticeships and many of these are overseen by Cambrian Training who are also in attendance at the festival giving insights into food drink and hospitality education as well as offering a jobs fest with a number of positions within the industry available for those looking for a new career in the hospitality sector.
When we buy our food from the supermarket or a festival or market we take it for granted that it is safe and been made / prepared in a safe way ensuring that when we ingest it, it is delicious and not dangerous. To ensure this there are many checks and balances in place, but as in every other industry the basis is education. Not pure theoretical education, but a real practical education and behind this in Wales is a group call Food Skills Cymruย run by the UK wide Lantra, who also looks after much practical advancement within the agricultural / horticultural sector. Again Lantra / Food Skills Cymru have a presence at the festival.
Not everybody within the family has a deep interest in food so it is important that a festival has something for everyone but without taking away from the main event, they are there to add to the event to make it a great family day out.
Mid Wales Autumn Fayre caters for the family in a number of ways. The showground is well known as a venue so gives a good base to the vintage lorries, tractors and cars that will be on display helping to make the event of interest to all the family.
Add to this there is an exhibition hall with around 30 arts and craft stands which added to the food festival gives an ideal opportunity for early Christmas shopping.
Having been starved of food festivals and shows for two summers we hope we can look forward to 2022 when food festivals in whatever form, community โ festivals within a bigger show – larger regional food festivals to those that have a name far beyond Offaโs Dyke, such as Abergavenny. We hope that this has given an insight into the complexity not only of this part of the Food and Drink market but within a festival itself.ย
Next time we look at the larger companies getting their products onto the shelves of the larger food retailers be they supermarkets larger online grocery stores and of course restaurants across the UK plus exporting across the world, through the event to be held in Newport called Taste Cymru a strictly trade only event.
The Mid Wales Autumn Food Festival is on at the Royal Welsh Showground on the 2nd – 3rd October there is a car park charge of ยฃ5.00 per car, pedestrian entry is free.ย ย
We cannot predict the future, we can only reflect on the past and extrapolate but here we look at what the industry wants for the future, what is happening now and celebrating the industry that has shown brilliant resilience over the past twelve months and still producing and selling the very best of food and drink, not only for our domestic market, but to markets across the world.
It would be wrong to say that all in the future is rosy. There are difficulties already highlighted around staffing in hospitality and similarly in distribution which is affecting the UK as well as Wales.
It would also be right to recognise that 80% of the population of the UK live in towns and although it is difficult to give a direct correlation to Wales it has to be similar, in that over 50% of the Welsh population live in 14% of the land area of Wales i.e. South East Wales. View ‘Summary statistics for Wales, by region: 2020’ (PDF)
As a consequence of these proportions all Governments of whatever colour, create policies that are urban centric.ย Yes there is much manufacturing of food and drink in the urban areas of Wales, but it is the rural areas of Wales that are the tourist hubs and as a consequence this is the area that so many smaller artisan producers / retailers / hospitality venues live and work.ย
There is much to be said of policies that ensure that our precious rural areas are kept as scenic and environmentally friendly places. But on the other hand, the population needs feeding from a supply chain that is as short as possible and so there has to be a compromise.
Welsh Country together with its sister website www.welshfoodanddrink.wales asked those in the Food and Drink industry what they thought from a questionnaire (60 replies) in addition to many direct conversations.
The first reaction was to be expected in that the vast majority had had their businesses altered by the Covid pandemic, many thinking that this change was permanent.ย As in previous articles we have shown the move to online selling as hospitality was very limited or closed completely at those times and this was the major change across the board.
But there has to be a caveat to this. Many were unsure as the future level of online shopping. This can be backed up with recent reports from one major online business Ocado, saying that their order value has dropped and Sainsburyโs reporting a drop on the number of online orders.
Cowbridge Farmers Market
Many of the Welsh businesses contacted commented that they had started or returned to Farmers/ Local Produce markets. These markets not only give an immediate reaction to the producers as to whether the new flavour is a hit or miss, but a chance for the customer to try things that they had not tasted before. Yes sampling is still restricted, but buying a single product with no postage is a better bet than ordering blind online.
Markets across Wales have traditionally brought rural communities together on a weekly basis and this has so many benefits. Many replying to the questionnaire said that mentoring would help their business move forward although markets were providing this in a fashion.
Running a small business can be a very lonely job having to be masters of all aspects of work, PR, marketing, selling, getting paid, accounts and ordering materials including ingredients or packaging.
Markets can provide so much for the customer and the sellers alike.ย
As ever through the centuries talking at the markets amongst the rural communities:
can solve many niggling issues that a producer worries about as an individual.
can ease the sense of isolation and in turn ease the mental strain which has been so evident over the last eighteen months.
create a sense of community amongst the customers, as well as the producers.
Linked into this theme, working together was shown across many who replied to the questionnaire and we look at a few here:
Cowbridge Farmers Market who in July 2021 celebrates its 21st birthday traded fairly well throughout the Covid pandemic, but only with co-operation. Many traders for whatever reason were understandably not happy being face to face with their customers, but others stepped in and effectively manned multiple traders products. Two of these where Daisy Graze & Drwytho thus ensuring that all the producers could sell but more importantly the customers had their usual range of products to buy.
This cooperative attitude is becoming more widespread and could be the future of Welsh Food and Drink but it comes in many forms.
Indian snack producer Samosaco from Pontyclun teamed up with Bluestone Brewing from Newport Pembrokeshire to create a Fatherโs Day gift bundle. Initiated from a zoom meeting with, food and drink broadcaster, Nigel Barden these two businesses jointly promoted the offer and in turn each other. It was a success, so much so that plans are afoot to repeat to similar joint marketing offers.
Samosaco and Bluestone Brewery’s Father’s Day Hamperi
Also in Newport is Cafรฉ Bistro Blas @ Fronlas who are a huge supporter of Welsh food and drink but struggled to get the quality of bread they needed in the quantity that they required. So rather than be adverse to work with the โoppositionโ they are working with another cafรฉ, Crwst in Cardigan who also produce a lot of their own products, bread included. Crwst has recently expanded, taking on the cafรฉ at Poppit Sands Pembrokeshire where they wanted ice cream. Not just any ice cream but a quality Welsh ice cream with some of their own ingredients included. Once again they approached another cafรฉ owner, Contiโs from Lampeter Ceredigion who now produce a Crwst Salted Caramel ice cream as just one of the new innovative flavours.
Conti’s Ice Cream
It is good to see businesses working together promoting each other even if they are in the same type of business.
Condessa Liqueurs, who pre pandemic, were attending over 300 shows a year obviously had to change their business model very quickly. Like so many other businesses, they turned to online sales but also, looking to the future, to the tourism trade, changing their trading name in the process to Anglesey Spirit Company. Based in Llanfaethlu, Anglesey, they have created a distillery, coffee shop and deli, working with the likes of Blaenafon Cheddar & Welsh Lady Preserves. But their true co-operative venture is with another Anglesey business Melin Llynon, who produce the Siocled chocolate brand. Well yes, chocolate & alcohol does go together, so Siocled Liqueur was developed, but even better Condessa now use this liqueur in some of their cocktails served at the distillery / cafรฉ.
Condessa Liqueurs distillery/cafรฉ.
Some businesses have done well over the past year, many others have not. The reasoning behind this is very much dependant on the individual business, its structure & financial position. The future remains uncertain for us all but maybe working together across Welsh food and drink will last, grow and be better for producers and more importantly the customers.
Covid-19 has had a huge impact across Wales and businesses are no exception and as we are all well aware uncertainty in the food market is the enemy.
Globalised supply chains have in the past produced advantages in terms of costs and availability of products for 12 months of the year. Our grandparents never even thought about buying Strawberries for Christmas Day! They just rolled with the seasons.
Covid has had a huge effect on this business model and no, we cannot go back to the food and drink supply of the 19th Century, but things have changed over the last twelve months and โnormalโ will not be the โnormalโ we knew for years or even decades.
We live in a world of heightened uncertainty in our lives as well as those people/families that run businesses. So resilience and agility of food and drink producers has never been more important.ย
Indeed businesses are being more adaptable, adopting different and more flexible sourcing methods and also different distribution and sales streams. Welsh Country has spoken to some companies that have altered the way they do business, some established, some new, but without exception they demonstrate excellent qualities to adapt and keep us supplied with the most wonderful Welsh food and drink.
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FFa Da
FFa Da are a speciality hand roasting coffee company in Llandanwg , Harlech. Sioned Williams of Ffa Da commented:
โWe believe in delivering good quality Arabica coffee beans to our coffee lovers. Ffa Da (Good Beans) by name and โGood Beansโ by nature, we have a strong eco ethos and believe this is the way all new businesses should begin their journeys. We feel passionately about reusing, reducing and recycling! We are mindful of the environmental impact of production and waste, we have carefully considered our packaging in the development of Ffa Da.
The coffee beans are roasted in small batches to meet demand, this ensures quality and freshness is maintained. We do not have surplus roasted coffee beans sitting in our roastery, we are all about the freshness. We roast at the end of each week and will post our coffee orders out on a Monday. We roast to order to guarantee our business model is maintained and our aim of producing high quality freshly roasted coffee beans, which is what you are guaranteed to receive.โ
Ffa Daโs commitment to minimising waste and maximising quality is obvious and is shared by another coffee roaster on the opposite side of Wales, Black Mountain Roast in Hay on Wye.
Using technology, Glyn from Black Mountain Roast said:
โWe select the best beans from around the world and roast them here on our state of the art Probat roasting machine.
We work to optimize the taste by developing specific roasting profiles in our ancient barn.ย ย
Alongside sourcing the best bean and our unique roasting profiles, all orders are roasted in small batch to order resulting in delicious freshly roasted Welsh coffee.
We offer single origin coffee and have unique blends.ย ย
During the lockdowns our small online coffee orders have been our saviour and has grown 500%.โย
As with all food and drink companies Glyn is also looking forward to the opening up of the hospitality sector but also wants to maximise their coffee quality with training saying:
โAs things open we are particularly looking to work with coffee shops, restaurants, delis and farm shops who love great coffee. We are able to help with staff training, coffee machine and all things coffee.โ
As can be seen by both those businesses is that mail order has been adopted by a huge number of people and businesses alike. In some aspects this change of sales direction will be a feature that remains for some indeterminable time in the future. Some businesses such as Ammanford based Y Gegin Maldod have developed letterbox confectionery.
Business owner Louise Waring explains of her business:
โY Gegin Maldod are known for their unique and classic fudge flavours, including Welsh Cake Fudge and Sea Salted Caramel Fudge (made with Welsh sea salt). The range also boasts some more unique flavours, like the dark chocolate and chipotle ‘Y Ddraig Goch’ and the peppermint ‘Coal House’ fudge (a nod to Ammanfordโs mining history).
Y Gegin Maldod began in April last year, selling bags and mailer boxes of fudge direct to customers and local retailers. By the later stages of 2020, it became apparent that the letterbox fudge collections were the most popular product.โ
So Louise has now chosen to focus the business on direct to customer sales.
โReaching customers and expanding our market has proven challenging without the ability to attend real-world food fairs. However, with many virtual food fairs now in full swing and access to social media, we all have customers available to us.โ
ย Louise believes that online marketing is not the only reason Y Gegin Maldod has seen a boost in sales though,
โOur fudge selection boxes are small enough to post through letterboxes, limiting face-to-face contact and eliminating the risk of our delicious fudge being left outside in the rain. Theyโve been our best seller since we began. Our customers love that they can include personalised greetings for no extra charge. Free delivery is a massive draw too.โ
As can be seen mail order is a major factor to business survival and in some cases growth.
Returning to north Wales in Denbighshire, Katherine Wilding describes her small family company and products.
โAngel Feathers is a small family company based on the slopes of Moel Famau, making small batch, seasonal fruit spirits using home grown produce from our small holding.
Before the pandemic hit, Angel Feathers had been trading for only six months, selling our boutique artisan gin and vodka to independent shops, pubs, and restaurants. Most of our outlets closed at the beginning of the pandemic and have either remained closed or have had a drastic reduction in footfall.
We had to adapt quickly, so we applied for licence to sell online, which is not a speedy process. We already had a small online presence, so we spent time growing this and using social media channels to allow our spirits to be sold throughout the UK. We have been able to keep our business going in this small way.
Although we sell all over the UK, it has been heart-warming to see the number of orders that have come through from locals and from other customers across Wales.โ
The pandemic has brought many aspects of community to the fore and Angel Feathers also joined that movement.
โMore recently we have partnered with St Kentigernโs Hospice, a local charity in St Asaph, Denbighshire. With their doors still closed we are only able to support them by donating from the online sales of our Rhubarb and Blackcurrant gin, but we hope that soon we will be able to support the charity even more by hosting gin tasting events and cocktail evenings.โ
Over the past twelve months many businesses have had time to reflect, time to think longer term for the business Katherine of Angel Feathers commented โWe have used the quieter times over the last twelve months to rebrand and to develop some new products and collaborations, which we hope to be able to introduce when more businesses are open and trading again.โ
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Magic Dragon
Another business that has had time to reflect, time to plan, time to expand ranges is Magic Dragon again based in north east Wales at Eyton, Wrexham.ย
Brewing has been particularly hard hit as obviously much of their past sales was via public houses or restaurants.
Liz Lever tells the Magic Dragon brewing story:
โAs well as doing home deliveries of real ale in mini kegs and bottles, the brewery has produced two new beers.
‘Lockdown’ is a craft lager based on the old cream ale originally brewed by Welsh brewers in pre-prohibition America. The picture on the front of the bottle is of Charles Street, Wrexham where the breweryโs Tap Bar is located.โ
Richard Lever, Head Brewer said:
โHaving a reduction in brewing has meant that I could take the time in developing a craft lager, a first for Magic Dragon Brewing. But it has been hard work to survive through this lockdown and we have changed focus to supply more beer direct to the customer instead of pubs and bars. We really appreciate our loyal customers who have ordered from us over last few monthsโ
The second bottled beer is ‘Lost Summer’, an IPA made with American hops and Welsh water. The beer is a homage to the Californian beer you might be have been drinking on holiday, if it were not for the Covid-19 outbreak.
The beers are available direct from the brewery with local free delivery and on the website with delivery nationally.โ
Tenby Brewing has very much the same sentiment as Rob Faulkner, tells Welsh Country:
โThe Covid-19 pandemic has seen huge challenges for small brewers like ourselves, along with the hospitality and retail sector. Pre-pandemic the vast majority of our revenue was generated through wholesale supply of our award winning beers to pubs, bars and restaurants all over Wales and the UK. We were forced to adapt quickly and focus on getting our products direct to our customers and have seen huge growth in online sale. While the last 12 months have been extremely challenging there does seem to be ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ and we can’t wait to see all our loyal trade customers back trading so our beers can be enjoyed in fantastic pubs and bars across the country again!โ
In our introduction flexibility and being adaptable was highlighted as two traits that are generally desirable but during a pandemic vital.
Juniperl the soft drink is crafted from real Gin botanicals, as they say, a delicious way to enjoy a grown up drink, hangover free.
Rebecca tells us their story:
โWe actually launched Juniperl in October 2020, just as the dreaded second wave was starting to hit the nation.
We were planning a launch party to get some buzz around the brand and for people to sample our non-alcoholic spirit, Juniperl. This obviously wasnโt going to happen and with pubs and restaurants shutting, we instead launched through social media, Amazon and our own website.
I guess we were quite lucky in a way that our branding is designed to be fun and appealing to Millennials โ something that is translating well online. So our efforts up till now remain pushing the brand online, where we had a brilliant โDry Januaryโ Sales month. Launching a product through Covid has forced us to be more resourceful and flexible than we probably would have been otherwise.
We cannot wait for the on-trade to reopen. Itโs one thing selling a bottle to a customer for them to drink at home, but another to be able to introduce exciting booze-free cocktails that can rival any alcoholic drink. Our message from day one has been to make not-drinking fun.โ
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Forage Farm Shop
Another new business that has demonstrated incredible adaptation and flexibility despite being part of a very long established and very traditional business type. Katherine Homfray gives Welsh Country an interesting on going story of Forage and her introduction says it all…
Weathering the Storm and Planning for Post-Pandemic Life: How Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen launched in 2020, and their plans for life after Covid
It has been a rollercoaster first year for Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen, a new farm shop and restaurant just outside Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan. Despite constant, pandemic-related interruptions and restrictions, the team behind this new business have met the challenge head on, face down into the wind โ as resilience and creativity have not been in short supply.
Launched online in March 2020, with the physical premises opening in June last year, the business has grown quickly and beyond all expectations while maintaining its core philosophy: to offer high quality, locally sourced, seasonal food in a beautiful setting.
โThere is a strong desire for the business to be embedded within the local community, with customers feeling a sense of engagement and pride. This has been the objective since Day 1 โ hence our slogan โEat Well, Eat Welshโโ, says the young General Manager, Damien Burnell.ย
With the shop and restaurant originally due to open on 9th April 2020, the first objective was to come up with a plan that enabled employees to be retained while generating some revenue to cover operational costs. A decision was made to delay the official opening and, instead, pivot towards an online click & collect / delivery model, supplying fresh meat and veg from Penllyn Estate Farm (of which Forage is part). All photography was done in-house, and a local web designer helped create an online shop. Staff packed boxes, liaised with customers, sourced materials โ the service yard was abuzz with (socially distanced) activity.
โOur first meat boxes were available for collection from 24th March last yearโ says Damien. โAs demand grew, we expanded to provide a more rounded offering, including dairy products, our own eggs, and bread and cakes – all from local suppliersโ.
Key to that early establishment, and fundamental to driving footfall throughout the last year, was a successful online marketing campaign. A member of the management team did an online course focussing on social media, and the business quickly built a loyal and growing following, with approximately 8,500 followers on Facebook and Instagram already.
โWe aim to inform and engage with our audience, promoting local produce, providing weekly butchery offers, explaining best farming practises and sharing recipes,โ says Katherine Homfray, part of the farming family that owns the business. โOur customers like to understand where their food comes from, they see the story behind it as a mark of qualityโ, says Katherine. โThe modern consumer is well informed and discerning; we enjoy an open dialogue with our followers, telling them about the farm and how we are trying to do things in the right wayโ.
โThere have been so many twists and turns over the last year, itโs been exhaustingโ, says Tom Homfray, Katherineโs husband and one of the farm managers.
โThe last 9 months have gone by in a blizzard of one-way systems, socially distanced queues, floor markings and face masks. We canโt wait to be able to trade under normalised conditionsโ.
But some interesting things have come out of the pandemic. The management at Forage had not incorporated a takeaway offering into their original business plan, nor had they planned on doing an online shop from the outset. Having seen the demand over the last 9 months, both of these will now be retained. The takeaway element is being developed further with a newly, purpose-built kiosk to respond to the demand for speedy service, outdoor dining and to account for long-term changes in consumer habits.
โWe all have to accept that life will not go back to pre-pandemic normality, whatever that wasโ, says Tom. โA bit of nervousness will remain, and habits developed during this last year will influence how people shop and dine out. While we are looking forward to having a full restaurant again, we want all of our customers to enjoy Forage โ whether visiting us in person or ordering onlineโ.
All these business updates and news prove that Welsh Food and Drink is maintaining its quality because so many businesses have weathered the pandemic storm. We still cannot hold food festivals and shows where we can meet these producers in person, but we can enjoy their produce at home. But we also like so many here, look forward to the day that hospitality is fully open and when we can have more opportunity to try buy and enjoy delicious Welsh Food and Drink.
While this yearโs St Davidโs Day (1 March) will be a very different occasion to the norm, the Welsh Governmentโs Food Division has nevertheless been busily collaborating with a host of organisations as it promotes the nationโs award-winning produce on a global scale.
Leading the charge in showcasing the best that Wales has to offer will be celebrity chef Bryn Williams, who will be hosting a โcook-alongโ packed with tasty Welsh produce as part of a 72-hour digital festival that will be taking place across online channels as the celebrations are taken to a global audience.
In addition, almost 100 producers and retailers across the country are taking part in a digital drive to raise awareness of the food and drink that Wales has to offer under the #LoveWalesLoveTaste #CaruCymruCaruBlas banner, which builds on a campaign launched last summer to encourage consumers to support Welsh food and drink producers during the current difficult climate.
Lamb Cutlets
Pembrokeshire, Blas y Tir hasselback potatoes
Welsh grown cockles_mussels, bacon & sampphire
As part of this, almost 20 new recipes have been launched that challenge the accepted orthodoxy of what constitutes a traditional Welsh meal. Those who think that Welsh food and drink is about Welsh cakes and cawl should think again, with the modern Welsh foodie able to enjoy feasts including cockles, mussels, bacon and samphire in cider or finger-licking lamb with laverbread and herbs.
Meanwhile, on the international stage organisations such as Wales Week London and Wales Week Worldwide have taken their usual events online due to the current restrictions, and will play host to a series of cookery demonstrations, talks and competitions as the very best of Welsh food and drink is showcased to a global audience.
Commenting on the wide range of activities taking place in spite of the difficult circumstances, Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said:
โIt is more important than ever this St Davidโs Day that we continue to support Welsh food and drink businesses as many have faced tremendously difficult challenges over the past year or so.
โIโm delighted to see such a broad range of different activities taking place to promote our thriving industry, and it really is testament to its strength and vibrancy that we can put on such a celebration despite the current situation.ย
โWe have a long and proud tradition of producing outstanding food and drink, with an abundance of natural resources and food ingredients, and a concerted focus on developing new technologies and innovation in food production.โ
The activity is hot on the heels of the launch last week of a strategic vision for the industry to becoming a leading light in producing sustainable food and drink.
Working closely with the industry, Welsh Governmentโs vision seeks to place sustainable practices at the heart of the industryโs post-Covid recovery. Focusing on areas such as growth and productivity, environmental impact, fair work and raising standards throughout, by working collaboratively it is hoped that government and industry can create one of the most environmentally and socially responsible supply chains in the world.
The announcement comes following extensive preparation work that has been ongoing in recent years to build the foundation blocks for the โgreen shootsโ strategic vision emerging out of the joint disruption caused by Brexit and Covid-19.
COVID-19 made 2020 a pretty miserable year for most but Welsh Country wants to look forward to 2021 and beyond and celebrate those businesses that have not only survived 2020 but diversified and expanded. We look at six businesses across Wales, all from very different perspectives and backgrounds, some businesses having been around for generations others recent start-ups. What it does prove though is how wonderful Welsh Food and Drink is, how accessible it is for all of us and how buying local can be a delight and pleasure. Relish reading about these successes, but please go out and remember to buy and eat local food and drink yourself โ just enjoy!ย ย ย
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Forage Farm Shop, Cardiff
Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen opened at the Penllyn Estate Farm, just off the A48 near Cowbridge at the end of June.
Penllyn Castle Estate has history being purchased in 1846 for ยฃ18,000 by John Homfray. Although the castle itself is now privately owned, the estate remains in ownership of the Homfray family.
As with any estate, the management and business has to move forward to survive and the new farm shop is a first class demonstration of that. Residing in a beautiful new building which has been clad in Siberian Larch and designed so that it blends into the surrounding landscape.
As this is written and published, Wales remains in lockdown, so although one can visit to buy their produce, enjoyment of the incredible stunning views over the Thaw Valley and the delicious food and drink available form their cafรฉ will have to wait for another day. To cater for that day there is plenty of free parking alongside the farm shop and a recently planted truffle orchard.
Managing partner Tom Homfray commented:
โLaunching our new farm shop and restaurant, Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen, in the middle of a global pandemic could have been a disaster. However, when we look back at the last six months, there is a huge amount to feel positive about.
Prior to opening in June, we were confident that there was an appetite in the area for a food shop and restaurant built around high quality, locally sourced produce. Nevertheless, we have been surprised by how engaged many of our customers are regarding the stories behind the products. There is a genuine and profound interest in key issues such as sustainable farming and animal welfare. For many of our customers, how their food has been produced, its journey from farm to fork, is a key factor when assessing quality. That interest is something that we are all too keen to encourage, with many of the goods sold in our shop – the meat, vegetables, eggs, honey and rapeseed oil sold – produced to the highest standards on the adjoining farm, Penllyn Estate.
We see the consumer shift towards โshopping localโ as something that will continue, with the two major crises of our times – the pandemic and climate change – having accelerated the trend. People want to make sustainable choices without compromising on quality, and one of the best ways to achieve that is to purchase food that has been produced responsibly and not travelled hundreds of miles to the shelf. However, the fly in the ointment is Brexit, which remains a major concern. Behind Forage are a number of local farms that observe the highest animal welfare and agricultural standards. As a result, the costs of production are high, with retail prices, in turn, reflecting best practice and superior quality. We can only hope that, regardless of any trade deals that are agreed going forward, the British public remains discerning and continues to support local producers. In the meantime, here at Forage we will carry on selling and serving food of the highest standard.โ
Importantly customer service is at the heart of the business and customers are encouraged to talk to the staff, the in house butcher the chef about anything sold, be that recipes, methods of cooking or traceability.
But in the meantime there is an online shop and delivery available.
Starting from her home kitchen, Nerys has worked exceptionally hard and in creating a team around her that now her brownie manufacture is in a purpose built unit at the back of the Cardigan High Street shop. But not satisfied with that Nerys has during the time of COVID-19, expanded opening another retail unit in Newcastle Emlyn.ย
One important element of the growth of Cardigan Bay Brownies has been the mail order service from their own e commerce website. As can be seen from the many Red Boxes being despatched via Royal Mail for customers wanting brownie deliciousness as gifts or just to make their Christmas celebrations that much more scrumptious.
As with all expansion plans things go wrong and Neryโs told her loyal customers and her potential new ones.ย
โJust a short message about our second shop in Newcastle Emlyn. We were meant to open this Saturday, but due to many factors working against us, we have had to postpone this to next week now. Sorry for any inconvenience. We cannot wait to get it up and running so we will let you know on here (Facebook) next week – it wonโt be long until all systems are go – so exciting! We are merely waiting for the delivery of our display units and various other essential items so will keep you posted. Thanks for understandingโ
Maybe it was the anticipation, but the opening day of the Newcastle Emlyn shop, despite completely restocking the brownie deliciousness, was a sell-out. Obviously this was followed by a very long night making more brownies to restock for the next day. But this was very much selling like hot cakes literally.
Nerys as always though takes the time to thank and appreciate all of her staff and tradespeople who helped in putting the new shop together.ย
In normal years Condessa and Celtic Spirit would have trade stands at many of the food festivals and bigger shows across the whole of the UK. Professionally staffed by Sally Anne and husband Matt with Mattโs mother often manning the second stand if they have two at the same event the family create a theatre of tasting delectable Welsh Liqueurs and Spirits. From their home base in Holyhead the number of local events can be counted on one hand.
Often on the first day of a show ask them what time they arrived and it is not at all unusual to hear the reply โaround 2.00am after travelling overnightโ from yet another show.
What a different year 2020 has been but have they taken a rest? Of course not!
No rest at all as they launched the Copper Pot Shop and Distillery. This was a long time ambition of Sally Anneโs parents who ran the company before she and Matt took charge.
As Sally commented:
โItโs been a very long journey to get this far but finally we can revel our little secret. Meet ‘Mr Copper Pot’ who lives in our brand new distillery in Llanfaethlu!!โ
This is not just a distillery where you can try and taste the very quaffable offerings of Condessa Liqueurs or Celtic Spirit, but this December they also opened within the premises a Christmas Food and Hamper Shop. The Copper Pot Shop will continue with a selection of deliciousness from Wales going into the future.
Anne-Marie Harries of award-winning preserve company Farmers Food at Home has been busy during the pandemic. Not one to rest on her laurels, the first thing Anne-Marie did when Wales went into lockdown last March was to look at what else she could offer by means of essential products to help keep her customers fed and well. Anne-Marie already had an e-commerce website where she sold her jams, chutneys, and famous chilli hampers, but as trade events and food fairs started being cancelled, Anne-Marie enlisted the help of Pembrokeshire-based company The Copy Collective to help her increase sales via her website to bridge the gap. Using a combination of targeted social media campaigns and a refresh of her online content, including optimisation for search engines, Anne-Marie’s online audience as well as her sales began to grow. She had been worried that Christmas, one of her busiest and most profitable times of the year, would be hit hard by the pandemic. However as the online sales increased, this allowed the ever-entrepreneurial Anne-Marie to focus on an additional venture: opening a farm shop, which opened its doors at the beginning of December. The new Paddock Farm Shop opened on Anne-Marie’s property allowing her to provide fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, cakes, eggs, essential goods as well as some treats along with her tasty preserves to the local community during COVID-19 uncertain times. This included preparing veg boxes for collection as well as furnishing her customers with all the trimmings for their Christmas dinners! Her customers are fortunate to have access through the online shop and the farm shop to nutritious, tasty, healthy food to keep them all going through the winter and beyond.
In upping her online game, Anne-Marie has not only managed to stay afloat as a small business owner during the pandemic, but her business has flourished and her online audience has grown rapidly.ย In turn, this audience is now her new face-to-face customer base for the farm shop – from making jam at home to using digital marketing to create a valuable shopfront for both the business and the community.
To view Farmers Food at Home’s online shop or for more details about The Paddock Farm Shop opening times, visit: www.farmersfoodathome.co.uk.
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Black Mountains Preserves, Talgarth, Powys
Nearly every new or expanding business has issues through its infancy and this was so true after Helen Dunne was made redundant from her job in advertising in 2019.
At her home there was a Victorian greenhouse in need of conversion and what better that to create a bed and breakfast business. So 2020 was to be the first full season of Helenโs Tegfan Garden Suite, that was until COVID-19 put pay to all those plans and aspirations.
As ever with those that work for themselves you do not duck the inevitable hurdles, but strive to find a way around them. With the few visitors that Helen had hosted at Tegfan all had loved her homemade jams and preserves.
So Helen then decided that maybe she could make a business out of jams and preserves. Her previous feedback told her that the product was good and the Bakers Table within Talgarth Mill agreed with her and started selling them. But, with lockdown in full force the number of potential outlets she could try to sell to was to say limited especially those that wanted to take on new untested ranges of products at this time.
As ever Helen dealt with the next series of hurdles as she had done with those before with contempt and determination.
The one area that did not lock down during 2020 was the internet and social media. Facebook was the social media choice for Helen, but two annual marketing times had already been missed, Easter and Motherโs Day. But with Fatherโs Day still in the future she decided to make a special effort to create a market for her preserves for Fatherโs Day when sales zoomed.
The year flew by and the next step was Helenโs own Black Mountains Preserves website and online shop which she launched at the end of October to great acclaim.
Already using fresh seasonal ingredients from as near her home as possible the bigger ideas of sustainability and cooperation came to the fore.
With sustainable & recyclable packaging Helen went one step more by creating a loyalty scheme if customers recycle their Black Mountains glass jars with her.ย
All of this was done firstly with the cooperation with local businesses creating the website and also designing the branding. But Helen has again taken this cooperation the extra mile creating partnerships with other food producers namely The Blaenafon Cheddar Company, Cradocโs Savoury Biscuits, The Mallow Tailor and Tames Treats. This creates a perfect mix of artisan products from small businesses within the Brecon Beacons National Park which has helped create a Gift Hamper range for Christmas 2020 and into the future.
Over the period of COVID-19, one thing has become very obvious that buying local is here to stay and that in a large part is due to the many brilliant independent retailers that are so often overlooked but during this COVID-19 crisis have come into their own. ย
So now Black Mountains Preserves can be found on the shelves of some excellent local retailers, obviously including the Bakers Table in Talgarth, but also Pughs and Castle Grocers in Hay, The Old Railway Garden Centre, The Gate Shop in Bwlch, Camden Stores in Brecon and La Patisserie in Llandovery where there are jars and gift sets are suitable for all budgets and tastes.
Over 100 drinks producers in Wales are coming together to create the first ever โMake It A Welsh Drinks Christmasโ event to showcase the quality and diversity of Welsh drinks produced across the country ahead of the festive season.
Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas is being co-ordinated by the Welsh Drinks Cluster and consumers will see an abundance of activity across the campaign – from events to competitions – all hosted by Welsh drinks producers from every sector, including wine, beer, cider, spirits, water, soft drinks, health drinks, tea and coffee.ย
The campaignโs website is set to launch on Monday 9th November and the festivities begin from 23rd November, with a range of online events hosted by drinks producers from across Wales. Through virtual tastings, online tours and meet the expert sessions, each event will give consumers insights into the industry and specific businesses, including the chance to discover more about the best Welsh drinks products available to buy ahead of Christmas and the New Year period.
Events already confirmed include tasting sessions from Colwyn Bay based brewery Snowdown Craft Beer, Machynlleth gin firm Dyfi Distillery and Anglesey wine producer Red Wharf Bay Vineyard. Live workshops will be hosted by kombucha producer Absorb Health on festive whole foods and fermented drinks, while Cardiff Distillery’s mixologists will be creating delicious cocktails for attendees to follow and make themselves.ย
Consumers will be able to find their local drinks producers from all corners of Wales using the interactive maps on the website. Using the maps, consumers can then click through to the producersโ websites to buy directly from them. There will also be competitions and industry reviews to complement the events calendar.
The Welsh Drinks Cluster, funded by Welsh Government, works in partnership with drinks businesses, retailers and wholesalers to create a thriving and developing Welsh drinks sector comprising of innovative and energetic producers of distinctive high-quality drinks. It is launching the Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas event to support producers who have seen a decline in on-trade and hospitality sales this year ahead of what should be one of the busiest times of the year for drinks producers.ย ย
Consumers will have access to exclusive competitions on the dedicated Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas website. Drinks producers hosting tasting events will release information on the products being showcased in advance of their event, with attendees encouraged to buy a bottle beforehand to sample during the tasting event to be part of the experience.ย
Food & Drink Wales Industry Board drinks representative, Norma Barry, said: โWith people across the world still continuing to fight the coronavirus pandemic, we know this yearโs Christmas will look very different to normal. The burgeoning and internationally respected Welsh drinks industry has felt the impact of coronavirus with less tourism meaning a decline in cellar door sales, and hospitality and on-trade sales equally taking a hit.
โDespite the challenges facing them this year, Welsh drinks producers in every sector have been working harder than ever to make premium quality produce. The aim of the Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas is to ensure that Welsh beverages play a part in peopleโs Christmas this year. Whether itโs to buy as a gift or drink during Christmas dinner, letโs support our independent Welsh drinks producers as the year draws to a close.โ
The Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas initiative hopes to drive awareness and increase visibility of all Welsh drinks producers, guiding consumers towards businesses on their doorsteps and across Wales.ย
Minister for Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:
โIn the face of many challenges during these unprecedented times, food and drink producers across Wales have continued to work, to protect jobs and create products that celebrate all that Wales has to offer. The launch of Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas is an opportunity for us all to support the ongoing resilience of our food and drinks sector.โ
The full events calendar for Make It A Welsh Drinks Christmas is due to be released in the following weeks on the official website http://www.welshdrinkschristmas.co.uk.
It will come as no surprise to my readers that I am still on my soapbox and I hope you will not be cross with my staying there!! As Wales continues trying to tackle the second wave of Covid-19 I am still on my mission to persuade you to support your local shops, be that in your local High Street or your corner shop. Apart from World War 2, few of us have lived through such tough times and if you are running a micro/small business your stress and worries are heightened to astronomical levels. Hence my ongoing plea to support your local shops, many of which have now taken on selling many Welsh food and drink products. Iโm sure though, this is down to some of you that have been shopping locally and you have asked the shop owner if these can be ordered for you. Any shop owner who knows and understands his/her own local market will do his/her best to order Welsh products if they know thereโs a demand for them.
I know producers who have taken this Covid crisis by the scruff of the neck and approached their local shops and garages to get their products stocked and quite often that has worked. Customers should never underestimate how important they are and certainly not in the context of shopping locally. Iโve always tried to shop locally but I appreciate that is because Iโm obsessed with Welsh food and drink! I do though always try to remember to say when paying, that I am here shopping so I can support you. I know not everyone will be bothered to do that, but I must say that to date, it is always appreciated! Local shopping means your money stays locally and allows your local shops to stay trading, which of course means a healthier local economy and also more local employment.
Kath Rhodes
Cheers Wine Merchants
Director Dafydd Morris explains the growth of their wine merchants:
Cheers Wine Merchants are a family owned, Independent business started by my father, Andrew Morris in 1983. Initially set up to supply the local area with good value for money, unique wines, we have now grown into a company with two retail shops, one in the Mumbles and one in Swansea and a wholesale business. We supply some of the finest restaurants, bars and wedding venues around the South Wales area and we have a website that supplies wine, beers and spirits to the entire UK. Our online sales of spirits and beers are dominated by local products.
The advantage of selling local products for us is that we get to know the producers and their process of production which means we can pass on their enthusiasm and knowledge to our customers, which ultimately means we can offer something different to a supermarket chain.
Our customers definitely seek out and appreciate the local products we sell. It has become such a part of our business that we now produce our own gin, sloe gin and rum which are all produced exclusively with a local distillery. Again these products are not only a good focus for our business but they offer something unique for our customers.
We never struggle to find or source locally produced products. We have many suppliers contacting us regularly and so long as we physically have the space for them, we normally stock them. Beers, cider, gin, vodka, rum and even local-ish wines make up a good percentage of our range now.
Their ethos is: Celebrating the local produce, character and natural beauty of North Wales
Since opening at Dylanโs Menai Bridge in 2012 we knew the area was crying out for local seafood. Building working relationships with local suppliers over the past 8 years has also earned us a reputation among our loyal customers for โCelebrating the local produce, character & natural beauty of North Wales, something we set out to do from day one.
By sourcing our produce locally, our chefs can prepare the freshest North Welsh produce – seafood from the Menai Strait and Llลทn Peninsula, lamb from Anglesey, beef from the award winning Edwards of Conwy – and our customers benefit from that in the quality of the meal on their plate.
Supporting local supply chains and ensuring money goes into the local economy and not out of it benefits both customer and producer. Itโs a win-win for the locality, something increasingly important in the present climate.
Our customers come back time and again for the provenance of the produce we use in our dishes. Whether it is local gin in the glass or line caught seabass on the plate, the praise and feedback we receive directly reflects the quality of the local Welsh food and drink on offer.
This support led us to create our own retail range of sauces pickles and preserves, using the condiments we made ourselves in the restaurants for our dishes and to go alongside them. Today, theyโre still made and bottled by our chefs on Anglesey, Ynys Mon, ready to be enjoyed at home. As we develop our own sauces, pickles and preserves for our dishes, if a product is not readily available, we do sometimes step in and create that ourselves. After approval from our customers, we often add it to the Dylanโs retail range. A fantastic example of this would be our Tartare Sauce & Pickled Samphire, which both earned Great Taste Awards this year.
Increasingly, thanks to the work of local groups, Food & Drink Wales and backed by customer demand, we have had less difficulty in sourcing our produce and beverages in recent years but we could definitely use some local Sushi-grade seaweed!
We love selling locally made food at our online shop for many reasons and have to use test-tasting as one of my jobs! It is very important to support local businesses especially during these uncertain times. It is also great for the environment with a low carbon footprint and Wales offers such a wonderful array of foods that not many people are aware of. There is also a rich history associated with many of our products, such as the scallop shelled Aberffraw biscuits which were created many centuries ago by Welsh pilgrims, but made fresh for our shop of course!
One of our best-selling gifts are our โFat Bottom Welsh Cakesโ made by Ben and his partner in Bancyfelin. He uses locally sourced ingredients including free range eggs, although many companies still use barn eggs! They are available in many flavours including a vegan version so everyone can enjoy them. Our customers also loved last yearโs Christmas hamper, stocked with โThe Best of Walesโ foods including Halen Mon sea salt and Little Welsh Company Chocolate. It made an interesting and delicious gift which we had great feedback from. I am now putting together this yearโs hamper.
There is such a variety of food and drink that we donโt struggle to source at all. Iโm pleased to say all our suppliers are doing well during Covid and are still in business which is perhaps due to online shopping. Our only hardship is keeping it stocked as it often sells like hot welsh cakes!
Emma Baravelli gives us an insight into their Conwy business:
For us the advantage of selling Welsh food and drink is that it has an excellent reputation which is why thousands of visitors come to Wales for the food and hospitality alone. Conwy especially has grown to be known for its food and drink and our visitors are telling us that is one reason that they return to Conwy again and again.
Our customers know that we make everything ourselves and so shop with us knowing that they can get premium quality chocolate that is not made anywhere else. Our years of knowledge means that the customer can enjoy in-depth conversations about chocolate with myself and Mark which adds to the trust they have in Baravelliโs.
Everything is made here on the premises which means we are therefore able to supply what our customers need, but also to drive their enthusiasm of wanting to try whatever is new. With well over 50 international awards under our belts they are more than confident in putting their trust in us.
Appearing on Channel 4 and 5 recently has also helped tremendously. We are always keen to promote Conwy as much as possible when we are televised and this has brought many new customers to visit not only to Baravelliโs, but Conwy as a whole.
Our customers know that we make products for some of the most famous names in London and often ask us if weโve any plans to open a shop down there. But for us, this is a magical country to live and work in and we love that we can still be on the international stage whilst working in the most beautiful part of the world.
Seafood Cluster Collaboration Creates New Customers
With support from Walesโ Seafood Cluster, seafood from West Wales is being served in East Wales thanks to a partnership between two food businesses. Torfaen restaurant wholesaler, Vin Sullivan Foods Ltd and Pembrokeshire seafood business Cardigan Bay Fish.
Blaenafon-based restaurant wholesaler, Vin Sullivan Foods Ltd, who lost 99% of their trade overnight, has turned to collaboration to work its way out of the Covid-19 crisis.
General Manager Chris Parker explain further,
โWeโve been working on ideas with Owen at the Seafood Cluster and they have provided us with initial packaging and Welsh Seafood signage for our delivery vans. The home deliveries took off and now with restaurants re-opening, we are selling three times the amount of Welsh lobster and crab as we had done previouslyโ.
Chris has created an online shop – The Fish Shack – and orders have also come in via social media, email and telephone. Through The Fish Shackโs van, Chris and his team have always provided a valuable service to many retired and elderly people via the local weekly food markets such as Abergavenny, Pontypool, and Newport.
Owners Len and Mandy Walters are no strangers to collaboration as they are involved in a number of initiatives to highlight the Welsh seafood industry and the quality and abundance of the catch.
Len and their son Aaron, fish all year-round for a variety of fish and shellfish. Their award-winning St Dogmaels-based enterprise is also a stalwart of local produce markets, with customers eager to purchase dishes created by Mandy, such as potted crab and mackerel pรขtรฉ.
Said Mandy,
โWeโve known Chris at Vin Sullivan for a while and we were happy to join their new venture. Now, they visit us weekly for our live lobster and crab, as well as our potted crab and mackerel pรขtรฉ. Being part of the Cluster has helped our business and enabled us to build on our relationship with Vin Sullivan. It is good that more Welsh seafood is staying in Wales, and is being sold in the home market.โ
Myddfai is a small rural village and community on the western edge of the Brecon Beacons; it was an important centre of herbal medicine as long ago as the 12th century. Steeped in the Welsh history and legend of the โPhysicians of Myddfaiโ the community has developed a new state of the art facility that operates as a community centre, an award winning tourist destination and events venue.
Our Farmersโ Market which attracts high quality local suppliers takes place on the last Sunday of each month and is well worth a visit. The Centre has gone from strength to strength and attracts visitors from all around the world. You will find a warm welcome and quality local produce used to make the delicious food in our cafรฉ, where we support local businesses, suppliers & farmers, who in turn support us. Our customers love to try produce they canโt buy in the supermarket. Our shop also stocks a wide range of Myddfai branded and local artisan crafts and art.
Myddfai is proving how a small community can regenerate itself both socially and economically and offers an authentic welcome, beautiful landscape, fascinating history and a wonderful venue for all. Visit:myddfai.org or call 01550 720449
Blas ar Fwyd
Since the company started 32 years ago from a small kitchen, it has grown into one of Walesโ renowned wholesale distribution services to retail, hospitality and general public. Our range of services have grown to include wholesale, retail, home delivery, bespoke event catering, delicatessen and cafรฉ bar. Our Welsh Food Hub has a wide variety of Welsh produce that has come directly from the producers with the help of goats, sheep and cows grazing naturally and freely on the hills of the Welsh uplands. Our wines come from independent wine growers throughout Wales and specialised vineyards throughout the world, imported especially for Blas ar Fwyd. We also manufacture, in our Salsa approved kitchens, a range of award winning soups, salads, desserts, preserves, dressings and bakery goods which have scooped 47 Great Taste Awards.
Selling Welsh food & drink allows the company to become part of a community, one big family. You get to know people and what they want and with this knowledge, you can source the best Welsh food and drink products to bring to them, quite literally – to their door with our dedicated fleet of chiller vans offering a delivery service. Many elderly local people in the community find it difficult to get out, either because of difficulties walking, rurality of location or due to keeping safe through self-isolation, so our delivery service has proved to be a vital service to them.
Being part of a community means you gain a certain element of trust, which turns to customer loyalty. The company has a responsibility to be able to source the best Welsh food and drink to offer the community and wider counties, and in return the community responds by supporting our business. This extends through the shops and restaurants and helps grow the business to sustain longevity and diversity while helping the producers in Wales. Over time this need to source the best develops into a passion that you want to share with others throughout Wales and beyond!
Siop y Pentre, Llanrhaeadr is based in the Vale of Clwyd between Ruthin and Denbigh. Itโs a busy little shop that provides a post office, newsagent, off licence and a convenience store serving fresh fruit and veg. The shop has been offering a local delivery service and a click and collect service through our website. Siop y Pentre is a treasure trove when it comes to buying local and Welsh produce – from local butcher fayre to ice cream, chocolate and even coffee and wine, chutneys, jams and cheese. Welsh hampers are our speciality and thereโs no shortage of beautifully presented products bursting with flavour and originality to fill them with.
At the beginning of the pandemic it was the local suppliers that stepped up to the mark and we were never short on stock on essentials like bread, meat, fruit and veg and milk, importantly sourced from local Welsh producers. For our shop it was business as usual thanks to them, but interestingly we really struggled for stock and customer service from our mainstream suppliers!
We are so proud to be selling such top quality and interesting local produce and know that thatโs where we stand out from the supermarkets. Not only are we supporting the local economy but we are also giving our customers a reason to visit us for something extra special.
We are so passionate about our Welsh food and drink that we are selling our products nationally and internationally on our website: welshfood.co.uk.
The great advantage of selling locally produced food and drink, is actually knowing on a personal level, the producer. I quite often have the producers in my deli in Colwyn Bay to chat with the customers, allow them to try the products, ask questions, make suggestions and generally just be able to know what goes into producing good quality local food and drink.
I find my customers really appreciate the opportunity, to be able to support our local businesses, at the same time as enjoying good quality products and knowing who has been involved in the making of it, something we canโt do with mass produced, imported goods.
Christmas is coming and we can use it to support our Welsh producers. Imagine sitting down to Christmas lunch and it has all being produced within miles of your table. Give gift hampers of local tasty goodies, which we can make to order, just try something new and discover what real flavour is.
We have so many great producers in Wales that it doesnโt need hard work to find them. Local producers are always happy to share information of other producers in our area, spreading the love of Welsh food and drink…#CaruCymruCaruBlas…
I make no apology for continuing my message to you asking for your continued support for our Welsh food and drink producers and to encourage, well actually Iโm pleading with you โ to support your local shops and buy Welsh produce from your local High Street. These local shops have done a sterling job during the Covid-19 crisis and it certainly hasnโt been easy for them and they really need your support so their businesses can thrive. Ever the optimist I believe High Streets can survive but only if you keep shopping there! I am not totally anti-supermarkets but I am without a doubt much more pro Welsh food and drink. If I could get more Welsh supermarkets stocking our Welsh produce Iโd be much happier, but as I havenโt got a magic wand to achieve that then I must rely on you dear readers to not neglect your High Street and some councils are still offering free parking. Free parking is another bee in my bonnet as it were, I believe it should either be free or a nominal fee all day so people arenโt panicking and checking their watches to rush back to their cars. But make the most of this free parking because I can promise you it will not last for ever!
As always over the lockdown period weโve been talking to many producers and really do think it is important that their stories are shared with you. Iโm so impressed with how many of them have found either different avenues for their businesses or have simply thought through carefully how they can keep serving their customers โ safely. But if it is not possible for you to visit your High Street then please look online as I think I can safely say that all Welsh producers have improved their websites and got good mail order systems in place.
Kath Rhodes
The Grate Cheese Deli
Owner Cheryl Parry explains:
Wow, where do I begin? What a crazy 5 months we have had, a rollercoaster of emotions and changes. Now lockdown has eased weโve more changes are taking place daily.
Customers are returning to the High St, in Colywyn Bay thereโs more footfall than before lockdown if I’m honest, as people are keen to ‘shop local’ and support the traders that helped them through the tough times we had.
It’s ‘Grate’ to be so busy in The Grate Cheese Deli! I had missed the customer interaction, and being able to let my customers try before they buy……cheese definitely needs trying first. The joyful look on faces, when they try an artisan cheese, is what I’ve really missed!!! I still only allow one person or ‘bubble’ in the shop at any one time and so far this hasn’t caused any issues. There are benches outside for people to sit and wait but I may have to re think when the weather changes, but if the past 5 months have taught me anything, it’s that I’m adaptable!!
My husband has returned to work, which only allows us to deliver one day a week now, but thankfully, with less people isolating, we can still fit everyone in. It’s been lovely to meet the customers I only knew from the end of the phone when they placed their orders for delivery, but most of them now come in on their old delivery day!!
Thankfully tourism is back up and running now and I have noticed a huge increase in holidaymakers from the UK who are staying and shopping in the area.
The community spirit is definitely on the up as Seaview Road in Colwyn Bay, before lockdown, had quite a few empty shops. Now they are all full and with the market back up and running on a Tuesday and Saturday, things can only get better.
We were unable to celebrate our first birthday here in June, so I’m really looking forward to organising another open day, when it is safe to do so, where people can meet some of our producers and suppliers and try lots of tasty samples.
Hafod Bakery
Company owner Pinel Raval gives us an update:
Since restrictions on lockdown have been loosened itโs been all change for us at the bakery again. Some shops have re-opened, restaurants and cafรฉs with outdoor seating have been able to serve food outside, but of course only if itโs not raining! B&Bโs have also been given the OK to re-open allowing Welsh tourism to begin again.
This felt almost like it happened overnight! So many of our customers were unsure whether or not to re-open for various reasons so we werenโt sure how many of our customers were planning on opening and most were now operating from home, so we had no way of contacting everyone to get an idea of how many customers we needed to supply once restricted were lifted. So, one day, all of a sudden, the phones started lighting up with orders from our customers who were re-opening, and we had inquiries from some new customers too.
Luckily, since we bake to order fresh every day, we were able to quickly change our plans so we didn’t let our customers down, as they already had enough to worry about trying to re-open and adapt to all the new guidelines. So, we redirected our vans and multiplied our recipe quantities to account for the new influx of orders and once again, what we had previously considered a potential weakness actually had proven to be our strength. The fact that we are a smaller traditional bakery with flexibility allows us to quickly adapt and diversify to suit the needs of our customers and that has been our saving grace.
At the same time our door-to-door deliveries are still in demand. Although not quite at the same rate as the beginning of lockdown, as some people have gone back to work, we are trying to add more Welsh local produce to our deliveries to help support other businesses and provide more products to cater for our shielding and rural customerโs needs. We are still working with Carmarthen County Council providing bread and cakes for shielding boxes across Carmarthenshire, and that has been so gratifying and humbling to be a part of the scheme. We have had lovely feedback and messages of thanks from people who have received our products in their shielding boxes. We are very grateful we have been in a position to help our community.
In the last of our series about Welsh food and drink companies surviving, but a number actually thriving during Covid-19, Welsh Country talks to some more companies that take very diverse routes to keep supplying us with the most wonderful array of food and drink.
As I sit here putting this article together, it cannot be done without the obligatory mug of coffee and the first coffee story comes from Alfieโs Coffee Company. Paul explains their story:
Alfieโs Coffee Company
We started our journey into coffee on October 2019 with our coffee van, Alfieโs Coffee Bus, but when lockdown came into force we could no longer use the van and visit our clients.
Thus, Alfieโs Coffee Company was born.
We had always wanted to roast our own beans eventually, but with the sudden halt of our day to day โnormalโ we were able to propel this idea forward!
We specialise in small batch hand roasted coffee beans from Kenya, Columbia and Brazil. Unlike some other roasters, we roast our coffee beans to order, so our customers are always guaranteed the freshest cup of coffee!
We are extremely thankful for our customers who have supported our roastery and look forward to seeing where this journey will take us!
What can better a coffee? Well perhaps a cream tea could suffice! But the question is, in Wales, do we put the clotted cream on first or the jam? To my mind this is an irrelevance as it is the quality of the product that is more important and Daffodil Foods have certainly hit that parameter. Lynne Rowlands founder and owner of Daffodil Foods tells her tale:
Daffodil Foods
Daffodil Foods had just launched Welsh Clotted Cream, ready for the Easter holiday rush, when the Covid-19 lockdown started. In order to try and raise some sales for this new product the company contacted bakeries in the region who made other products that would work well with their clotted cream and compote. The idea was to create a lovely food gift in a box with a ribbon, with provenance, that customers could send to their loved ones all over the UK, to show them that they were thinking about them, even if they couldnโt visit. In order for this to work it was important that the box was accompanied with a personalised card, to give that special message. Within a fortnight the Afternoon Tea Gift Box was pulled together, an online shop was built and photos were taken. Orders came flooding in as people wanted to share Daffodil Foodsโ mission to โbe kind and share a treatโ.
This created its own problems as business to consumer was all new to Daffodil Foods, so there was steep learning curve. Customers viewed this item as a gift and started ordering for specific dates, for birthdays and anniversaries, so a system had to be retrospectively designed to accommodate this need. One of the main problems was that the company kept running out of stock as orders grew so rapidly and it was important that the other suppliers werenโt too far away so that the bara brith, Welsh cakes and scones could all be collected at short notice. Packaging suppliers and couriers were also being hit with huge demand at this time making it even more challenging. The company kept changing and improving the offer, using a local Welsh company to design, print and deliver a bespoke box made the gift look even more special and also helped reduce the amount of labelling needed.
As the lockdown has eased, orders are starting to come in for Daffodil Foodsโ Welsh Clotted Cream from the original intended market โ the Foodservice industry (takeaways and cafes). However, having fought hard to develop this new strand of business selling directly to the consumer from the Daffodil Foods website, the company is keen to retain this now as it has kept the business afloat at a very difficult time. It has encouraged the company to build their brand and engage more actively with all the social media platforms, creating blogs, videos, newsletters, giveaways, maps and recommendations. Daffodil Foods Welsh Afternoon Tea Box cost ยฃ25 delivered by next day courier all over the UK. Orders are taken at their online shop where a personalised message can be typed in and the date the box is needed for. The box contains; a greeting card, 4 x 40g Daffodil Foods NEW Welsh Clotted Cream, 2 x 40g Daffodil Foods raspberry compote, 6 Welsh cakes from Popty Bakery, 4 scones Village Bakery, 1 x 500g award winning bara brith fruit cake from Popty Bakery, 200g Collierโs Welsh cheddar, 250g salted Welsh butter with sea salt crystals and 4 Welsh Brew envelope and tag tea bags. Packed into white gift box with ribbon and wood wool.
But back to coffee. Wales is blessed with many wonderful coffee roasters, but obviously the majority of their product goes into coffee shops and restaurants many of which are as I write still closed or maybe offering just a takeaway coffee. Bay Coffee Roasters tell their story of having a business on one day and the next day a very much reduced business.
Bay Coffee Roasters
Being a small producer we had been excited by the positive feedback we were receiving from our customers, in fact we were looking at possibly one of our busiest years, our focus had been supplying affordable quality coffee to cafes throughout Wales, as with every other business overnight our income was almost totally removed. We had started to do a small amount of retail, which involved producing smaller retail packs for shops to sell, but in all honesty our historical focus had been supporting our wholesale customers. We have a small team at the roasters where we roast and package coffee that we import from around the world and provide a maintenance service for coffee machines. Unfortunately we had to make a swift decision to put our staff on furlough.
Initially due to such large scale of our loss of business it was thought that we would possibly close the doors until we knew what was happening, but when you have taken years to build a business it can only be described as a hard, emotional, painful decision. Fortunately we were contacted by a long standing friend who runs a packing design company. He had visited several times on holiday and was enthusiastic about what we did, in fact he had considered starting a coffee roasters in the past but wasnโt able to make it happen, so the idea of getting more involved was something that he became very excited about.
Our focus over the last few years has been trading as Allaways to provide our wholesale services and maintenance, but it didnโt reflect what we do at the heart of the business, which is roasting coffee on the coast of Wales. The Bay Coffee Brand is something that we have become very proud of, but we had produced virtually everything ourselves including the design work.
Over various Zoom meetings we discussed ideas, but it soon became obvious that a bit of a leap of faith was required. To stand out in the current market we needed a drastic overhaul to represent what we do.
So with the help of a friend and perseverance over this period, we have managed to establish an online presence in the retail sector. It hasnโt been a replacement for our current wholesale business but it has enabled us to start to cover some of our costs and I believe it will help us in our recovery over the next year or so.
So I would just like to say a big โThank Youโ to everybody that has supported us over this period.
A little bit about us…
From the roastery I can take a 20 minute stroll down to our local beach, Tresaith in Ceredigion. Iโve lived near the coast nearly all my life and would never want to change this. West Wales is truly a wonderful place to live full of character and inspiration for your daily life. This is no doubt the reason why I roast coffee, being able to produce a product that brings the senses alive.
Sustainability
Weโve been established for over 10 years and done our best to keep things moving in a positive direction. Over the last year I have been working really hard to improve our products, whilst moving closer to production methods that are good for the environment.
All our roasting is done using electricity and we are just in the transition of moving over to a 100% renewable energy supplier using a windfarm in North Wales. It might not seem like much, but Iโm not aware of many roasters that have made this move as they are all seem to be using fossil fuels.
We also only import coffee using a company that has a strong sustainability policy, supporting organisations such as Coffee Kids, Food 4 Farmers and International Womenโs Coffee Alliance.
Our coffee
I aim to make our coffee enjoyable for all, I only source Arabicas, which require longer growing times and more specific climates. Iโve found that a medium roast brings out qualities that produce a cup that you can enjoy every day. Each coffee is slightly different and we roast each one individually taking into account itโs process and the characteristics of its location.
Donโt forget
If you enjoy our coffee, please let people know about us, it really does make a difference. Share and like us on Facebook, Instagram send out a carrier pigeon or whatever else you can think of.
Keep safe and stay caffeinated:)
We all want to thank those front line workers over the past few months and generally we think of the NHS. But the world did not stop turning and we needed so many products and services to see us through the pandemic. Bread was one of those staples and many bakeries across Wales did a sterling job of not only producing bread, but so many other wonderful things as well. One such bakery is the Carmarthenshire based business Hafod Bakery and what a story they told Welsh Country .
Hafod Bakery
Established in 1963, Hafod Bakery is a family run business based in Carmarthen, South West Wales. Serving the local community with freshly baked traditional, hand-crafted bread and morning goods is what we have always done and we were not about to let a pandemic stop that! As one of the few commercial bakeries left in Wales, preserving the tradition of baking bread in a wood fired oven, Hafod Bakery is well loved across Wales and for many represents comfort, family and home.
Hafod Bakery has always served a wide range of customers, from larger multiple retailers, independent retailers, food service and tourism businesses. As the pandemic spread and lockdown was declared the hard work started.
Instead of spending the Spring Bank Holiday supplying tourist attractions and holiday parks as normal, the team took our bread on the road. Quickly establishing local pick up points and taking orders for doorstep delivery. This has increased the feeling of community and the drivers on the various rounds have had some wonderful stories to share of the people they have met. One of our favourites is when our driver, Kevin, met the wonderful Mrs Morgan on her 103rd birthday. What a lovely character she is, insisting on coming out to the van to collect her own bread. She did tell Kevin that she was disappointed that her birthday card from the Queen had not arrived this year!
Alongside doorstep delivery came collaboration and diversification. We have worked with and supported a range of local businesses including Hugh Phillips Gower Butchers who have been delivering our bread alongside their meat products. We diversified rapidly by adding on other essentials and were committed to support our local businesses and strengthened our relationships with Nigelโs Dairy, Fforest Isaf Farm Eggs and some local ladies who have been baking some delicious cakes in order to earn some much-needed income. We were able to take out these additional products out to the community alongside our own baked goods to keep families well stocked and smiling through this challenging time.
We have very proudly, worked alongside Carmarthenshire County Council to provide our bread and other baked goods for the shielding boxes and food parcels that have been distributed across the county. It is hoped that this collaboration will continue post lockdown and we are working closely with the Council on a further opportunity. Whilst the pandemic has been challenging for everyone including our business, we firmly believe that the experience has allowed the strength of our communities to shine through and we are proud to have been a part of that.
Finally, we want to thank our loyal and dedicated team who have worked relentlessly and offered us the greatest of support during these challenging times.
Bread is a staple, but as we have mentioned in previous articles, for many chocolate is another necessity.
Robins and Sons Chocolate
Thankfully we were already set up as an online business, however in addition to the online side which is more geared up to โSpecial Occasion Giftsโ, we usually attend pop-up shops, weekly and monthly street / Farmersโ markets, and numerous fairs and events which provide our โbread and butterโ income streams from items sold for personal consumption as opposed to gifts e.g. chocolate bars, hot chocolate stirrers etc. So as this income stream was lost overnight, we had to tap into reasons other than the usual birthday, wedding, anniversary, Easter and Christmas, that would prompt a purchase.
Undoubtedly, the imposed lockdown due to COVID-19 was resulting in many people feeling isolated and/or missing friends and family, so we ran a promotion on an existing product line that wasnโt a particularly big seller, but was heart shaped i.e. the classic symbol of love.
As people couldnโt be there in person, they could still send โhugs, kisses, best wishesโ to loved ones for under ยฃ5, in the form of a Belgian Chocolate Heart, RRP ยฃ4.99 with free UK postage.
Positioned at the ideal price point (relatively low cost) with the added convenience of being small enough to fit through a letterbox, therefore an ideal โno contact / minimal contact deliveryโ for those self isolating or not home to accept deliveries e.g. key workers, has resulted in it becoming one of our bestselling products. Plus having delicious chocolate instead of bills and junk mail come through the letterbox, is always a welcome surprise!
Covid-19 has been a challenging period for all but it has given businesses the opportunity to reflect, plan, create, tidy, clear out their heads offices or production areas. It is the entrepreneurial spirit in small businesses that comes to the fore and one such case is Ooh La La Patisserie. Amanda tells their story
Ooh La La Patisserie
Lockdown has pushed me into an area Iโve been meaning to get into, but never had the time.
Itโs simple for most, but for my product it has taken a long time to find the right packaging.
Mail Order…. Iโve finally achieved it, and it has saved my summer. Also, I have diversified slightly by now offering our Macaron Celebration Cake.
This cake is full of indulgence, it is filled with lemon creme patisserie, lemon curd, chantilly cream fresh raspberries and a little touch of edible gold.
Another example of using the time of Covid-19 to make the original systems better, but there has been no waffling around at Tregroes Waffles as they install new systems and software getting them through the Pandemic but also making the future brighter.
Tregroes Waffles Moves Its Website In To The 21st Century!
Here at Tregroes Waffles weโve had our website, with a facility to order online, for a number of years. However, to be honest, itโs been a bit rubbish really! Hitherto, customers have had to complete an online form, and then either send a cheque, or make a BACS payment, to complete the order. We have done no marketing or promotion of the website whatsoever. So, despite doing everything we can to put potential customers off from ordering, we have found that they have persevered, crossed the barriers, gone through the hoops and are actually placing orders in increasing quantities!
Faced with this, we have bowed to the inevitable, and decided to help those desperate to get their waffle fix online. From the middle of July there will be a new ordering page on the website. This will, for the first time, allow customers to make secure online payments. In addition to this we are giving customers, who are purchasing their box of waffles as a gift, the option of having a bilingual sleeve to cover the box and present the gift in its best possible form. Initially the sleeve options are Thank You/Diolch, Happy Birthday/Penblwydd Hapus and A gift From Wales/Anrheg o Gymru, although if successful, more options will follow. Customers can also add a free personalised message to their gift box.
To support the new ordering process on the website, we have completely revamped and improved our social media presence, with regular posts highlighting developments, running competitions, providing recipe ideas and engaging with customers.
This series of articles demonstrates so well the brilliant adaptability of micro and small Welsh food and drink businesses in the toughest of times. But more than that it also shows how many will work with others either to boost their business directly or their community both of which are important. We all wish we could demonstrate the quality and scrumptiousness of their products but to do that all we ask is to go out and buy, or talk to the businesses online by telephone or, increasingly at some stage, in person.
It is often thought that artisan and local food and drink is expensive. Many main stream food and drink manufacturers use various additives to add to the taste to extend the shelf life to prevent early staleness and understandably so. Local food and drink does not have these additives and we would challenge anybody to find the equivalent quality and make up cheaper anywhere else.
Support local, buy local, or at least support and buy regionally and make your eating and drinking experience the very best, whilst at the same time helping the Welsh pound stay in Wales.
According to Winston Churchill โDifficulties mastered are opportunities won.โ
The following stories are of Welsh Food and Drink companies that have certainly grabbed the โOpportunities Won Baton.โ
Buster Grant of Brecon Brewing told Welsh Country how they have a strategy of Bringing the Beacons to you!
Brecon Brewing
Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdown has had a dramatic effect on all areas at Brecon Brewing – draught sales almost completely disappeared overwnight and the race was on to complete the work we had already started on improving our on-line sales, across a number of platforms. Fortunately, this work, already well progressed by March, was rapidly completed and the sales have been going exceptionally well, complimenting supplies to local farm shops and independent retailers.
This pause in draught production, and the extra โspareโ time caused by the cancellation of the spring and summerโs various events, have given Head Brewer Buster Grant, some time to contemplate a few ideas that had been lurking in his mind and create some new beers for Brecon Brewing.
Buster explains:
โWe were able to immediately launch two new beers in bottle, Brecon Copper and Brecon Daffodil – the former being one of our regular brews with a solid reputation within the pub trade, which weโve previously had numerous enquiries to supply in bottles. The Brecon Daffodil is our hugely popular Spring beer, pale golden, beautifully floral and highly anticipated! We have often thought about making this beer available all year round in bottles, so now seemed like a great opportunity.โ
Despite Brecon Brewing moving to Brynmenyn last year, following the merger with Cold Black Label, Buster still lives in Brecon, and the drive each morning and evening through the Beacons, beset with barriers and signage warning people away, seemed particularly mournful, especially given the weather weโve been having. Buster continued:
โThe Beacons are a hugely popular attraction and certainly dominate the landscape around us here, as well as being the source of our water, they have always been an inspiration to me. Throughout my brewing career Iโve always created and named certain beers inspired by these magnificent peaks. Given the current restrictions, now seemed the ideal time to bring back three favourite beers and launch them together – Cribyn, Pen y Fan and Corn Du – the three peaks which dominate the skyline over Brecon (and our logo!). Producing these three beers in bottles means that if you canโt get to the Beacons, the Beacons can now come to you!โ
Cribyn is the third highest peak in the group, and the inspiration for this beautiful 4.5 % abv Extra Pale Ale – the clean, crisp nature is heightened with the wilful use Amarillo hops to give a huge, pointed floral citrus aroma.
Corn Du is the second highest peak, and the muse for this 5.0% abv aromatic Amber Ale – four different malts create the welcoming warm hue and Bramling Cross hops deliver a spicy, berry flavour profile.
Pen y Fan, (literally Top of the Beacon), is the highest summit in the Beacons and a fitting name for our spectacular 6.0% abv golden British IPA. UK grown Progress and Cascade hops provide the floral honey aroma to this deep, characterful strong beer.
These three new beers are now available from the breweryโs various on-line shops since early June and Buster hints that there are at least two more projects bubbling away, getting closer to fruition!
Keep an eye on Brecon Brewingโs social media for more hints and details!
In a similar fashion of foods and drinks that make you feel more comfortable, chocolate has to be very high on the list. So no better time for Mallow Tailor to bring out a new range, Kate tells the tale:
Mallow Tailor
We have recently launched our chocolate slabs range, Slabolate (slab-of-chocolate); a moreish large, thick slice of handmade chocolate with carefully selected fillings designed to tantalise the taste buds of considerably fortunate connoisseurs.
At 100g, you can either share the indulgence of this slab or just tuck yourself up, close your eyes and let the flavour sensation take you to your favourite place.
These make great gifts as well as โyouโre worth itโ treats. We deliver direct to whoever you want and can include a personal message of your choice as part of our โmade to measureโ service.
Moving away from tradition foods to the more modern era of nutritional foods for various purposes. Watt Nutrition produces bars of food to use around exercise and wanted to refine a new protein bar range. David Coates of Watt Nutrition tells Welsh Country of their Covid experience and unexpected benefits.
Watts Nutrition
During lockdown we have had the time to develop our new protein bar, which after over 100 different versions, we are finally happy with!
It takes time to experiment and design the right recipe and get the correct nutritional content and that is what lockdown has allowed us to do
People have also been training more during lockdown which has seen our products take an increase in sales, which is fantastic.
We are now finalising the website and tweaking the online appearance and are happy to announce we can now post our product around the UK.
We are looking forward to the events opening up again to get stuck into competing, as well as fuelling the athletes.
We all have that relative or friend that has a cupboard full of deliciousness. Well it was friends and family that Seb Davy had as his first customers, albeit non paying customers. Follows is their story:
Grandmaโs Cupboard
After 25 years of perfecting recipes for family and friends, Grandmaโs Cupboard finally opened its doors in 2017. Established on the outskirts of Llandudno, we only produce very small batches of vodka, rum and gin based liqueurs.
Our original idea was just to create a range of liqueurs that would be enjoyed as tipples, very much in the way that we had been doing for years. However when we started attending public events we soon realised that customers wanted to have more choice of different ways to enjoy them in long drinks too, so we started developing a range of cocktails, mostly inspired from classic cocktails, but also aiming to make the whole cocktail making experience much easier and less daunting. As a result, we are now also working with some independent pubs and cocktails lounges who find our products tasteful and easy to use. We host cocktails evenings as well as selling our products in festivals and delis.
We endeavour to work with local producers as much as possible and we now have 15 lines in our range. We were awarded a Great Taste Award in 2019 and we are using lockdown to develop new products to expand our range when things return to some sort of normality.
Along very similar lines to Grandmaโs Cupboard it is liqueurs that come from Shizzy. Not only working with new products but also new services, which is a brilliant way to survive as Elisabeth Jones explains!
Shlizzy
Diversification to survive – pushing the new website to sell more online now as there are no fayres to attend. Socially distant local deliveries tried out.
New products โ Currently infusing new flavour – strawberry gin liqueur – ready as soon as the labels are.
New services โ Waiting to hear about an Alcohol Wholesale licence so as I can sell in shops and pubs once they re-open. Will continue with free local deliveries for over ยฃ10 order.
Diversification and or new products, whichever way you look at it, businesses have had to change to survive both in the short-term, but also thinking for the long-term. Ben Lloyd of Halen Dewi is definitely thinking longer term by completely redesigning the packaging and branding of his products.
Halen Dewi
We have re-branded with help from the designers at Pie Creative and View Creative and love our new look. Like many businesses, Halen Dewi, St Davids Sea Salt have been taking a hit on sales during lockdown, so we decided it was a great time for research and development. We carried out online polls to gauge interest in new products and from this research developed several fantastic new products. We are relaunching with new branding, new packaging and two new products, so keep an eye out online and at all good shops near you.
* Company now closed
Small Welsh food and drink businesses have approached or reacted to Covid 19 in so many different ways, solving their particular issues with typical entrepreneurial spirit. All we ask when you read through these stories is to think that behind each business is at least one family that is doing its very best to bring to us all a huge array of quality artisan food and drink.
We know we keep repeating ourselves but, still insist that it can never be said enough, that to see Wales through this pandemic come out stronger on the other side is to help the smaller Welsh businesses by buying their products. This keeps the Welsh pound in Wales and has the most fabulous circular motion that benefits all of us living in Wales in the end.
As regular readers will know Farmersโ Markets, or as I prefer to call them Local Produce Markets are a real favourite of mine as well as food festivals. Thereโs so much to try, taste and then buy from real artisan producers. Some markets have not stopped during the Covid-19 lockdown, whilst others went to virtual markets with phone and collect service. But as I write this markets are beginning to return to normal, well as normal as it is at present. Sadly food festivals have been decimated with one or two still hoping to possibly run in the autumn, but we wait and see.
Welsh Country magazine spoke to a number of businesses that have markets as a big part of the selling of their products.
So letโs start with a newish business based in the Flintshire, the Carslake Tea Company, this is their story:
Carslake Tea Company
We are a family loose leaf tea business established in 2015. We are passionate about tea and supply our customers with top quality loose leaf tea, biodegradable tea pyramids, beautiful anwd functional Japanese tea pots and other tea accessories. Our tea blends include our Great Taste Award winning Organic Mojito Green Tea and Christmas Black Tea, but our range of blends are traditional, diverse and quirky, including such blends as Chocolate Chilli Tea and Pina Colada Fruit infusion.
I am the only full time employee, with my partner and our 19 year old son helping to run the business in the evenings and weekends, although my partner is employed full time and our son is at university.
We have built the business steadily from zero annual turnover over the 5 years and were continuing to grow before the coronavirus pandemic struck the world.
Around 75% of our business is face to face retail sales at Farmers Markets, various food festivals including Caernarfon, Beaumaris, Ludlow, Mold, Menai and Bolton, plus flower shows and large public events, including Southport Flower Show, Shrewsbury Flower show, with the remaining 25% being online sales from our website.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, all our potential food festivals and large public events have been cancelled at present, until at least the end of September. At this point we fear this might be the case until the end of 2020, although we are optimistic that our local farmersโ markets will re-open at some stage. As we are a home based business we are not entitled to any of the current Government grants or funding and therefore the businessโs sole turnover at the moment is from online or telephone sales.
Now staying in the north East of Wales, but in the neighbouring county of Wrexham, Mike from Pen-y-lan Pork tells of the ups and downs of a Welsh food producer.
Pen-y-Lan Pork
Pen-y-Lan Pork is a well-known feature at some of the UKโs most prestigious food festivals and farmersโ markets. Our business has been producing some of the finest sausages in Wales for around 17 years.
But it hasnโt been plain sailing, I have always found pigs great animals and extremely intelligent and yet they are probably the one animal that is given the raw deal. We can eat near enough everything from a pig should you choose, but yet they are the most inexpensive producer of food compared to lamb and beef.
When I started all those years ago I was an engineer for a cereal producer and started keeping a handful of pigs and feeding them on the waste produce from cereal manufacturing, amongst pig feed and spent grains from a local brewery.
I then would sell the meat as half boxes of pork. It went OK, but soon came to realise that keeping pigs is a real science. They can soon put on a lot of fat if not managed correctly, the breed of pig can have a significant influence on the amount of fat/meat that can be produced and last, but not least, they love escaping.
We even had a pig that knew how to earth out the electric fence, she used to drop a branch on the fence, which then earthed itself and let the others escape.
Everything seemed to be going OK until August 2008 when I fell from a tree while cutting branches and broke my spine in two places leaving me paralysed from the waist down and with the prognosis of never being able to walk again. After months of rehabilitation at the Gobown Orthopaedic and defeating the medical experts I managed to get myself mobile and eventually walking.
During this time all the pigs had to go and my whole life was turned upside down both physically and mentally. I really struggled and suffered with depression which hit me hard.
I went back to work within 12 months and was in an office environment which I wasnโt really suited to. After 4 years of the corporate palaver I decided enough was enough and left what was a well-paid job with great prospects, lots of time off and a great lifestyle, to then work seven days a week, every hour god sends to look after pigs and produce sausages.
With tongue in cheek, I wish I had done it sooner, I reckon I must have banged my head hard as well as breaking my back.
Both Wendy (my wife) and I have built the business up to be a well-recognised brand around the Wrexham & North West England area.
When Covid-19 hit obviously the supplies to the hospitality sector dried up and devastatingly no more markets. Quickly we knew we had to diversify, so we set up a weekly door to door delivery service within a 40 miles of Wrexham and also a next day courier service. We then introduced a hamper scheme offering other small artisan producers a chance to showcase and sell their wares. Itโs hard and you have to be really pushing it all the time. We do a weekly video shoot for Facebook and that works well.
Going forward we are still going to continue with the delivery service, the older generation much prefer it and feel safer.
Covid-19 has helped us think outside the box and with love and determination continue to produce (in my opinion) probably Walesโs best sausages.
For six months of the year many food and drink producers lead a double life, they are at home producing products and then out on the road nomadically from one show/festival to the next. Cathy from Case for Cooking tells Welsh Country about her Covid-19 experience.
Case for Cooking
Like many small food businesses, weโve seen a full calendar of food shows cancelled or postponed during lockdown. As a new business trying to get our brand and products out to new customers, has been particularly hard, but weโve been trying to put our now โfreeโ weekends to good use!
Weโve been developing new products, including curry pastes, cooking pastes and cooking sauces. Weโve increased the range of products we offer through our local market, Carmarthen Food, to include new spice mixes and our own black garlic.
Our online shop has remained open for business throughout. Where possible, weโve changed our packaging to make products such as our spice rubs and refill packs cheaper to post and easier to fit through the letterbox.
Weโre hugely grateful to our existing customers for keeping us going, but we canโt wait until the festivals and shows start up again. Writing compliment slips just isnโt the same!
Across the show/festival circuit and at the local markets there is a superb family feeling amongst the traders. Just like families there is the odd argument but if anyone wants help for whatever reason fellow traders will always be there. Janine from Daisy Graze demonstrates how producers around Cowbridge are really there for each other.
Daisy Graze
It has been a strange time for us all and a very busy one for me. Back in January I had the opportunity to have a fortnightly stall at Cowbridge Farmersโ Market. Things were going on as normal and I was slowly establishing myself as a business at the market and then Covid-19 happened.
All of a sudden I was at the market weekly because lots of the stallholders had decided to shield or self-isolate or even found themselves too busy fulfilling existing customer orders due to demand.
The regulars kept coming but we were all worried that with less to offer they would opt to queue at the supermarket. A few of us got together and thought how can we provide as many products as possible and serve the community with their provisions. In the end the solution was simple. We have less stalls than before Covid-19 happened but we double or triple up on what we are selling. So as well as selling my preserves and conserves I became the bread queen. Every Saturday morning I arrive at the market set up my stall and wait for Windy Wick Bakery to deliver me her amazing yeasted and sourdough breads for me to sell (while she was baking to fulfil orders).
Other stalls did the same with coffee, cake and eggs all being sold together trying to provide as full a service as possible. This also made me diversify slightly, bagging up wild garlic and other foraged herbs to make salad bags and also making Elderflower Cordial.
I was also asked to join The Cowbridge Food Collective which is a brilliant click and collect service for local produce with even more goodies available than the market. The collective works with customers ordering on line through the week and then a drive-thru collection is organised on the Thursday night. It is all done with no contact apart from opening the car boot.
Spending time with my family has meant that I have had much more time outside in my local woods and meadows foraging. My seven year old son has learnt so much from me and I have researched plants and added many more to my foraging list.
I hope that one of the positives that comes out of lockdown is that people will appreciate local products and supply.
Welsh Country cannot agree more with Daisy Grazeโs last comment and have been saying buy local for years and is more important now than ever. They can call it supporting but in reality by buying locally, people are doing themselves a huge favour as well. They will know where their food and drink comes from. They will know that the food and drink has little or no preservative – colourings or E numbers – they will know that the money they spend tends to stay in the local area, making the local/ regional economy better for all including themselves.
Newscaster CNN, General Motors and Burger King all set up their businesses around the times of a recession. All three companies taking the attitude that if they can trade during the tough times, then when things become good then will thrive.
OK so officially as this is written, we are not in a recession, but there is every indication that the coronavirus pandemic will put the UK into recession for the second quarter of 2020.
But whatever the reasons for starting a business, two such new businesses told Welsh Country of their forays into the world of Welsh food and drink.
Kโs Kitchen
Hi, Iโm Kirstyn and iโm a busy mum of 2 and the owner and founder of Kโs Kitchen. Originally born and bred in Spittal!
I have always had a passion for baking and cooking since a very young age, taught by my mum and grandmother and then adapted recipes etc to my own.
I have always baked for family and friends and then last year, July 11th 2019, I decided to turn my hobby into a business and share my wonderful creations with the public. Last year I attended Withybush car boot, Carew market and also attended few Christmas craft fayres as I hoped to do this year but, due to Covid-19, its all been postponed.
This past year Iโve had such an outstanding overall outcome of happy returning customers and I thank them all for their continued support especially in these uncertain times.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak, I was generally worried for all my hard work to be put on hold however, my business has actually boomed since. Iโve had so many orders and gone from baking maybe one day a week to every single day! Iโve gained such a great customer base and regular orders since the outbreak so itโs actually had the opposite effect on me than it unfortunately has had for others.
Kโs Kitchen is doing so well that the menu grows as well with savouries such as scotch eggs and quiches.
Itโs a different type of food business that Louise Waring has set up, with a much tighter timeline to the Covid-19 crisis. Ammanford, where there is a hot bed of Welsh food and drink success and launching at the start of lockdown, Y Gegin Maldod is her creation. As a freelance graphic designer the governmentโs coronavirus regulations began to affect her design income, she knew what had to be done. Having already registered Y Gegin Maldod pre-lockdown, Louise was able to quickly launch the confectionary business with the help of Food Centre Wales and tells her story to Welsh Country magazine.
Y Gegin Maldod
โIโd still be trying to work out HACCP plans and what I needed for my labels without the help of the fantastic technologists at Food Centre Wales. I certainly wouldnโt have had the Environmental Health Officerโs approval to trade so quickly. I canโt emphasise enough how priceless the ongoing support from them has been, as I now have an income coming in at a time when I would otherwise have been struggling to support my young family.โ
For the mother of two young children, the creation of an exciting new business while nurseries and schools are still closed has been challenging, yet extremely rewarding. With excellent product reviews, Louise has managed to gain a loyal customer base for Y Gegin Maldod in only a couple of months.
โIโve been cooking sweet treats practically all my life, but doing so on a mass scale for public consumption is on another level completely. Thereโs so much to consider, but I am enjoying the entire process.โ
With a lifetime of baking, digital design and creativity on her side, Louise was able to launch an online shop and raise the profile of the business on social media very quickly and has already received several wholesale orders and enquiries from local food stockists.
Y Gegin Maldodโs creamy Welsh Cake Fudge is proving to be a big hit with customers, with its chunks of real Welsh cake.
โCustomerโs add it to their basket believing it to be just a fun novelty flavour, but it quickly becomes the one they order again and again.โ
Y Gegin Maldodโs range also boasts some more unique flavours, like the dark chocolate and chipotle, โY Ddraig Cochโ fudge and โFun at the Fairโ – a pink, candy floss flavoured fudge, full of mallows and rainbow sprinkles.
So, what does the future hold for Y Gegin Maldod? Louise wants to expand the business to include other products and also hopes to provide employment opportunities in Ammanford.
โIt would be fantastic if the local community benefited from the creation of Y Gegin Maldod. The support Iโve had from local customers and businesses has been amazing. I am so grateful to them, but also to my customers further afield.โ
Many businesses have had to diversify over the period of the Covid lockdown to be able to survive. It is a credit to the people within those businesses that their entrepreneurial skills have meant that they can go forward looking to a hopefully, brighter future. Welsh Country caught up with a few of these businesses and this what they have said.
Starting in the capital, Clare Williams started her business Penylan Preserves growing it from a hobby and โsourcing ingredients locallyโ still remains one of her mantras. She told Welsh Country of her Covid story:
Penyllan Preserves
Mine is a small story but an important one, I feel, for small businesses in Wales.
Prior to Covid-19 much of my monthly sales was made up of catering sized tubs or jars of my products, which were then used in the Deliโs and cafes/restaurants I supply, in their fabulous menus. As you can imagine these sales fell off a cliff as of the third week of March 2020, and as yet these havenโt come back on line.
After pausing for 2 weeks and taking in how my business could โget throughโ this time, I made sure my couriers could deliver my products safely, both for the courier staff and my customers. Once I was sure this could happen I started to advertise. I was still open and able to provide my products straight to customerโs doors. Luckily I already had a shop facility on my website www.penylanpreserves.co.uk, which has enabled me to make up some of my lost catering sales. This meant I needed to โpivotโ and produce more retail jars rather than catering sizes. My jar suppliers Compak have been great and getting hold of stock has not been an issue, and the delivery drivers have also been great ensuring safe social distancing at each drop.
Prior to Covid-19 I supplied Pettigrew Tearooms and Bakeries, however during the lockdown Pettigrew Bakeries have been a god send. After a little adjustment during the first two weeks of lockdown they started running delivery boxes of their fantastic bread and sweet treats, alongside other staples, such as cheese, milk, flour, preserves (mine) and scotch eggs. These boxes have seen my jars reach new customers across Cardiff and the surrounding areas. I am hoping that buying local will continue after lockdown is lifted, and people remember the food companies who continued to work to bring those at home the most fantastic food possible.
I was part of two fantastic initiatives to help the feed the NHS staff at the Heath and across South Wales. One initiative started by Kev from Holy Yolks managed to provide โCare Packagesโ over 10 weeks to between 4-6 NHS sites from Newport in the East to Llanstrisant in the West and Merthyr Tydfil in the North to Llandough in the South. It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the 20+ small independent food producer group that brought smiles to the faces of the NHS staff working so hard.
Iโd like to take this chance to thank all customers who have purchased my preserves during Covid-19 as it has meant my business has survived and I am now looking forward to the rest of 2020.
Each business has different hurdles to get over as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Michael Cooke of Gwynedd based Mountain Mead, tells of his Covid story added to usual issues that occur in businesses large, small or micro.
Mountain Mead Ltd.
Mead is embedded in Welsh culture. It has a long and rich history in Wales and is currently enjoying a surge in popularity and demand across the world. Mountain Mead Ltd. is run by Michael Cooke in Tregarth, Gwynedd and the Covid-19 crisis has meant the business has had to adapt to carry on trading.
The business was established in 2016 by two friends, Michael Cooke and Jacob Milner but Jacob left the company in 2019 after the birth of his second child. The business operated from one of Jacobโs outbuildings and at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic the lease was up and the business needed to relocate.
โWe were looking ahead to a year of B2C events at food festivals, medieval festivals and Christmas fairs but almost all of these were cancelled, meaning our ability to generate income had been pulled out from under our feet. This left us unable to commit to a new commercial lease and shoulder the financial burden of fitting out a new, larger production facility.โ
The business was forced to accelerate plans to broaden its online retail activity via its website as well as various other platforms with encouraging results.
โAlthough we have lost out on a significant portion of our expected income this year, we have managed to carry on trading and have generated enough income to relocate to a small outbuilding owned by the companyโs sole director. We are currently waiting for the change of use planning consent, and the alcohol premises licence for this building which will allow us to carry on producing and selling mead until the effects of the pandemic pass and we can continue our plans to move to a larger production facility.โ
โWe are fortunate that a change of premises was already planned so we have enough stock to keep trading while we wait for the administrative process to be completed. For us, this move has allowed us to keep our overheads low and gives us time to re-evaluate how the business will generate income looking to the future.
โSo far, we have not been eligible for any of the Covid-19 grants which has been a source of much frustration and taken up a lot of time trying to access funding. We should have been eligible for the first grant that was based on our premises but when we tried to find our NDR reference number, we were told by the council that we werenโt on the list. We were very surprised by this as the council uses our non-domestic rating to charge us a fee each year for our alcohol premises licence. One department has a rating for us, but the department that matters does not.โ
Looking ahead, we are feeling optimistic about future events and recommencing trading face to face. We have seen a lot of consumers looking to their local area to source produce and we hope that momentum continues post Covid-19 as Wales has a lot to offer from the food and drink sector. We have some new product launches planned and hope to make it to a few Christmas events later this year.
Wales has such a diverse range of superb micro and small businesses across the food and drink sector. On the outskirts of Carmarthen, Lisa Fearn now has the permanent home of a converted barn bringing the Pumpkin Patch Kitchen and Garden all under the umbrella of YSied. Lisa has always run a wonderful, eclectic business and this appears to be continued as she tells Welsh Country of her Covid story:
The Pumpkin Patch Kitchen & Garden @YSied
Weโve been very busy during the Covid lockdown, but weโve had to think of new and exciting ways to keep the business going and offer something attractive to our customers.
Weโre quite excited to have a new range of childrenโs baking boxes now available, launched mid-June, as a one off single online purchase, but also as a monthly subscription. Itโs our response to the Covid lockdown and itโs whatโs kept us busy and sane!!
As a cookery school we wanted to continue to offer our workshops in a fun and friendly way and so we started designing our boxes. Our workshops really bring young people together to share their love of cooking and baking, and making new friends in a safe & supportive environment boosts their confidence as well as their kitchen skills. This is something we pride ourselves in.
Feeling a sense of belonging and community is important for our wellbeing, especially at a time when itโs difficult to meet up and socialise. The 2020 lockdown has been tough on young people and so weโve attempted to design our boxes to be โbullet journalโ style, to encourage interaction and a feeling of fulfilment and ownership, with a โbuild your own recipe journalโ element. Empty bullet journal sheets and info cards, make it fun to build a personal file of favourite recipes, hints and tips, as well as related craft ideas and personal preferences.
The first three recipes are honey flapjacks with honey from our own bees, Belgium chocolate brownies, and a classic white bread (using Halen Dewi sea salt) with the option of making rosemary focaccia, bread rolls or pizza bases. More seasonal recipes will follow soon, and a birthday celebration cup cakes box for home parties and family gatherings. Soon, we will introduce our savoury cookery boxes offering plant based favourites like Dahl and tasty soups. Christmas time we will have our Christmas cake and gingerbread house boxes.
All the boxes are bilingual Welsh – English and the packaging is recyclable or compostable, which we believe is important. We also aim to help other local and independent small businesses by using their products in our boxes, such as Y Felin flour, Halen Dewi and others as we make new collaborations during the next few months.
Each month we will offer something sweet or a savoury recipe, so families will soon build up a collection of family friendly recipes. In the spring of 2021 we will introduce our garden box which will enable families to create a little potager garden, full of flowers and veggies to enjoy through the summer and autumn. We will provide bee friendly flowers and magic beans for children to grow and care for.
Long term, I hope that our little characters that feature on our boxes will become alive in a series of short story books for children. The children will go on adventures around the garden and their community and they will learn to cook and care for others. The books will set out to offer comforting words that will help children cope with some of lifeโs tough situations. The wellbeing and wholesome stories will help children learn how to cope and understand the world around them.
From children to a definitely adult themed business. Dinorwig Distillery set up in October 2016 by husband and wife, Lew Hardy and Jessica Eade, nestled beneath the Dinorwig Slate Quarry, in Snowdonia. Distilleries now proliferate across Wales and being different is essential to succeed, especially at time of difficulty such as the present pandemic. Jessica tells Welsh Country of the Dinorwig story:
Dinorwig Distillery
We are Dinorwig Distillery, a micro gin distillery in the foothills of Snowdonia. We distil London dry gin, using as many locally grown botanicals as possible. Our signature gin, Jin Llechen Las/Blue Slate gin is an intensely aromatic gin distilled with local rhubarb, home grown coriander and oak bark from our neighbouring woods. We love a good G&T, but during lockdown we got interested in lower alcohol alternatives. We came up with the idea of making our own bitters โ intense bitter-sweet infusions of roots, seeds, barks and other botanicals. Traditionally, bitters are used to flavour cocktails, and ours can be used in just that way too. However, we find that a splash of our bitters mixed long with tonic over ice makes for a very tasty and satisfying alternative to gin, but with a much lower alcohol content. We are set to release four expressions this summer, the first of these, Gooseberry & Elderflower bitters and Rose & Cardamom bitters, will be available from our website in early July.
Travelling south again back into Carmarthenshire, Bev Coombe tells Welsh Country her really tough story that we have heard far too many times. Whatever your political persuasion no one can deny that the governments both Westminster and Cardiff threw money at the business community to keep it alive. This safety net though did have holes in it and despite attempts to fill them too many businesses have fallen through this net getting a pittance, or no financial help at all.
Cegin Mamgu
Unfortunately I did not qualify for any grants or help as a fairly new business with no shop premises, or staff and not being VAT registered, so I had to diversify to survive. Below is what Cegin Mamgu has been up to. I am considering looking for a grant to take the home delivery service further and cover more of rural Wales with a food van doing hot food and also doorstep delivery for chilled orders, specifically for those who are vegan, but also coeliac and soya intolerant. More details later.
Diversify, Supply, Survive
We were a supplier of vegan food to independent shops, markets and cafes as well as a freelance chef service and a pop-up restaurant until the dreaded lockdown. We lost our independent retailers, markets, cafes and chef work so had to diversify and expand our home delivery service in order to survive. Covering rural communities in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, we cater for customers with dietary requirements who were unable to find freshly prepared food. All our dishes are vegan and dairy free, but we added free from soya, gluten, nuts etc tailored to individual requirements and word soon spread. This has been a great success and we are going to continue this service going forward. The menu changes weekly depending on which local fresh ingredients are available.
Dishes start from as little as ยฃ1.00 for a snack and ยฃ3.50 for a main with puds from ยฃ2.00.
Some stories are inspirational some heart breaking, but all can be turned into worthwhile businesses with our help by just buying local. Now is the time to make our Welsh pound count, not just giving to charity but by buying what you need from the shop, the food producer and your local market.
Many retailers selling food have kept open during the Covid pandemic but that does not mean that it has been plain sailing. Five retailers from across Wales with very different business models tell Welsh Country of their experience.
Starting in north Wales in the lovely town of Colwyn Bay. Cheryl Parry said when the local mayor opened her shop last year, โI want to be able to promote local produce from all over north Wales and showcase the best of what we have right on our doorstep.โ Cheryl continues her storyโฆ
The Grate Cheese Deli
I opened the shop in June 2019, so not even having been in business a year, I had to stay open if I could, to survive.
My customers dictated the changes really. What they needed, I stocked, so we were selling a lot of basic essential items at the start, toilet rolls, anti bac, blue gloves, flour, tinned foods etc.
My husband works in the tourism sector and was furloughed from work which gave us the opportunity to be able to offer a free delivery service for those isolating. We worked alongside โTogether For Colwyn Bayโ a great group that produced lists of phone numbers of local services that were still open to provide services to people in the local area.
We started to get a lot of regular customers that needed delivery because people were struggling to get delivery slots from the bigger supermarkets. I felt it was better for the people shielding to have one delivery of everything rather than lots of separate deliveries, so we started picking up from other producers/suppliers such as Tatws trading, Scilicorns Bakery and Parry Jones Butchers to add to our available items. We would also call into other shops to pick up bits for people. We now cover Llanddulas, Colwyn area, Penrhyn Bay, Llandudno, Llanrhos, Gyffin, Conwy Penmaenmawr, Llanfairfechan, Llanrwst, Llanddoged etc.
At the beginning we were unfortunately not selling very much cheese. Lots of the producers had temporarily ceased production and some products were really difficult to source. We started to do a little โStay homeโ box that proved extremely popular and kept us very busy!
We have been able to deliver hampers and treats for birthday celebrations, anniversaries and Fathers Day and have been able to video call the sender of gifts so they can wish the recipient good wishes in โvirtualโ person. Many happy tears have been shed!
There were times that we thought we couldnโt sustain how busy we were. We were working 6 days a week, sometimes 12 hours or more a day, and still had our twin 15yr old boys at home. A lot of the older people didnโt have internet access and relied on us for their basic needs, even if it was just a bit of real contact.
Thankfully now, things have calmed down a lot, we are getting back to more customers calling at the shop and less deliveries.
We have to be very careful about the social distancing and sanitising. I only allow one at a time in the shop and any cash taken is cleaned before it goes in the till so I know that any money going back out is clean. The door is always open so the door handle doesnโt have to be used and the fridge doors and glass is cleaned between customers.
Iโm really looking forward to meeting, in person, the new customers at the end of the phone that I have come to know so well over the past few months. Itโs been a very tough time for so many people and businesses, hopefully, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Iโve got to admit, itโs good to be getting back to doing what I love most, selling cheese and chatting face to face with my lovely customers ๐
Crickhowell, a vibrant town that tends to be progressive. A few years ago a group of businesses in the town decided to go off shore to avoid the high UK taxes, thus showing how larger conglomerates do business avoiding UK taxes. Indeed the town became the centre of TV programmes highlighting this โscamโ. But today even during lockdown the group Our Food, which is a food community project that started in Crickhowell, is looking at ways to shorten the food supply chain. It is no wonder then that Robin and Chloe chose Crickhowell to open up Natural Weigh. Saying โWe are not business people or retail experts, but have a passion for our natural world and want to make a differenceโ. Chloe Masefield, Co-Director of Natural Weigh tells Welsh Country how they have adapted to Covid 19.
Natural Weigh
Adapting to the challenges of COVID-19 the Natural Weigh!
When Boris Johnson made the announcement at the end of March that the UK would be in lockdown, neither Robin nor myself understood what that would mean for our fledgling business. Three months on we can look back on a significantly challenging time, with more uncertainty on the horizon, but also celebrate how much we have achieved and feel grateful for the wonderful people in our community who have continued to support us during this tough time.
At the beginning of March 2020, Natural Weigh celebrated its second birthday. Robin and I were over the moon to have successfully got our passion of a zero waste shop (the first in Wales!) through what business experts say is the most challenging time for a business โ the beginning. For those not familiar with a zero waste shop, we operate a self service system where customers can bring their own, reusable containers to fill up on dried wholefoods from bulk dispensers in the shop. The aim is to offer a zero waste shopping experience, without the production of unnecessary single use plastic packaging.
As the dangers posed by coronavirus became more and more apparent, Robin and I had to start seriously assessing the risks to not just the business, but ourselves. Robin has cystic fibrosis, which places him firmly in the โhigh riskโ category and, with our four month old baby at home, I wasnโt much use either. For two years, Robin and I had been at the forefront of Natural Weigh yet now, we had to step back. Putting our precious business in the hands of others was a difficult step but a challenge we knew our excellent staff were up to.
And we didnโt just hand over the shop as it had been running previously either. As a very small shop, we didnโt feel we could continue to operate safely with staff and customers in the shop. We had to change our operations drastically and quickly and without the luxury of being able to be present ourselves. This was a dark time when the pressures and worries of being entirely financially dependent upon our small business built out of passion.
BUTโฆwe got through it. Thanks in no small part to a wonderful community of loyal, patient and understanding customers and our fantastic staff we got through what seemed an impossible time. We shifted our operations online, closing the shop to customers and offering free local deliveries and a click and collect service. Our staff worked tirelessly to pack orders seven days a week and often into the evenings. Our friends and family chipped in to help us serve our customers. We were fortunate to have some customers who even volunteered to deliver orders to those who were shielding, meaning we could still get essential food items to those who needed it. At a time when many people were struggling to get delivery slots with supermarkets, we provided a lifeline.
Throughout the lockdown, we have had to make dynamic risk assessments and constant changes to our operations based on current information. Despite not being able to go to our beloved shop, we have been working hard to keep our staff and customers safe and to work out how to keep running a business in such a time. Video calls have been vital in sorting out problems and phone calls go backwards and forwards between our house and the shop all day. We have been slowly increasing the number of days the shop is open to customers. Currently, only one customer is permitted in the shop at a time and we have a sanitising station at the door. Staff frequently sanitise surfaces throughout the shop and only one staff member is present on any shift.
As we start to catch our breath we have taken on a further challenge. Natural Weigh is moving to Unit 3 of the Corn Exchange (just two doors down the road from our current shop). This larger unit will allow us to increase the range of quality foods we have on offer to customers.
Now, at the end of June, restrictions are relaxing and other shops are beginning to reopen on Crickhowell High Street. What the coming months hold for us all is still unclear but we can begin to be optimistic. It is when communities face challenges such as this recent pandemic that we realise how truly lucky we are. Robin and I are indescribably grateful to those who have supported us and our little business. Friends, family, customers, staff and even assistance offered by other high street businesses has enabled us to keep going.
Yet another youngish diversified business is Bubbleton Farm Shop which is situated just off the coast road, south west of the popular tourist centre of Tenby. It has become a favourite place for both local residents and the many tourists alike. A family farm traditionally growing potatoes and tomatoes, Tom Evans has followed his grandfatherโs footsteps in selling direct to the public. Welsh Country is fascinated by Tomโs story :-
Bubbleton Farm Shop and Farm Kitchen
At Bubbleton Farm Shop and Farm Kitchen, we launched our business just 3 years ago in 2017, and since this time weโve seen year on year growth and weโve evolved our business to suit demand.
Until March this year, our onsite cafรฉ was a significant revenue earner and a method of showcasing our produce and local produce that we sell.
Diversification to survive.
In March, we quickly adapted our business, as soon as lockdown came about, we transformed our cafรฉ room into extra shop floor for picking and staging orders for delivery and collection. We realised that we stock all essential products (fruit and veg, meat, dairy, bakery, and everyday goods) and we added other essentials like loo roll, Weetabix and hand soap. We then launched our order form via social media and through our website.
We soon wanted to maximise collections and were able to by making ordering by phone or email very simple. It worked so well and we were placing orders directly into customers boots, so we then launched our โDrive Thruโ shopping experience using our card reader on a stick etc. This was great and got our story featured on ITV Six Oโclock News.
2020 has been a bit of a roller coaster and weโve evolved as the demand has changed, we restarted cooking food and cake for takeaway a few weeks ago, and it is helping us get ready for when lockdown ends.
Itโs been extremely challenging but relying on our community and being able to help families has been very rewarding and the publicity has been great.
Whilst demand locally for deliveries is slowing, we are anticipating that domestic tourism especially in Pembrokeshire is going to bring in lots of trade from July 6th and to help us cope and compete with the supermarket giants we are launching an online click and collect service. We hope that this will help protect our community by allowing second home owners to shop remotely at a time when buying local and supporting small business is growing in popularity.
We are lucky that we have so much space, which makes social distancing easy. We also have an incredibly amicable and versatile team, and I think our customers feel really confident about shopping with us safely. Now that lockdown is coming towards an end, we intend to keep customers outdoors if we can (with 1 customer at a time in the shop) and weโre excited about our new online shop making it easy for customers to order at home so that we can have it all ready for their collection. They may then make time to sit out in our garden and use our cafรฉ whilst they wait.
It is a huge gripe of Welsh Country magazine that many micro /small retailers are ignored but are a big asset to Welsh Food and Drink. The website www.welshfoodanddrink.wales is really proving this. Whether it is the local post office, community shop or petrol station, all are brilliant at stocking and selling local food and drink. North east Wales is home to one such enterprise and talking to Welsh Country the strapline โthere for their communityโ says it all. Gemma Newall tells of the owner Rob Standringโs Covid experience.
Rhydymwyn Service Station
Based just outside Mold, Rhydymwyn Service Station has stepped up during this corona pandemic and become a real central part of the community.
With the local store only opening about 18 months ago, they have had to adjust fast to the demand and needs of their customers.
They increased their product line and closed the doors to the shop to ensure the safety of their staff and customers.
Making more space in the shop they have been able to organise deliveries and a call and collect service. All without any face to face contact, customers have been supplied with everything they need from locally, Welsh sourced, fresh fruit and veg, breads, milk, meats and all other groceries and toiletries they should need.
The staff also started a volunteering service and offer prescription collections, post office services and any other essential errands for the vulnerable members from the local areas.
Always keeping safety at the forefront they have also invested in individual fuel pump covers to avoid the risk of any cross contamination between customers when using the fuel pumps.
The nicest part of this pandemic has been the fantastic close working of all the local companies. From the local dairy, butcher, bread, and fruit and veg suppliers to even the local honey, jams and chutney makers, everyone has really stepped up and relationships have been built that will continue well on into the future.
From so many relatively young enterprises we move back to Pembrokeshire, to a business that is very well established. Again their strapline says it all, โA growing concern, established in 1988, our business has grown purely on customer satisfaction and recommendation due to our high standard of quality products and customer care.โ
It is this ethos that sees the business handle the hurdles thrown at it by Covid 19.
Andrew Rees Butchers
Andrew Rees the butchers has both catering and retail premises in Narberth and has been lucky enough to be able to stay open during the Covid 19 crisis, but, like many other frontline businesses, has had to adapt. We used to supply from our catering unit, hotels, pubs, restaurants and schools in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. We have had to furlough some staff as pubs, restaurants, hotels and schools have been closed.
Our retail side of the business has been extremely busy. We have been freely delivering all produce throughout Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire which not only includes fresh and frozen meats but also groceries, dried goods and cleaning materials. Our staff have worked hard to update our website which means you can now browse and purchase online our meat and non-meat products with delivery totally free. We have fantastic weekly offers so check our Facebook page to see the latest.
We have worked with other frontline retailers in Narberth in sharing deliveries. We have ensured that we follow government guidelines in regard to social isolation and our staff are aware that if they have any symptoms that they stay off work for 7 days. They are also aware that if any household contact shows any symptoms that they stay off for 14 days. Itโs been a strange time for all of us but we thank customers old and new for their support. Please continue to support local independent businesses when all this is over.
We as Welsh Country can only wholeheartedly support that last comment. Local producers and in this case retailers, have gone more than the extra mile to support and help their local communities. Once Covid-19 has passed, whenever that will be, those businesses that supported the community should continue to then be supported by the community.
Letโs hope that happens.
Over the years Iโve had a common thread running virtually through each issue and my message was quite straightforward which is to give your support to our Welsh food and drink producers. Iโve asked and often pleaded with you to visit your local produce markets and any food festivals that you can get to and of course I must say thanks that so many of you heeded my suggestions. But now, as Covid -19 is still sadly with us, the food and drink scene, like many other sectors, has been decimated. Food festivals, markets and the likes of The Royal Welsh, as well as every other show have been cancelled. Add to that the ongoing difficulties of living in lockdown, shopping has been a nightmare for many of us. Of course my concern is as always to our food and drink producers and wondering how they are coping. Some appear to have put their shutters up, some maybe for the long-term, or hopefully just until our Welsh lockdown is over. Others have decided theyโll not go down without a fight and have updated their websites ensuring all visitors know they can do mail order. Plenty of them have taken to social media not allowing people to forget them and their products.
For those still able to trade from their shops have reaped their reward by being as busy as many people didnโt wish to supermarket shop. I loved hearing from readers who have realised the benefit of provenance and local supply. Thankfully many have discovered farm shops, direct farm deliveries and discovered new small local brands. The benefit is that many have re-discovered the value of food, the attention to quality and service as well as the feeling of community. Some readers have been pleased to discover that local food is not necessarily more expensive, as local shops donโt have the additional costs of marketing, branding and head office overheads to cover.
Many shops have taken on an additional van and a driver so they could cope with the extra deliveries, whilst often dropping off prescriptions and checking up on the vulnerable living alone. My wish is that those of you that have found local producers so helpful will continue to support them when Wales gets back to a new normal โ whatever that might be. If we can do this we can perhaps breathe new life into our High Streets and continue to let our traditional corner shops thrive. Iโve said it before, but will still say again, please support our local Welsh producers, remembering that you buying local food and drink will help to stimulate the Welsh economy and keep more of our money circulating in Wales.
First Minister, Mark Drakeford has stated that as from 22nd June non-essential shops can re-open if social distancing measures are in place. The 5 mile travel limit still applies, but could be lifted from 6th July.
Kath Rhodes
Hereโs whatโs happening on the food & drink scene across Wales:
Bluestone Brewing
Just over the Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire border and based in the Preseli hills, the Bluestone Brewing Company is a brewery that has great credentials for producing an array of top ales and lagers whilst respecting the environment. But their business, like all breweries had been closed through the lockdown but they still had 3,000 litres of beer and no market for it as pubs and restaurants were also shut down. It was too disheartening to pour their beers down the drain so the company had a light bulb moment and set about to work with In The Welsh Wind, a local Gin Distillery to create a Welsh Craft Vinegar. Vinegar is an ingredient on the cusp. We all think we know it well: a stalwart of every chip shop worth its salt (and vinegar), a sometimes throat-shattering base for chutneys and pickles and perhaps occasionally the basis for a salad of tomato and mozzarella if weโre feeling particularly Mediterranean. The reality is that vinegar is so much more โ and the world is just starting to wake up to its subtler qualities. Created in a craft environment, with thought and care, vinegar is as vital as salt or citrus in the kitchen, with the power to lift flavour and finish dishes with depth. Produced from a further fermentation to remove the alcohol, vinegar might seem the obvious solution to a surplus of beer, but investigations showed that to develop a successful artisan Welsh craft vinegar, expertise was needed. So Bluestone reached out to Orkney Craft Vinegar, based in Kirkwall, where some of the most exquisite artisan vinegars in the UK are produced. Run by ex-chef Sam Britten and his brother Tom they have spent their last few years to the development of a suite of top quality vinegars.
With expertise and invaluable input from Orkney and Bluestoneโs surplus beer, the development of a Welsh craft vinegar: fermented in Wales from Welsh beer, matured in casks that have Welsh heritage, has begun. Whilst they wait for their Welsh Vinegar to develop the company are pleased to be able to offer you a taste of Orkney Craft Vinegar through their own website. So add a bottle to your case of beers by heading to their online shop: bluestonebrewing.co.uk
Cariad Chocolates
Based in the heart of Snowdonia, Cathy OโConnell has continued working throughout the Covid 19 pandemic, despite all her trade orders disappearing. Online sales have been the way forward for her and sheโs been very busy with her โSay It With Chocolateโ message boxes, ordered via her Etsy shop โ CathrynCariad and then sent directly to a loved one. This idea has proved to be the perfect unique and delicious gift for birthdays, anniversaries, Ramadan, Fatherโs Day or just to say โI Love Youโ or โI Miss Youโ. Made using top quality Belgian milk and white chocolate, the chocolates are available in two row boxes which hold 16 chunks of chocolate, or four row boxes which hold 32 chunks of chocolate. Including p&p, they are priced at ยฃ10.95 for the two row box and ยฃ20.95 for the four row box. For more information visit: cathryncariad.com
Fingers and Forks
Owner Shirley Friend gives us a business update:
Powys based Fingers and Forks have had to do a huge amount of work to change their business from catering for events to home delivery. Their kitchen needed re-organising, but the packaging and labelling was probably the most challenging. I then had to redesign all our admin and kitchen paperwork, sort out PPE for staff, allocating who can work where, as even with 8 out of 10 staff furloughed, that still presented problems. Add to that the marketing, purchase of extra insulated boxes and ice packs, but struggled with so many companies that we needed to buy from being closed. Then I had to find my way around the myriad of lanes in the hills here, which was something else, twice I swear Iโve found the end of the world, totally convinced they sent Christopher Columbus in the wrong direction! I knew there were a lot of isolated properties in this area but I just had not quite realised how many there were.
I then finalised our brochure which has been uploaded onto our website. I also hadnโt realised how many holiday cottages, lodges, treehouses and caravan sites there are in our area until I started doing the deliveries into the back of beyond. So my next plan is to target these with a Welsh culinary experience delivered to their door when they can start accepting guests again. A bonus is that enquiries can now be directed to our website instead of having to send out individual menus. One of the biggest difficulties has been trying to market our new delivery service with most of the people shielding and many of them not having access to a computer or a smart phone. But when we have had contact from these customers I think that has been the most pleasurable part, being able to assist where I am really needed. It isnโt about just selling our products, but being able to help with a variety of other problems for them and especially when there is no family living locally.
Word-of-mouth from individuals that knew of and used our service in the past has worked as theyโve put many neighbours and friends in touch which really formed the base for us start โThe VE Day Teasโ. This was another very lucky break, helped by welshcountry.co.uk. From a cancelled buffet we were asked by the organisers to deliver the teas in boxes. But because we had to buy quite a large quantity of boxes I thought to it would be sensible to highlight them on Facebook. The response was totally overwhelming, we did over 400 teas across Powys and beyond. One was to an army veteran and his wife, plus their 93 year old neighbour. One thing I would have liked to have done on the VE Day project was to collect from the many of the customers who actually celebrated VE Day their experiences of that day. I discovered my Mother was in Tenby dancing in the streets as a thirteen year old with her older cousin. I knew that she had spent many of her holidays as a child in Manorbier with my great aunt, but not that she had been there for VE Day, or that my great aunt had a little cafรฉ on the edge of the American base there called Skrinklecroft, so I am hoping to research my family story a bit more, which is a good excuse for a holiday if I ever get the time!
My hope now is that I can build up this new side of the business and be able to afford to bring back a few more staff. I really miss having my youngsters around as they are a great crew. All of our regular work was cancelled from early March this year, until March next year. I havenโt heard yet about Winter Fair, but all my large work events planned for this autumn have been cancelled.ย For all the latest news visit: www.fingersandforks.net.
Tลท Tanglwyst Dairy
Once a familiar sight, doorstep milk deliveries are proving to be a vital service for many people who are self-isolating. For south Wales dairy, Tลท Tanglwyst, doorstep milk deliveries are also helping to keep open an essential outlet for the farmโs award-winning dairy produce.
The Lougher family has long been supplying milk from their 110-strong herd of Pedigree Holstein dairy cattle to customersโ doorsteps around a ten-mile radius of their farm in Pyle, near Bridgend. Now, as their round gets bigger, it is even prompting the business to expand its workforce.
โWith premises such as schools, offices closed, the commercial and wholesale side of our business has taken a downturn. However, our domestic deliveries have increased,โ says dairy farmer Rhys Lougher, whose family have been farming at Tลท Tanglwyst for several generations. Demand for doorstep deliveries has been such that weโve had to extend our rounds. As a result, weโve created extra roles in the company and when our commercial trade does come back, weโll be looking to take on additional staff. Weโre a small family business with dedicated, hard-working employees. Luckily, weโve been able to adapt very quickly to changes to our customer base and respond to peopleโs needs.โ
The award-winning business, which produces butter and cream too, also supplies customers with eggs and fruit juice. But in these challenging times, some changes have had to be made to meet demand. Rhys explains,
โThere has been a shortage of cardboard egg boxes, so we have had to use plastic and weโre buying fruit juice in bulk. With more people baking at home there has been a surge in orders for butter โ so stock has been tight at times. People have said how grateful they are for the deliveries and that it is helping them while they have to stay at home. Many people have also said they can taste the difference with our milk and that when the Covid crisis is all over they will keep ordering from us.โ
Orders are placed via Facebook and social media. For many customers, Tลท Tanglwystโs deliveries are particularly welcome. For more information visit: www.tytanglwystdairy.com
Little Grandmaโs Kitchen
With the outbreak of Covid-19 we, like many other artisan micro businesses, saw our sales opportunities fall to near zero as all festivals & shows were cancelled. As we are not registered for VAT, we were not eligible for any Government Grants. But we were still able to supply mail order, local customers and farm shops with our products.
We immediately increased our presence on Carmarthen Food, a group of artisan producers in Carmarthenshire, selling on a single website where customers can either collect once a week from The Nurture Centre in Carmarthen, from several points around the county, or by delivery. We became a collection point in St Clears as well as delivering orders every Friday. We have also added 2 new products, Indulgent Chocolate Spread and Crunchy Peanut Butter to our range and are developing 3 new flavours which will be available soon. As we use a lot of fruit in our products it was a natural progression to add mixed fruit boxes to our list of products.
It is safe to say that with the measures we have taken and the fantastic support of our customers, Little Grandmaโs Kitchen will come through this crisis. Thank you all for your continued support. For our latest news visit: littlegrandmaskitchen.co.uk
Wye Valley Meadery
Our plans, like for many other businesses, have had to rapidly change due to Covid-19. Late January we decided to refurbish the premises where our Meadery is based, upgrading the building and also the brewing equipment that we used initially to launch our business. We invested in a lot of new equipment and also spent time laying new flooring, decorating, installing new drainage, water and power. We also took out a loan and invested in larger brewing vessels to give us greater brewing capacity. We also wanted to make a space that meant we would be able to open a small tap-room. The idea was to have all work completed and the tap room open and operational by the end of May, which turned out to be unfortunate timing.
Due to lockdown we had to stop refurbishment work on the Meadery and postpone the tap-room which left us in limbo with our existing brewing space taken apart and the new equipment not yet fitted. Thankfully we had a lot of stock already made so we diverted efforts into launching a local producers โDrive-Through Click & Collect Marketโ that gives a platform to support us as well as 15+ other local high quality food and drink companies with an easy and safe way for locals to be able to buy our produce. We launched this โWye Valley Producers Marketโ on the 1st of May and with so much positive customer feedback, weโll continue this market for as long as possible, during and after the Covid-19 crisis.
With the recent easing of lockdown restrictions we have been able to resume work on our expansion plans. We have experienced a dramatic loss of business as a result of Covid-19 and are sadly not eligible for any current business support grants so far, so our growth may not be quite what we have been hoping for this year. Being able to rapidly create this new outlet for us and other local producers has helped immensely and probably been crucial to our survival as a business. Different producers take it in turns to run it each week which is a fair and sensible way for it to work.
Weโve also spent time re-evaluating our business model and plan for some alternative products. Next month sees the launch of a โHoney Cider Vinegarโ (Honeygar) as well as a new range of honey beers to complement our current range of sparkling meads. Being adaptable has been essential in this current situation and something we will ensure we maintain in the future.ย For more news visit: wyevalleymeadery.co.uk
As a butcherโs daughter youโll understand that I have a very soft spot for independent butchers, I just canโt help that. Obviously over the years, our shopping habits have changed dramatically as supermarkets still maintain their stranglehold with two German supermarkets added to this mix. Yet despite having lots of supermarkets to choose from Iโm still impressed with many local butchers on our high street. They excel on service, product variety and the advice and help that they offer. It goes without saying that our butchers need ongoing support from HCC, Hybi Cig Cymru, Meat Promotion Wales, but of course they cannot survive and grow their businesses without our regular custom. When I visit a high street butcher Iโm impressed with how they cleverly gear up for the BBQ season and create โdishesโ that are quick and easy to prepare for those that feel they havenโt much time for cooking or really canโt be bothered! Ten out of ten for those butchers that are also selling vegetables at the front of their shops and for those that have the space, have generated a mini deli section. For me anything that makes the shopping experience easier and friendlier is a winner. All I ask is please give your local butcher a try because if you donโt, the chances are Welsh butcher numbers will continue to dwindle and butchers will quickly become as rare as henโs teeth!
Andrew Rees, Narbeth
Independent butchers play a key role in local communities. Providing a friendly service to residents and getting involved in local events and organisations. You will get personal advice on preparing and cooking meat. Also, importantly how to store meat. Local independent butchers see providing this advice as an important part of their role. Butchers play a vital role in local economic development. We support and promote local produce. Buying off local Farms and displaying the traceability of the meat is very important to us. Local independent butchers play a vital role in the High Street which extends beyond just the sale of meat. Providing we focus on quality and provenance of our meat and ensure that our standards of customer service exceed those available at larger retailers there will always be a future for us.
Will Lloyd, Machynlleth
Iโve been asked about meat production in Wales. The last 40 years has been a real rollercoaster with EEC Regulations, foot and mouth disease, BSE, more veterinary controls, and generally more costs to run a small abattoir / cutting plant and retail meat business. But if you stay in something long enough โthe wheel goes roundโ meaning in the โ80s they wanted to close all small abattoirs and the way The Ministry Of Agriculture tried to do this was to put massive costs on these old buildings, making sure that the spending of those hundreds of thousands would not be justified with the small throughput the abattoirs had.
I was 19 and dangerous, meaning that I was not going to see a long established, well-run family business closed by people with clipboards.
After spending over ยฃ280K to be compliant I am proud of my facilities and was glad that my late father โBilloโ saw and appreciated the effort both mentally and financially. He was proud of me and what we had achieved.
My dad used to sell what he wanted, I sell what the customer wants, which is a big difference.
Our shop in Machynlleth caters for traditional comfort foodies with lambs liver, neck of lamb cawl, roasted crackled belly pork squares to the โnewโ younger housewives who want โmore ready meatsโ such as lamb steaks in garlic and rosemary, minted lamb racks, pork in sweet chilli or lime and chilli and a host of sausage from Welsh dragon, pork and leek, lamb and mint, beef and horseradish.
Cater for โtraditional and newโ but be different from the enemy!
All of a sudden. itโs โOK yaโ to have a small abattoir in your town as people boast the โleg of mountain lamb that we are having for Sunday lunch comes from Huw Thomas, Nant Y Gaseg Farmโ, likewise the โslow cooked shoulder of Salt Marsh lamb comes from Rees Brothers, Penmaenbach Pennalโ. Both these farms are about 5 – 6 miles from our abattoir.
Traceable, local, low carbon footprint product and completely sustainable, we are doing it and have been for 40 years or Tesco and Co would have swallowed us up and do you know, by doing it our way we are helping to save the planet – as an aside. Is this ok? Please do use your local butcher or risk losing them.
Tom Samways, Cardigan
I first started butchery 22 years ago at the age of 14. There have been many changes over the years which have seen butchers shops evolve from simply selling just your standard pork chops and mince to now the convenient oven ready range. We first started doing fresh oven ready foods about 6 years ago and since then have seen a really a massive increase from customers who want good quality, freshly made and easy to cook meals. Gone are the days when โthe wifeโ will spend all day at home looking after the children. Most households these days have 2 full time workers so we look to offer good quality, convenient food that doesnโt cost the earth. I genuinely think that if we hadnโt gone down this route then the shop in Cardigan wouldnโt be here today.
The advantage of taking this route is that people who come into the shop for our oven ready foods will also buy all the usual cuts. They also buy steaks, sausages and bacon – all their meat for the week because they put their trust our products. Weโve seen a massive increase in trade in the amount of steaks we sell and thatโs because weโve installed a Dry Ager. Initially our customers werenโt sure what to make of it as no-one else in the area had one. But our customers trusted us and once they had tasted the finished steaks they were amazed with the flavour.
Our business is built on our personal service, sourcing the product locally and giving our customers a reason to trust us. One of the biggest changes Iโve witnessed in butchery which I never thought Iโd see is how butchers are now working with each other. Gone are the days where your biggest competitor is the butcher down the road. Our biggest competition is the supermarkets who drive down the price for the farmer to offer cheap meat. Four times a year myself and many butchers from around the country get together for a premier Welsh butchersโ meeting where we swap ideas, recipes and have chats about whatโs selling, whatโs new and where the trade is going. The club itself is expanding with every meeting and itโs great to see that butchers are thriving across the UK. Iโve worked in the same shop for the last 20 years and took that shop over just 2 years ago. I think with the help of other butchers and a passion for the job thereโs no reason why we canโt do another 20 years.
Formed in June 1993 and known as the Welsh Culinary Association, itโs now been re-branded and runs under the Culinary Association of Wales, the CAW. The ethos of CAW is to promote excellence in the art of professional cookery within Wales and it aims to develop and raise the culinary profile of Wales, its establishments and those working within them. In 2002 CAW became a member of the prestigious World Association of Chefsโ Societies, which supports the senior and junior Welsh National Culinary Teams and these teams represent Wales with distinction at international competitions around the world.
It is certainly not a coincidence that the rising stature of the Welsh National Culinary Team has been matched by Wales’ growing reputation for the quality of its food and drink products. It goes without saying that a major factor in the Welsh culinary success story has been the high quality raw ingredients available in Wales, allowing Welsh chefs to produce dishes that prove to the rest of the world how Wales is a country โthat can create food that is mind blowingโ. The country is blessed with a fantastic array of fish from its fabulous coastline, rivers and lakes, Welsh lamb and Welsh beef rank alongside the world’s finest meat, Welsh dairy produce a range of speciality cheeses, which are always in great demand. We as a country must thank our spectacular hills and lush green valleys for our huge Welsh larder of spectacular food and drink.
But itโs rather pointless having this wonderful array of Welsh produce on our doorstep without talented chefs and this is why The Welsh National Culinary Team is without doubt a proud champion for Wales. The team has often cooked for Royalty, heads of state, senior politicians and celebrities travelling as far afield as Japan and the USA amongst many other countries. The Welsh National Culinary Team are very proud to count on HRH the Prince of Wales as its very supportive and enthusiastic patron. I think that certainly counts as having the royal seal of approval!
Kath Rhodes
Gavin Kellett
The Culinary Association Wales, CAW, is such a great organisation. They are a close knit team and offer help and guidance to all and they are willing to share their knowledge and experience with chefs of all levels.
I feel extremely lucky to have taken part in the National Chef of Wales for the past couple of years and even more so for winning the 2019 title. The whole experience of working with the CAW is a pleasure and I am really proud being part of it.
Without organisations like CAW I feel that the industry would not be in such a good place, as they promote Welsh produce, local businesses, talent and good relationships across the board, all to help support the future of food industry in this country.
I would encourage chefs of all ages and experiences to contact and be part of the CAW, they can help guide you in the right direction and with their support they offer you the chance to leapfrog your career and this wouldnโt happen without their support which is always there along the way.
Thomas Martin
The Culinary Association of Wales has really helped me develop in my career to date. Having twice been a Runner Up in the Junior Chef of Wales competition and getting the exposure through the event, plus seeing the differences in competition cooking, was a real eye opener for me. To cook for some well-known Welsh chefs and under a high pressure environment, which is quite different to that of a restaurant or hotel kitchen, was a great experience and I hope to do compete again next year.
Iโve met a lot of influential people in the industry through my involvement with the Culinary Association and have had the opportunity to attend events and network with other chefs and professionals within hospitality.
I’m now running my own pop up restaurants in South Wales and feel I gained much of the confidence to do so through working alongside the Association. Itโs an organisation that wants to bring the best out in Welsh chefs and showcase the talent we have here in Wales and Iโm proud to have been a part of that.
Alice Yeoman
I was first introduced to the Welsh Culinary Association of Wales when I was a student at Newtown College and knew I wanted to join them.
I did various culinary competitions as a student. Then when I started work I found myself as a finalist in UK world skills and booked in to my second Welsh International Competition when I won the Best Overall Junior category.
Iโm shy but when I first went to the Welsh Junior Culinary meetings held by Danny Burke and Mike Evans I found the atmosphere friendly. Itโs great to have not only the culinary opportunities and support but also to be able to represent your country.
After my first year in work in Wales I decided it was time to spread my wings and go to London, handed around my CV and got myself a job at the Savoy. Their kitchens were huge and very busy but they allowed me time off for the Welsh Junior Culinary meetings. I was then in central London on the National Geographic Food Festival for Food & Drink Wales stand with the Welsh Culinary Association. That was a great experience, good fun and gave me the world of confidence.
Life as a young commis chef is hard, long hours and is a tough life but having the Welsh Culinary Association express our own ideas and recipes in their supportive environment is a real-life saver.
Now Iโm a commis chef working for head chef Gary Jones at Raymond Blancโs Belmond Le Manoir aux Quatโ Saisons. This is my dream job and each day, despite thinking what am I doing here, Iโm learning more and improving. Iโm really looking forward to Germany 2020 culinary Olympics with the Welsh Junior Culinary team as each experience helps young chefs like me grow and the Culinary Association of Wales has a big part to play in that.
โBlasCymru/TasteWalesโ 2021 to be bigger and better than everโ: Lesley Griffiths
Over ยฃ6.2m of new business deals and ยฃ22m additional potential new business generated following 2019 event.
The Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs has announced Walesโ premier international food and drink showcase, BlasCymru/TasteWales will take place on 10 and 11 March 2021 at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales in Caerleon.
Building on the success of this yearโs event, which generated over ยฃ6.2m of new business deals and nearly ยฃ22m additional potential new business, this will be the third event of its kind, following its inauguration in 2017 and this yearโs successful show at the Celtic Manor in Newport.
BlasCymru/TasteWales brings national and international buyers and Welsh food and drink producers together to showcase our world class produce and help open new markets and international trade deals. The event will further establish the Welsh food and drink industry on a global stage and promote Wales as a key location for quality food and drink production.
Over 190 trade buyers attended this yearโs show and had the opportunity to network with over 100 Welsh food and drink producers. The event attracted international visitors and buyers from 18 countries across Europe, North America, Middle East and the Far East.
BlasCymru/TasteWales 2021 will aim to build on the success of the previous two events, further strengthening and raising our international profile.
Minister Lesley Griffiths said,
โI am delighted to announce the return of BlasCymru/TasteWales in 2021. Our food and drink sector is globally renowned and a real Welsh success story. This yearโs event was an unprecedented success generating nearly ยฃ22 million in new business opportunities, building on the ยฃ16m business secured from the 2017 event.โ
โWith Brexit looming, it is vitally important for the sector to showcase what it has to offer. As illustrated by the First Ministerโs trade visit to Japan for the Rugby World Cup, there is a tremendous appetite for Welsh food and drink and we must do all we can to ensure our produce reaches markets across the World.โ
โWe will work hard to ensure BlasCymru/TasteWales 2021 will be bigger and better than ever with even more businesses and trade buyers in attendance and even more deals being struck.โ
I was delighted to hear about Assembly Member Hannah Blythyn, whose constituency is Delyn, as she recently organised an event to celebrate the huge range of food and drink producers from North East Wales. Its focus was ‘Shining a light on the fabulous food and drink sector as part of the wider tourism offer you can discover in North East Wales.’ Well this event certainly achieved that. It also featured initiatives run by Wrexham, Denbigh and Flintshire Councils to promote food and drink/food tourism – such as the Good Grub Club. Food and drink tourism is an incredibly important sector not just for producers but to encourage all involved in the hospitality industry to support and promote Welsh food and drink and to make sure their menus highlight all the Welsh products they are serving.
Held in the Senedd it was run as a market style event with invited Assembly Members and guests, including Wrexham constituency member, Lesley Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs. Guests enjoyed a North East Wales themed buffet after viewing a display staged by 50 North East Food and drink producers. This was an innovative idea that worked and hopefully will be repeated across Wales.
Kath Rhodes
Member of the Welsh Assembly for Delyn
AM Hannah Blythyn commented,
โIt was brilliant to be able to bring some of the best of the North East Wales food and drink sector to the Senedd to showcase all that we have to offer in our corner of the country. The event was incredibly well received and I know that producers found being part of โDiscover North East Walesโ of real benefit.
We have such fabulous and an increasing number of food and drink producers in the region that are central not only to tourism, but the economy as a whole and I look forward to building on the success of the Senedd event in the future.โ
Sabor de Amor
Beatriz from Sabor de Amor explained that the company had a fantastic evening showcasing their sauces at the Senedd on 18th of June. This initiative by AM Hannah Blythyn helped small producers like us in the North East Wales to tell our story and the work we do in this small and lesser known area of Wales. We were lucky to have the support of our Minister Lesley Griffiths during the event. She is a huge Ambassador of Food and Drink Wales and she always has the time to visit the stands and promote it.
During the event we had a chance to speak to several members of the Welsh Assembly and it was fantastic to hear from them how much they have enjoyed our Paella which was served at lunch time as part of the Welsh Assembly menu. Everyone we talked to showed a huge interest in our sauces and they were pleasantly surprised that we made them here in Wales.
Since the event we have experienced new sales from other parts of Wales and we are hoping to supply our catering Paella sauce through foodservice.
Our hope is that there are more events like this one as it would be fantastic to meet other producers from other areas in Wales and perhaps establish collaborations with them.
The company had the honour of being invited down along with other producers from North East Wales to the Senedd in Cardiff to showcase the wonderful array of produce thatโs available from this area. It was so good to see so many producers in one space and it really highlighted what diverse and exciting businessโ that are currently running thanks to Welsh Government support and funding. This was one of many similar events that Llaeth Y Llan has been present at organised through the Welsh Government. This was a great event to promote our brand and a great opportunity to discuss future plans for our business and Wales as a region. It was also positive to hear of future developments from the Welsh Assembly.
Launched back in November 2018, Cariad Gin is produced down a quiet country lane in the heart of the Flintshire countryside at Clwydian Range Distillery, which is quite possibly the smallest distillery in Wales.
It was a great honour to be invited to Cardiff and be provided with a platform to showcase Cariad Gin to a wider audience and to promote our local area and what North East Wales Food and Drink Industry has to offer.
The event provided us with an opportunity to meet other local talented producers which helps to build relationships with other businesses within the Food and Drink Sector as well as helping us to develop our market within Wales and further afield. We made some great business contacts at the Senedd who were able to provide us with guidance on how to take our business forward. We received great feedback from attendees and since the event we have obtained positive new business opportunities which has helped us to develop our market opportunities across Wales and further afield.
We would like to thank Assembly Member Hannah Blythyn for organising such a wonderful event, enabling us to introduce our gin to a wider audience. We are also thrilled to share with you that Cariad Gin is now being served at venues in Cardiff.
It was a fantastic opportunity for the Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum Protected Designation of Origin, PDO, to promote itself at the Discover North East Wales event in Cardiff. It highlighted the products produced using the plum by a local gin maker Merywen and Shlizzy another local Vale of Clwyd producer who receives her plums from her next door neighbour. Chocolate maker Aballu from Wrexham makes a limited edition truffle with plum. New contacts were made with other producers who are also interested in using the plums in the future. The Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum PDO was served in the Senedd Canteen 18 months ago. The pudding produced by chef Mitchell Penberthy went down a storm with AMโs and staff. Hopefully we can send further supplies of plums down to Cardiff for more people to sample Walesโ only and most definitely best plum.
LONDON (Thursday, 25 July 2019): National Geographic Traveller (UK) is toasting the success of its inauguralย Food Festival
Over the weekend of 20-21 July, 5,455 food-lovers poured into Business Design Centre in Islington, London. They were treated to a spectacular celebration of the culinary world.
Glen Mutel, editor of National Geographic Traveller Food, said: โLaunching a new event is always a risky business, but Iโm delighted with how our inaugural Food Festival played out and was received.ย
โI was particularly struck by the passion of our audience. Not only was the venue packed, but it was packed with enthusiasts โ the type of visitors who are as keen to see Adam Handling plate up some lobster as they are to attend a wine tutorial, watch a panel debate on food trends or learn how to make Guadeloupean flambรฉ bananas. And next year, weโll hopefully have even more to offer them, as we bring the worlds of food and travel together once again.โ
On the festival floor, visitors were able to truly taste the world, as 45 exhibitors offered food, drink and expertise, with major participants including the Hungarian Tourism Agency, Greece National Tourism Organisation, Wales Food and Drink and The Wine Society. In the two masterclass venues, some of the worldโs top chefs recreated dishes from as far afield as Israel, Thailand, Malta and Guadeloupe.ย
On the main stage, culinary icons including Raymond Blanc, John Torode, Andi Oliver and Adam Handling performed to packed crowds. The Speakersโ Corner, meanwhile, welcomed acclaimed authors such as Asma Khan and Theo Michaels.
The feedback, both on the day and post-event, has been overwhelmingly positive. Next yearโs event โscheduled to be held, once again, at the Business Design Centre next summerโ promises to be even bigger and better.
59 performances from chefs, authors and speakers across the four stages
53 members of press in attendance across the weekend
77 pieces of coverage produced (both pre- and post-event)
Social Media
9,700 Instagram accounts reached during the event
63,589 Instagram impressions over the weekend
1,178,408 Twitter accounts reached during the event
3,985,965 Twitter impressions across both days
Twitter Testimonials
@JINGTea โWe thoroughly enjoyed hosting a masterclass on Saturday and Sunday at the @NatGeoTravelUK Food Festival. Our Brand Ambassador, Felicity, took the audience on a journey through single-origin teas, sampling our Competition Winning Organic Darjeeling First Flush tea.โ
@Raymond_Blanc โAn impromptu, outdoor book signing @NatGeoTravelUK festival. In the glorious sunshine thank you to everyone who came to hear my talk and waited patiently for their books to be signed. I am so grateful. Bon weekend @BloomsburyCooks @headlinepg
@soniafigone โ@NatGeoTravelUKYesterday was wonderful. Met great people and destinations tried amazing food and attended interesting masterclasses We need a bigger #NGTFoodFestival next year with even more destinationsโ
I have huge admiration for fishermen, as I do for farmers, as they are the people who are out in all weathers, consistently battling the elements. In some ways I think it might well be worse for fishermen as often in the winter months their boats are back in the harbour as the seas are too ferocious for them to go out and fish. Many self-employed people will be able to relate to fishermen, because if they canโt go out and fish they have nothing to sell and basically no cash coming in. Yes ok, they can do repair work on their boats, but this also takes cash and is often scary to undertake a great deal of repair work when funds are tight!
So Iโm pleased that the Welsh Government has added seafood to its Cluster network because the other drawback to fishermen and farmers is both industries are very isolating. So getting together with other like-minded people, swapping ideas, attending workshops and basically collaborating for profit is a really sensible way forward for this industry and our fishing industry is so important for Wales.
Kath Rhodes
What is a Cluster?
A cluster is essentially business led and is where a group of firms operating in the same sector and in a close geographical proximity identify common issues, themes and opportunities. With a focus on: increasing competitiveness of Welsh food and drink companies to help them develop and grow
assisting business to come together and collaborate on specific projects.
The clustering approach is a tried and tested methodology used by organisations across the globe as a business support mechanism. For Wales it was thought important to have a Seafood Cluster as the seafood industry is such a valuable industry that supports Welsh coastal communities and in the past the sector has received little support.
The Welsh Seafood Cluster offers tailored services and support through regular meeting and contact. Other successful seafood clusters include: New England Ocean Cluster and Iceland Ocean.
How does the Welsh Seafood Cluster work?
Welsh seafood businesses are taking the plunge and successfully working together to improve their market share and safeguard their livelihoods and communities.
Brought together through the Welsh Seafood Cluster, an increasing number of businesses are recognising and reaping the benefits of taking a collective approach, known as clustering.
Free to join, the Welsh Seafood Cluster programme is available to all seafood businesses operating in Wales, providing training and support for the whole sector – from fishermen, fishmongers, to merchants, aquaculture, processors, and hand gatherers.
Importantly, it affords a platform for joint action to solve common industry problems, helps overcome barriers to growth, makes a link between commercial, government and academic partners – with the ultimate aim of adding value to fish and shellfish caught or farmed on the Welsh shores.
Funded through the Welsh Governmentโs Food & Drink Wales Business Development Programme, the Welsh Seafood Cluster currently engages with some 60 seafood businesses across Wales and links into Food and Drink Wales trade and consumer events.
Cluster activities include knowledge exchange; events, workshops and up-skilling; cooperative in commercial activities; sharing costs/resources; collaborating for profit; and understanding and entering new markets. There is also access to world-leading research; export insights, industry study visits and trade opportunities in the UK and abroad.
Siรขn Davies, Seafood Cluster manager explains: โThe seafood industry is pivotal in supporting Welsh coastal communities, but historically the sector has received very little support. Working together to overcome barriers and issues has proven to work effectively. The clustering approach is a tried and tested methodology used by organisations across the globe as a business support mechanism.โ
Bwyd Oโr Mรดr/Pwllheli Seafood Ltd, Outer Harbour, Pwllheli, Gwynedd
My name is Richard Evans and I own and run a small family wholesale fishmongers that covers the Lleyn and North Wales. The company supplies hotels and restaurants in the area with fresh market bought fish and supplement this with a small amount of local produce.
When I took over the business in Aug 2014 I was completely new to business, though not to the trade. So taking over an old business I wanted to make a splash so I was very happy when Cywain, which is associated with the Seafood Cluster, (SFC), offered to help with the rebranding. Caroline Dawson came in and with the help of a local designer, we got new logos, business cards etc. to give the business a new identity.
The SFC has also helped me to understand the problems of small local fishermen much better. I now have a relationship with a much wider array of local produce through relationships developed alongside the SFC. There are regular meetings where people can air their thoughts and ideas that are then carried forward by Sian Davies and other staff of the SFC to legislators and politicians. This is an important process that I feel needs closer ties as the decision makers are often too far from the factory floor as it were.
There are some gargantuan problems that need addressing, quotas being sold to equity companies is top of the list and the line of feedback up to the decision makers is one of the most important that I can think of.
The SFC also help small producers get to grips with difficult legislation, new packaging, safety on boats and a myriad of other help that is just too difficult for small companies or small producers to understand or manage There is little enough of this out there for us.
Keith Ross, Ross Shellfish, Ross Shellfish Bigorneaux Ltd, Caernarfon
I have been on a study visit to Ireland and a trade mission to Seafood Expo Global 2019, Brussels through the Welsh Seafood Cluster – both have helped my business grow through gaining new customers. It’s been great to attend the Cluster meetings and network with other members and we have had discussions about shared transport and packaging over to Europe. Sian Davies, the Seafood Cluster Manager has been a great help, nothing is too much trouble for her.
Pembrokeshire Sea Salt Co., Bridge Farm, Dinas, Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire Sea Salt Co. joined the Seafood Cluster in 2017 with a view to working with โother users of the seaโ to promote and protect the seas natural bounty, in a coherent way.
In 2016, Sherrill Evans and partner Josh Wright took a simple idea to make sea salt for use in body scrubs to the extreme. They ended up creating sea salt flake that looks amazing, tastes great and is used by Michelin star and other award winning chefs across Wales and beyond. At Pembrokeshire Sea Salt Co. itโs all about growing the perfect mineral โ and one that is pure, sustainable, and ecologically sound. Hand-harvested from the crystal clear waters of their local beach, this natural sea salt harbours a remarkably articulate taste.
Regular readers of Welsh Country magazine will be well aware of my obsession with Welsh food festivals and thatโs easy to clarify, because in my opinion they taste the best.
At festivals you can sample before buying, you can talk directly to the producer, farmer or grower, you can enjoy a great lunch and then buy more delicious Welsh produce to take home with you.
The Welsh Government continues to support some food festivals and it is through this funding that our festivals excel. Youโll find festivals across Wales and they vary in size from community run festivals lasting a day to the larger events that cover two to three days. The essence of food festivals is obviously food and drink, but youโll also find industry agencies that are there to help with the likes of recycling or food allergies. For youngsters looking for a career youโll often find training companies that specialise in the food and drink industry. Festivals have established themselves as fun days out for all the family with amusements for little ones and face painting proving popular, plus there are always cookery demonstrations too. Listening to live music showcasing local talent is a great way to chill out and taste the best lunch before you hit the food stands once more.
One of my festival highlights is chatting to the producers, sampling their new products, but my absolute favourite bit is if I can pick up any recipe ideas from them. For foodies like me, planning a couple of days away and slotting in a food festival makes great sense. Many festivals have lists of accommodation nearby and of course local eateries.
Itโs also important not to forget that money spent at festivals stays in the county and certainly in Wales as the majority of stands are local to each event. By visiting our Welsh food festivals youโre not only supporting our food and drink producers and the Welsh economy, but having a great tasting experience.
Kath Rhodes (Editor Welsh Country Magazine)
Celebrating the Cardigan Bay Coastal Heritage and all that is good in Wales, the Aberystwyth Sea2Shore Food Festival is again planning for this yearโs festival to Taste The Best.
The natural amphitheatre of Aberystwyth Promenade and beach is the setting for the Festival and the festival itself celebrates the best of both. The festival has grown from grass root beginnings and goes from strength to strength under the continued guidance of the local community. This ensures that the experience presented is genuinely involving and provides an authentic experience for visitors, enabling them to engage directly with fishermen, lifeboat crews, surf lifesavers and rowers. Michelin starred chefs mingle with young local entrepreneurs and there are opportunities for face to face encounters with crabs and lobsters.
At the core is food, with demonstrations, tasters and competitions to encourage curiosity and get everyone involved. Gareth Ward, from Michelin starred restaurant Ynyshir, Machynlleth, will again be demonstrating at this yearโs festival. However it is not simply a food festival, there are plenty of craft and gift stalls to tempt you as well and there will be activities on and in the water. The Promenade is also animated with activity, optimising the space available, and drawing new participants and visitors. Last yearโs festival incorporated a sea monster, go karts, a beach clean and various live acts. The heritage of the Aberystwyth seafront and promenade is brought to life with traditional entertainment such as Punch and Judy and stilt walkers, and regular guided walks adding another layer of detail.
The festival which began in 2011 as a small event to raise awareness of the fishing industry in Cardigan Bay now draws in thousands of visitors for a day out on the prom for all to enjoy.
The festival will be held on the Promenade, Aberystwyth on Sunday, 11th August from 10am – 5pm. Free entry. Tel: 01545 574162 / 07583 847206. More details on our Facebook Page โ Aberystwyth Sea2shore Food Festival 2019
One of the oldest food festivals in Wales, the Brecon Beacons Food Festival opens its doors for the 21st year on Saturday 5th October to Taste the Best Food and Drink in Wales. The event promises visitors a fantastic mix of food and drink exhibitors, celebrity chef demonstrations and entertainment.
Over 10,000 festival goers are expected to sample a range of local produce including bread, cheese, cakes, artisan beers, meats and preserves with most items travelling less miles than the visitors themselves.
Food Festival organiser and Catering Manager for the Old Railway Line Garden Centreโs, Railway Restaurant Andrew Powell said,
โThe Food Festival is always a popular event attracting thousands of visitors to Brecon each year. Itโs an enjoyable day out for everyone and our visitors go home with their shopping bags full of delicious Welsh produce. Confirmed exhibitor numbers are already quickly approaching capacity and a fantastic selection of celebrity and local chef demonstrations will be announced shortly. Weโve also confirmed sponsorship support from over 10 local business including our first headline sponsor, Castell Howell. There is no doubt that this yearโs Brecon Beacons Food Festival is better than ever!โ
Festival promoter, Joe Aldworth added,
โThis food festival is the highlight of any food loversโ calendar and is not to be missed. Its timing with the harvest season is perfect and the food and drink on offer is at its best. Brecon Beacons Food Festival is the perfect day out for everyone โ from those who are passionate about their food to those who are happy to taste.โ
If you are a local exhibitor or potential sponsor looking to get involved, please find more information on breconbeaconsfoodfestival.co.uk
Wrexham Food Festival was rebooted in 2018 with a new local team starting from scratch to organise the event.
The fresh start for the festival is being run by a non for profit organisation made up of likeminded people who have represented Wrexham County as a tourism destination.
The inaugural line-up brought together more than 60 of the best local and regional producers and food vendors, plus local chef demos and lots for families to enjoy โ including fireworks to end the new extended Saturday evening and live music until 9pm. This yearโs event will be held in Wrexham town centre on the 7th & 8th of September and will see an even bigger festival with expansion of the site taking place.
Organiser Sam Regan, owner of the local Lemon Tree restaurant said:
“We were keen not to lose the festival from the area’s calendar and so we pulled together a great team all chipping in to put on a brilliant food festival to Taste the Best Food and Drink in Wales. With much more lead time this year we can build on the success of what we see as year one. We were honoured to have the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs cut the ribbon on the event, or as she is known to the people of Wrexham, Lesley Griffiths AM for Wrexham! Locally we have had tremendous support from the council and local business community, and we already have a lot of people very excited about the event in 2019.”
Co-organiser Alex Jones, who also runs a town centre venue alongside Plรขt Bach’s ‘Welsh Tapas’ in Wrexham added:
“Many traders commented on the value they saw in the festival alongside the warm welcome and support. It was wonderful to see local producers selling out, but what was very special was those local producers who have never exhibited in Wrexham before showcasing to local people. We encourage anyone who wants to come along to get in touch for what will be another great event!”
You can get contact Wrexham Food Festival by emailing team@wrexhamfoodfestival.wales or following @WrexhamFood on social media.
The Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum has been awarded protected food name (PFN) status by the European Commission, joining the ranks of Caerphilly Cheese, Halen Mon and Welsh Lamb.
The fruit, which had its application submitted by the Denbigh Plum Group, boasts the only native variety of plum in Wales and has seen a resurgence of plums being grown in the area over the last decade. The Denbigh Plum is the 16th Welsh product, and Walesโ first fruit, to gain the EUโs prestigious protected food name status.
The EU Scheme recognises quality agricultural food and drink products that surpass strict qualifying criteria. Food and drink products awarded protected food name status under the EU Scheme receive Europe-wide protection against imitation, misuse and fraud.ย The European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which forms part of one of three special European Protected Food Name (PFN) designations will help raise the profile of Denbigh Plum, Denbigh town and its surrounding area too. The Welsh Government is working with Defra to ensure the current PFNs continue to enjoy protection rights within the UK once we leave the European Union through the creation of a new scheme replicating the existing benefits.
The new scheme will continue the successful legacy of PFNs in Wales and provide vital support as the EU Scheme transitions into a new UK scheme. The scheme will also continue to support producers in Wales to achieve the EU status under new terms once we exit Europe. The Welsh Government has provided support to PFN producers for more than six years and its funded programme is part of the reason why Wales has been so successful in developing and achieving new PFNs in the last decade.
Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said:
โIโm delighted The Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum has been honoured with protected food name status and hope it will prove a welcome boost for businesses in the area. With Brexit fast approaching, we are determined to support Welsh food and drink businesses and ensure they are given all necessary help in a challenging marketplace. This prestigious title should help strengthen the Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum identity and allow it to further its brand not only in Wales, but across Europe and other markets too.โ
She added: โWe are proud that so many Welsh food and drink businesses such as Denbigh Plum have been successful in their applications for protected food name status. It is testament to the high quality and unique nature of their produce.โ
Peter Jones, chairman of the Denbigh Plum Group, said:
โThis will have a positive effect on not only Denbigh but the whole of the Vale of Clwyd. Over the last ten years we have seen a massive resurgence in plums being grown in the area and it is fantastic to see this hallmark of quality is now being recognised across Europe. We have long campaigned for this protected food name status and will now concentrate our efforts on further promoting the Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum and supporting efforts to cultivate it and grow it in the area.โ
Tickets go on sale for Blas Cymru / Taste Wales 2019 Walesโs premier international food conference with top class speakers.
โDisruptive Thinking – on the menu at a critical time for the food industry in Wales
Over 600 delegates will hear from leading industry experts as the Welsh food and drink sector continues to grow its reputation internationally
Speakers include international renowned Claus Meyer who fuelled the Nordic food revolution
The biggest names in food and drink look to attract a record number of delegates to the upcoming Blas Cymru / Taste Wales 2019 food conference with a clear message that the industry needs to think differently and accelerate sustainable growth.
Claus Meyer, Tansy Drake, Chris, Kateline Porritt & David Levin
Some of the food worldโs greatest success stories, the best speakers, and the sectorโs leading thinkers have been lined-up for Blas Cymru / Taste Wales 2019, as Welsh food and drink grows its reputation on the international stage.
Headlining the packed food conference programme, titled Accelerating Sustainable Growth โ faster, smarter, cleaner, is Claus Meyer, famous for Noma, 4-times winner of the coveted Worldโs Best Restaurant title, who credits his unconventional approach for his phenomenal success, which also includes fuelling the Nordic food revolution and training thousands of young people in the Bolivian food sector.ย Claus will draw on his experiences as a gastronome, businessman and philanthropist to show how Welsh food and drink producers can stand out and inspire at home and across the world.
Tansy Drake will share her insights into the phenomenal success of innocent smoothies, where she spent nine years helping to build the brand into the powerhouse itโs known as today. Chris Hayward will draw on his market expertise at Kantar Worldpanel to explain the changing demands of consumers. Kateline Porritt of thefoodpeople will unveil the latest food and drink trends from across the world. Social media guru, David Levin, whose services have been engaged by major brands like KitKat and PG Tips, will explain how to create social content to build food business success.
Food conference MC, Sara Edwards, who has pursued her own interest in food throughout her successful broadcast career, said:
โAll of these speakers have two things in common: they approach things differently, and theyโve been hugely successful because they think outside of the box.ย I am so looking forward to being part of this amazing event at this critical time for the sector, and I am really looking forward to hearing how โdisruptive thinkingโ can inspire Welsh food and drink producers to do things differently, including exploring the opportunities of new technology in the food industry and how to embed innovation into business practice.โ
Blas Cymru/ Taste Wales 2019 is being held on 20 – 21 March at the world-class Celtic Manor Resort, once again bringing together producers, buyers and food industry professionals for this signature international food and drink trade event and conference.ย Delegates and buyers will be drawn from across Europe, the US, Middle East and as far afield as Japan to discover innovative Welsh produce, to network and do business.ย
Food and drink giant Princes was announced earlier this month as headline sponsor for the 2019 international trade event and conference.
The Welsh Government will continue to support farmers in Wales post Brexit but in a much smarter way.
That was the message from Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, to the NFU Cymru annual conference.
Reaffirming her commitment to do everything possible to ensure the agricultural sector thrives post-Brexit, the Cabinet Secretary thanked everyone who contributed to the โBrexit and our Landโ consultation and helped start a national debate on future farming support.
Over 12,000 responses have been received to the consultation on proposals for a new Land Management Programme, to replace the Common Agricultural Policy in Wales.
The Cabinet Secretary confirmed that changes to how the Welsh Government supports farmers will not be rushed and made three commitments:
No decisions will be taken until all consultation responses have been reviewed;
No changes to existing payments will happen without further consultation next year; and
Old schemes will not be removed before new schemes are ready.
Speaking at the conference, the Cabinet Secretary said:
โOur plans for future farming support are firmly based on helping ensure farms are resilient and sustainable, whatever the deal on Brexit .ย
โWeโve had an overwhelming response to our โBrexit and our Landโ consultation โ I am very grateful for each of the over 12,000 responses we have received and am pleased weโve had a national debate on our proposals.
โI have been clear from day one.ย Maintaining the status quo is not an option post-Brexit because it does not help farmers adapt to the challenges of a different and rapidly moving trading environment.ย Whether we like it or not, the UK will leave the Common Agricultural Policy next year.ย That is a certainty.
โThe Basic Payment Scheme is not the most effective way to support farmers after Brexit โ it is too blunt an instrument to deliver.ย There is no link between BPS and a farmerโs effort, the performance of the farm business or the outcomes achieved.ย The BPS delivers neither long term resilience nor prosperity.
โI have always stated we have to provide ongoing support to farmers but we need to do so in a better, much smarter way.ย Farmers need and deserve our support.ย This is the only way we can keep farmers on the land and protect our valued rural communities.
โOur proposals for a Public Goods Scheme will do just that โ it is a new and meaningful income stream for farmers.ย It will pay over and above the โincome foregone and costs incurredโ of our current agri environment schemes.ย For some farmers it will be the major part of their income and importantly,ย it will linked to outcomes Wales needs from its land now and in the futureโ.
โOur proposed Economic Resilience scheme will target funding towards improving businesses.ย It will be designed to increase productivity, invest in efficiency and diversification and help farmers adapt to new market opportunities.โ
The Cabinet Secretary also reminded farmers of the BPS loan scheme support that is available this year and urged those who wish to applyย to submit their applications by no later than 30 November.
The Cabinet Secretary added:
โWe will be starting BPS payments on 3 December and will ensure we pay as many farm businesses as possible on day 1 of the payment window.ย Following the exceptionally hot and dry summer, I introduced a BPS loan scheme to support farm businesses and alleviate the short term pressures on a small proportion of claimants not able to receive their BPS early in the payment window.
โI would like to remind everyone this is an โopt inโ scheme.ย The application is currently available to everyone on RPW online and applications must be submitted by 30 November.ย I urge all farmers to consider applying for thisย valuable support.โ
Welsh food and drink businesses with products ranging from flavoured cheeses to cereals are set to take centre stage at international trade event.
Welsh food and drink businesses, ranging from flavoured cheeses to cereals, will take centre stage at one of the worldโs largest trade events in Paris this week to showcase their quality produce and boost their international profile.
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths will join a Food and Drink Wales delegation of thirteen leading companies from across the sector at the biennial Salon International de โAlimentation (SIAL). The Cabinet Secretary will meet exhibitors and customers to discuss export opportunities and will attend a Meat Promotion Wales / Hybu Cig Cymru reception to highlight the importance of the food and drink and the red meat sectors in Wales. Speaking during the SIAL event, which will see more than 7,000 companies from 109 countries networking and exhibiting their produce, the Cabinet Secretary said it was more important than ever that Welsh businesses forged links with partners across Europe and seize every opportunity to export their goods further afield.
The Cabinet Secretary said Welsh food and drink businesses must grab the opportunity to meet with potential trade partners ahead of the uncertainty of Brexit and showcase their world renowned produce. The Welsh food and drinks industry has shown growth in recent years, with the value of exports for 2017 of ยฃ527.4million, representing a rise of 21.1%, and up ยฃ91.8million from 2016. With the value of exports of food and drink from Wales to the European Community also increasing by ยฃ47.6million between 2016 and 2017, representing a 13.2% rise, Lesley Griffiths has urged Welsh businesses to use opportunities like SIAL to build relationships and showcase their produce to wider markets.
The Welsh Government provides a comprehensive range of programmes to support Welsh food and drink producers to increase their exports. This support ranges from bespoke one to one advice about export strategies and market selection, to exhibiting at key events like SIAL. The Welsh Government Food and Drink Wales presence at SIAL is a vital exhibition to showcase the variety and quality of food and drink products from Wales to develop new business contacts, enhance their profile and maximise their potential market sales.
Lesley Griffiths said:
โSIAL is a fantastic opportunity for Welsh businesses to showcase the high quality food and drink they produce, as they strive to build relationships with others and their markets.
โOur efforts in raising our profile are making a real difference.ย Over the past year alone, our food and drink exports have increased by 20% and passed the ยฃ500m milestone for the first time.
โHowever, in these challenging times with Brexit now just a few months away, it is more important than ever that Welsh companies raise their international profile and proactively sell their produce to the world.
โMeat and meat products remain the top Welsh food and drink exports to the European Community, making up more than a quarter of the value of all exports in this category, and we need businesses from this sector to strengthen these ties and build even more partnerships to guarantee their future sustainability.โ
Kevin Roberts, Chairman of Hybu Cig Cymru, said:
โExports are vital for the red meat sector, and contribute over ยฃ180m a year to the Welsh economy. Contacts made at SIAL Paris and similar trade events lead directly to new business. Weโre pleased that five meat exporters are attending this year as part of a strong Welsh food and drink contingent.
โSince the Cabinet Secretary announced the ยฃ1.5 million in financial support for HCC to boost export development this time last year, we have redoubled our efforts to build on business with existing clients, as well as expanding the reach of PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef into even more countries where it is highly sought-after and respected.โ
Walesโ largest and oldest dairy co-operative South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) will be attending SIAL and showcasing cheeses in their Dragon range, produced on the Llyn Peninsula using 100% Welsh milk from farms across North and Mid Wales. Alan Wyn Jones, Managing Director of South Caernarfon Creameries, said: โThe event is a massive benefit to South Caernarfon Creameries because it provides us with a shop window to reach out and extend our markets.
โThese are exciting times for SCC and following a ยฃ13m investment in our cheesemaking and packing plant at Chwilog, increasing exports from 5% to 15% of our sales is an important goal in our ongoing growth strategy over the next few years.
โWeโre looking forward to reinforcing lots of our connections in the industry having significantly increased exports since attending SIAL last year, as well as making new contacts in the global marketplace.โ
John Cullen, sales director at GRH Food Company Ltd, which has previously attended the SIAL conference as a visitor and will be exhibiting for the first time this year, said that it had been invaluable for the development of the Gwynedd-based cheese businesses.
In the last two years the company has increasingly exported to Europe, North America and the Middle East, as well as across the UK. It has also moved to a new 43,500 sq ft facility at Snowdonia Business Park, Minffordd near Porthmadog, after securing a ยฃ1.7million grant from the Welsh Governmentโs Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, as part of a ยฃ6.5million investment.
โItโs important for Welsh food and drink businesses to get more involved with conferences like these while the opportunity is still there,โ said John Cullen.
โItโs a very important stage for networking and helps put Welsh food and drink businesses on the map. You have to be there in one way or another, as a visitor or exhibitor, to make those connections. International backers will take you more seriously if you are at these exhibitions.โ
SIAL is held in Paris, France, from 21-25 October 2018.
Food and Drink Wales has for some time had an industry board for food & drink. But whatโs it all about? Kath Rhodes finds out more.
When the Food and Drink board was set up I was sceptical that this would be another โQuangoโ type operation without sufficient involvement with the industry. My feedback to date has been positive, so itโs good to be proved wrong as it does seem to be the voice of the food and drink industry! Moving forwards my main concerns are that everyone in the food and drink industry knows and understands the Food and Drink Boardโs role and they are kept updated on a regular basis and also that micro producers are not forgotten. Credit must be given to Board members who are doing this job on a voluntary basis.
Kath Rhodes
Andy Richardson, Chair, Food and Drink Wales Industry Board
In July 2015, the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board was announced by Rebecca Evans, the then Deputy Minister for Farming and Food. Since then, the Board has worked closely with Welsh Government Food Division, under the leadership of Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, in order to implement the action plan โToward Sustainable Growth: An Action Plan for the Food and Drink Industry 2014-2020โ. In doing this, we strive to be the voice of the Welsh food and drink industry and provide a vital conduit between government and industry to help the industry overcome the various challenges we face. Above all we want to drive sustainable growth in the Welsh Food & Drink industry.
As a Board, we are mindful that our work needs to be done within the guiding principles of the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the more recent โProsperity for Allโ national strategy. Of course, the landscape has changed significantly since 2015, not least with the result of the EU referendum in 2016.
The Board members are all volunteers and we pride ourselves on our energy and our dynamic role in the industry. We combine both a โcritical friendโ type role which offers strategic advice and insight with the ability to โget things doneโ through our special and trusted relationship with Welsh Government and its strategic delivery partners.
I was honoured to be elected as Chair of the Board in January 2016 and I firmly believe that the Board is an exemplar of industry, government and stakeholders working together to support and grow our food and drink industry in Wales. I passionately believe in Welsh food and drink and in the contribution it can make to the Welsh economy and I am very proud of the Boardโs achievements.
Our Mission and Purpose
The Food and Drink Wales Board aims to continually engage with Welsh food and drink businesses, to ensure its work remains focused on growth and adding value. With less than 2 years until the current 2014 – 2020 Food and Drink Action Plan draws to a close, we are looking to refresh our activities in order to ensure they remain relevant and flexible enough to respond to new challenges and opportunities in what is a constantly evolving landscape.ย We recently held a strategy day to review the success of our work so far and plan the next growth stage of the Welsh food and drink industry.
The purpose of the board is to work in partnership with industry, academia and government to help grow, promote and enhance the Welsh food and drink industry as it strives to reach a target of 30% growth โ or ยฃ7bn in sales โ by 2020.
A Connected, Responsive and Responsible Board
The Food and Drink Wales Board, with our close and trusted relationship with the Welsh Government Food Division, is able to respond rapidly to help government gain a clearer understanding of potential policy impacts.
David Lloyd, Director, Food Industry Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University
The Food and Drink Wales Industry Board is still relatively in its infancy, especially as it meets quarterly, but has evolved considerably in its early years. Unlike previous boards, this Board is focussed on the processing sector with a limited number of participants. This has resulted in a more focussed agenda (I am sure this is case in the corresponding agricultural / farming board).
Although limited in board member numbers, the breadth of experience ensures major sub sectors of the industry are represented, i.e. meat, dairy, vegetables along with varying sizes of private sector companies from SMEs to major multinationals. Communication is a central focus with the concepts and innovations, as well as barriers and opportunities within the sector discussed, evaluated and actioned by the Board.
Personally, I am a strong believer in the triple Helix approach to developing the sector.ย Industry, academia innovations groups and government working together to alleviate restrictions to industrial growth is essential especially in a smaller nation like Wales. Our sector is disparate in terms of product types (all 18 sub sectors identified within the BRC standard are operational within Wales), but our size and structures (including clusters, various boards) mean that we can outperform other areas with less developed sectorial support.
The Board has through a series of events, speaking engagements and website development, endeavoured to communicate its work to the sector.ย The challenge is to engage more of the private sector in feeding successes, barriers and innovative ideas through to the Board to allow growth opportunities to be more accessible to all personnel.
Dr Norma Barry Director Of InsideOut: Organisational Solutions 210
We all share the desire to have a thriving Welsh food and drink sector. One that puts Wales on the global map; creates well paid sustainable jobs; provides employment in rural and socially disadvantaged areas; and attracts visitors interested in our culture, including our food and drink.
I have always believed that there should be stronger links between policy makers, programme designers and implementers, and those impacted by them. I am of the view that communication between Government and those it is there to serve is fundamental.
The Board has achieved some notable successes, particularly in view of the major challenges that are heading our way with Brexit on the horizon, climate change, the development of our horticultural sector and expansion of our vineyards.
It is important that the Board has the skills and experience necessary to represent the voice of the sector to Government, whilst balancing respective needs and taking account of external challenges over which the Welsh Government has limited control.
Alison Lea-Wilson Director of Cwmniย Halen Mรดr Mรดn
The Welsh Food and Drink sector punches above its weight in terms of quality and variety, using Walesโ environment and natural resources to their best advantage.
The Board recognises the importance of authenticity, provenance, sustainable growth, and best practice, as well as superb primary produce, adding value, nurturing existing markets and developing new ones. It was set up to drive the Welsh Food and Drink strategy and achieve a 30% increase on sales, to ยฃ7bn. I joined it to give the perspective of an SME and holder of a Protected Food Name, in this case, a PDO – Protected Designation of Origin.
As a ( Food and Drink Wales )Board, we have held workshops and conferences on skills, finance and financial skills for growing and start-up companies and branding, design and marketing. We have facilitated cluster-based methods of engaging with companies across Wales, helping to give them the right environment for co-operating. Work has also started on helping more companies to innovate.
The ( Food and Drink Wales )Board makes things happen because we are more than the sum of our parts. We are the interface between the Welsh Government and the producers of Wales.
Welsh Seafood which proves to be such a delicious snack, meal or aperitif is a sector that is to be given over ยฃ1m for promotion at home and overseas post-Brexit
A new ยฃ1m project to market Welsh Seafood domestically and internationally will help put the industry on a firm footing to thrive in a post-Brexit world, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said today.
Speaking ahead of a debate on Brexit and fisheries in the Senedd, the Cabinet Secretary confirmed financial support from Welsh Government and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for the Seafood Market Development Project over the next four years.
The project, which has been developed as a partnership between Menter a Busnes and Seafish, will develop the market development of locally caught and processed seafood from Wales.
It will also assist seafood businesses to define a clear seafood value, understand market needs, increase marketing expertise within the sector and encourage vessels to attain Responsible Fishing Scheme standard.
The project will engage with vessels and businesses from right across the Welsh seafood sector.ย During the lifetime of the project, it is expected to support and engage with 60 businesses.
In September, the project will host a Trade Mission to Hong Kong to showcase the best of Welsh seafood at the Seafood Expo Asia 2018.
The new project builds on the recently announced package of financial support for the fishery industry through the Welsh Governmentโs EU transition fund.ย Through the fund, the fishing and aquaculture industries will receive financial support over the next two years to help the sectors find new markets and prepare for future trading outside the EU.
Cabinet Secretary said:
โBrexit presents both challenges and opportunities for our fishery industry.ย As a Government, we will do all we can to support the industry prepare for these challenges and help them adapt to a post-Brexit world.
โI am delighted to announce over ยฃ1m will be invested in the Seafood Market Development Project over the next four years to help market Welsh seafood domestically and internationally.ย It will provide vitally needed support for the sector as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.
โThis builds on the funding recently announced by the First Minister for the sector through our EU transition Fund. We want to make sure that sector has a strong and sustainable future and this funding will help identify trading gaps to ensure the industry thrives once we have left the EU.โ
Notes
The fishing and aquaculture industries will receive the following funding through the EU Transition Fund:
Transforming Government Fisheries Management Systems for EU Exit โ ยฃ390,000
Supporting Welsh fisheries and aquaculture sectors to prepare for EU Exit – ยฃ440,000
Welsh meat & Fisheries are two sectors of the Welsh Food & Drink sector to be given over ยฃ3m to help prepare for Brexit.
A multi-million pound package of support to help the Welsh food industry prepare for Brexit will be announced today by First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones.
Through the Welsh Governmentโs ยฃ50million EU Transition Fund, ยฃ2.15 million will be provided to support the development of the red meat sector in Wales. The investment will support famers to identify improvements to their businesses to help them become more competitive and in a better position to trade profitably following Brexit.
Funding will also be given to an import substitution project to help identify and secure supply chains within the UK and encourage companies based in the EU to set up operations in Wales.
Over the next two years, the fishing and aquaculture industries will receive financial support to help that sector find new markets and prepare for future trading outside the EU.
Speaking ahead of his address to the Farmerโs Union of Wales AGM in Aberystwyth this morning, the First Minister said:
โBrexit presents a series of challenges and opportunities for our agriculture and fisheries industries.ย The funding I am announcing today from our EU Transition Fund will provide vitally needed support. As a Government we will do all we can to help these important industries prepare for a post-Brexit world.โโ
Notes
The ยฃ3m package of support, funded through the Welsh Governmentโs EU transition fund, is broken down as follows.
Red Meat Benchmarking project – ยฃ2,150,000
Import Replacement – ยฃ100,000
Transforming Government Fisheries Management Systems for EU Exit โ ยฃ390,000
Supporting Welsh fisheries and aquaculture sectors to prepare for EU Exit – ยฃ440,000
Welsh Food & Drink joined the London commuters on 14th June
Passengers at Paddington sampled and purchased some of the best Welsh food and drink produce on show at the station on Thursday 14 June.
First Minister Carwyn Jones called in to visit the eight Welsh food and drink companies who showcased their products at the station and offering passengers the opportunity to sample and buy a range of high quality Welsh produce.
Passengers were able to savour the delights of products from across Wales, including award winning cheeses, preserves, cakes, ice cream and cured meats washed down with cider, ales and soft drinks.
It builds on previous events held at the station and is further recognition of the quality reputation of the Welsh food and drink sector in the UK.
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said:
โWelsh food and drink has gained a growing and well-deserved reputation for uniqueness and high quality.ย We have ambitious targets to grow the industry by 30% to ยฃ7bn by 2020 and are very near to meeting this early.
โTodayโs event is yet another opportunity for Welsh food and drink companies to showcase their products outside Wales and is further recognition of the regard the sector is held in.
โIt is particularly timely as we prepare to leave the EU.ย The food and drinks industry is a key โfoundationโ sector for us post-Brexit.ย We are determined to do all we can secure a resilient and thriving industry in Wales after leaving the EU.
โI hope passengers at Paddington enjoy savoring the Welsh delights on offer at the station and take the opportunity to snap up the high quality products on sale.โ
The following eight Welsh food and drink companies showcased their products at Paddington station:
Tan Y Castell – Bakery ranges, Welshcakes, Chocolate Chip Griddles and Shortbread Biscuits
Franks Ice Cream – Range of 120ml Ice Cream flavours (Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry etc.)
Montyโs Brewery – Range of Welsh Ales all of which are Gluten Free
Hallets Real Cider – Welsh Premium Ciders
Radnor Preserves – Range of Jams, Preserves, Chutneysย and Condiments
Radnor Hills Soft Drinks – Heartsease Range, which is a premium soft drinks range.
Cwm Farm Charcuterie – Laverbread Salami and a range of premium cured meats
Caws Cenarth Cheese – Perl Las, Perl Wen, Golden Cenarth and range of cheese truckles – all award winning cheeses from this West Wales producer.
Food Festivals are a superb place to see taste & buy superb Welsh produce
Regular readers will know that Welsh food and drink is our passion here at Welsh Country magazine and food festivals are without a doubt the highlight. But why do we have such an obsession for food festivals? Now thatโs a fair question and easily answered as festivals are the showcase for the best of Welsh food and drink and as Wales has an abundance of artisan food and drink producers, we are very lucky to be so spoilt for choice. With food festivals a- plenty being held across Wales of varying sizes, the choice of course is yours. You can visit your local community focused event or maybe have a weekend away and travel further afield to visit one of the larger festivals. Food festivals are not only great fun for people living in Wales but prove to be a real attraction for tourists too.
You donโt have to be an obsessive foodie to attend a festival, but Iโm sure we can turn you into one when you do! Welsh festivals excel at providing something for everyone whether thatโs watching top chefs show off their skills or encouraging children to learn more about their food and where it comes from and of course I donโt mean the supermarkets! Educating your children about food will certainly pay dividends in years to come and hopefully inspire some of them to consider a career in the food and drink industry and the hospitality sector.
One of my many festival highlights is to be able to speak face-to-face to the producers, to sample their products and also learn more about how they are made. But festivals are also important for our producers as they like to have direct contact with their customers and potential customers. Producers are also aware this is one way for them to grow their businesses and for the Welsh economy thatโs important too as food and drink makes a valuable contribution.
Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival
Now into its 14th year, Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival (27th-28th May 2018) has established itself as a must-attend event for Welsh foodies.
One of Walesโ oldest market towns, Cowbridge has long been associated with quality food and farm produce. In a nod to this rich tradition, the 2018 Festival will be the second year of a Heritage Lottery Funded project focusing on โForgotten Foodsโ. This will entail exploring historical skills and traditional methods of food production and storage, like traditional basket making, which will be demonstrated at the Festival.
Once again, the History Chefs will be on hand to showcase these techniques and give people a unique insight into foods that once formed the basis of Welsh diets. ITVโs Fran Donovan, who is passionate about history, will be helping bring these demonstrations to life.
Part of the Festivalโs unique appeal is the fact that it focuses on local and regional producers and suppliers, showcasing them ahead of larger commercial or national organisations. Many local businesses credit the Festival with raising their profile when they were first setting out.
For example, Rob Higgins, Eccentric Gin said:
โThis was our first food festival and we approached it with a degree of trepidation. Appearing at the show was a great way of increasing awareness. Print advertising and social media are useful tools to help us grow but if I was forced to choose, give me a well-run food festival every time.โ
More than just a food festival, Cowbridgeโs rich offering of entertaining activities and educational demonstrations, has proved increasingly popular. People from various parts of the UK, who discovered the Festival by accident in the past, now plan their holidays around it.
The festival has grown to such an extent that itโs now spread across several sites and this year, for the first time, The Duke of Wellington Car Park will host a variety of exhibitors including Science Cream and award-winning street foodies The Original Goodfillas. There will even be a new craft fair downstairs in the pub.
Each day, chefs from local establishments will share top recipe tips for families cooking on a budget, and several Live Fire sessions will delight barbecue lovers. Experienced childrenโs entertainer Simon Sparkles will also please young and old with his unique fun blend of comedy, magic, games, puppetry and music.
As well as being an enjoyable day out for the whole family, Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival has a positive impact on the whole town and surrounding businesses. All holders of Pre-Paid tickets ordered on lineย will have a wide variety of vouchers for use around the town. These include clothes and food discounts as well as special Junior Vouchers for our younger visitors.
The Festival is also involved with several charities including Young Farmers Clubs, Womenโs Institutes, Rotary and the Scouts.
It is a delicious event, with something for everyoneโs taste.
Beaumaris Food Festival
The Beaumaris Food Festival was first held four years ago with the aim of raising funds for the local Community Centre, a central hub for this community, which was under threat of closure due to cutbacks. In such a short time the festival is now one of the largest attractions in the area and so far has raised over ยฃ94,000 to benefit local charities. Beaumaris is a prime example of how Welsh food and drink can help and bring together the local community and literally save the Community Centre.
Held on Anglesey, Beaumaris Food Festival is set in a stunning location between the historic 12th Century Beaumaris Castle and the coast, with the beautiful Snowdonia Mountains providing a backdrop. Held on the first weekend in September, 1st & 2nd the festival brings together local, national and international food producers, as well as street food vendors, crafts exhibitors, live entertainment and family fun. Chefs from the local area, from TV and with Michelin star showcase their talents in the demonstration tent which is always a hit!
The entry price is ยฃ5 per day or ยฃ7 for the weekend, which not only includes free parking but half price entry to local attractions such as the Castle and the Gaol. The festival is supported by Ynys Mon County Council, Beaumaris Town Council, the Welsh Assembly and many generous sponsors. The festival is run completely by a fantastic team of volunteers who return year after year, this is what community is all about!
So successful are the Beaumaris team that they have been asked to resurrect the Menai Bridge Food Festival, which will be held in the centre of the town on Saturday 28th July.
Cardigan River & Food Festival
Itโs a big day in the townโs calendar when Cardigan River & Food Festival opens on its site next to the River Teifi.ย This year, on Saturday 18th August will be the twentieth festival and it will once more be a celebration of quality Welsh food and drink. This is an opportunity to showcase the wide range of produce available from the Cardigan area and beyond.ย Cardigan Food Festival is a real community event that brings the whole town together, but without the support and dedication of their hard-working volunteers this event would not run.ย The Food Court, as always will have many great โstreet foodโ stalls ready to tempt you for lunch, ranging from authentic Indian meals to luxury Welsh rarebit, via Paella and a Hog Roast.ย Youโll be able to take home cheeses, honey, beers, ciders, charcuterie, cakes, bread and much more from the bustling Food Market.
ย But the attraction of the Festival isnโt just the food, thereโs much more to enjoy. There will be live entertainment in the large, covered seating area and a programme of activities on the river, with an RNLI demonstration and boat races.ย The Festival website: www.cardigan-food-festival.co.uk, will have the latest information.
A free Park & Ride scheme operates from just outside town with shuttle buses running throughout the day from the clearly signposted field on the Fishguard road.ย Entry into the Festival site is just ยฃ2.50 for adults and ยฃ1 for children 12 and over.
Taste Of Monmouthshire
Taste of Monmouthshire is a boutique food and drink festival held in the historic venue of Shire Hall in the centre of the county town of Monmouth and taking place on the 18th & 19th August. Its purpose is twofold, both to engage the local community and also to draw visitors to the local Wye Valley, an area of outstanding natural beautiful (AONB). The county boasts a number of top quality restaurants whose chefs support the festival by giving first class demonstrations. Between the chefs they boast one Michelin star and twelve AA Rosettes which confirms the calibre of our local restaurants and explain why the Chefโs Theatre is so popular.
The Food Capital of Wales is how the county of Monmouthshire is known priding itself on the number of top quality food and drink producers here. Local award winning White Castle Vineyard will host a wine workshop and Dragonphyre Chocolate from Abergavenny will offer a chocolate tasting session.
The Kidโs Kitchen has food and drink workshops for our younger visitors supported by the Monmouth branch of Monmouthshire Youth Service. These workshops will educate our children to make healthy food and drink choices.
Our Food and Drink producers include Brookes Dairy who make the finest Welsh ice cream with fresh double cream and milk from their herd of Jersey cows. Together with Castles Brewery, a family run micro brewery, producing a range of traditional ales.
Some of Walesโ finest Welsh food and drink companies will attend the UKโs largest trade exhibition in Birmingham later this month. Over 1,500 exhibitors will attend the three day event, Food & Drink Expo at the NEC from Monday 16 April until Wednesday 18 April.
Twenty nine companies will be part of the Cymru/Wales stand, a number of which will be unveiling new and innovative products. These include Princes Gate, Marioโs Ice Cream, The Welsh Sausage Company, Halen Mรดn, Snowdonia Cheese, Pancake World, Plas Farm and the Authentic Curry Company. A number of producers will also be exhibiting as part of the Food and Drink Wales Showcase.
One company looking to use Food & Drink Expo as a platform to launch three new lines is Fori, whose Paleo-inspired, high-protein savoury meat snacks offer an alternative option to traditional snack bars.
The new 35g bars are available in three flavours โ Pork with Smoky Bacon, Beef with Cracked Pepper and Chicken with Texas BBQ. All three bars contain 100% British grass fed, free range and outdoor reared meat and all sit at under 80 calories per bar whilst still being high in protein. They also have no added sugar and are free from gluten, nut and dairy.
Juliana Morgans of Fori said,
โTrade events such as Food & Drink Expo is an important opportunity for Welsh food and drink producers to showcase products to buyers and distributors and we are delighted to be part of this event.
โWe are actually going to use the show to launch our three brand new lines which we are very excited about. We are hoping our bars will reignite the meat snacks category by pioneering the highest animal welfare standards and only using the finest natural, wholefood ingredients.โ
Langfordโs The Welsh Sausage Company will be introducing a new gluten free breakfast slice as well as their new gluten free products using lamb, beef and pork, which are due to be launched into schools in the UK on 1 April.
Commenting on the new products, John Langford of Langfordโs The Welsh Sausage Company said,
โEvery school that has sampled our grills and meatballs has taken them.ย We have targeted 7 to 12 year olds with these products and they love them. They will be in over 8,000 schools in the UK from April, 2,000 of which are schools in Wales. This is a huge volume for us and a great opportunity to get school children back eating and loving lamb, which has not been on school menus for the last 4 years.
We think it will make a great impact on people buying lamb and feel that our gluten free products is the way forward.โ
CK Food and Drinks Ltd are launching a new 250ml Stirfry sauce called That Style Sweet and Sour. Earlier this year they changed their curry pastes from glass jars to 2 x 65g sachets packaged in one big, bold cardboard sleeve, meaning a greater shelf presence, easier to store and gives the customer more flexibility on the amount of paste used.
Cwmfarm Charcuterie are launching two new products, including Cured Beef Hearts โ a new collaboration with Welsh Chef Grady Atkins from Cardiff; as well as a Laverbread Salami covered in a Welsh Beeswax, again working with some Welsh Beekeepers to use the by-product of the honey bee which helps with packaging and shelf life.
Commenting on being part of the showcase, owner Ruth Davies of Cwmfarm Charcuterie said,
โWe are very excited to be launching new products at Food & Drink Expo. Exhibiting at major events such as this gives us the opportunity to talk directly to buyers and we hope it will be a springboard for us as we aim to take the business forward.โ
All Welsh companies exhibiting under the Cymru/Wales brand receive support from the Welsh Government which enables them to have a presence at trade events such as Food & Drink Expo.
The Welsh Governmentโs Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said:
โI am delighted so many producers from Wales are attending this yearโs Food & Drink Expo. This is a great opportunity to showcase some of the innovative products coming from Wales and shows how important Welsh food and drink is to the UK market.
“The Welsh Government will continue to support and celebrate the success of our producers as we continue to see the sector grow.โ
On Monday and Wednesday morning between 10:15am โ 11:00am at The Grocer Talking Shop Live at Food & Drink Expo there will be an opportunity to โWake up with Walesโ. Celebrate classic Welsh cuisine and sample the countryโs exciting new tastes and flavours as food and drink broadcaster Nigel Barden introduces the Wales showcase.
Several Welsh companies, including Tomos a Lilford Brewery and Sabor de Amor will be taking part in the Dragonโs Pantry session, with a range of buyers.
Food & Drink Expo 2018 is the UKโs most progressive food and drink show, taking place on 16-18 April. Food & Drink Expo will run alongside Foodex, The Ingredients Show, National Convenience Show and Farm Shop & Deli Show. The UK Food shows attract buyersโ and decision makers from across the whole industry, who will converge to uncover the hottest trends, latest product launches and the industryโs vision for the future.
Come and visit the Cymru Wales stands L100, L110, M110, N100, P100 at Food & Drink Expo from 16-18 April 2018 for a range of new and innovative food and drink products. There will be an opportunity to meet with the Welsh producers exhibiting at a reception to be held on the main Wales stand on Tuesday 17 April at 5.00pm โ with Nigel Barden, food and drink broadcaster.
There are many pleasures associated with getting away on holiday and not just seeing new places, experiencing different cultures and trying a new language, but the thrill of sampling the local Welsh food and drink.
Well here in Wales we can tick all those must-have tourism boxes and certainly on the food and drink side because our artisan producers are outstanding. The variety and quality of Welsh food and drink is exceptional as we have every aspect covered from meat and fish, honey, dairy, bread and cakes, ciders, beers, whiskey, wine, gin, rum and fruit juices. Our Welsh produce list is endless and the quality is faultless.
I think more work is needed to encourage some establishments to highlight how much local produce they use and where they source from. Yes it does involve a little more work, but it really enhances the visitor experience and that is what itโs all about โ selling Wales and our Welsh food and drink to our tourists. Many establishments have got this down to a fine art, with some able to also sell produce for their visitors to take home with them. I really donโt want to see an English breakfast on a menu; I want to see a โWelshโ breakfast. I want to know where the bacon, eggs and sausages have been sourced from too. Itโs an important touch that gives visitors a true sense of Wales and also shows, but rather shrewdly, how important Welsh food and drink is to the Welsh economy.
Kath Rhodes
Bluestone Brewing
Situated in the foothills of the Preseli Hills in north Pembrokeshire youโll find Bluestone Brewing, a very exciting family run brewery. The water used for brewing is unique to Bluestone. Their water filters down the Preseli mountains and collects in a well on their land. As Bluestoneโs spring water is so natural and crystal clear it goes directly from the well into their range of flavoursome Rock Solid Ales, without requiring filtering or chemicals being added.
What started as a small diversity project for the family, Bluestone has quickly grown into something really special. With a new bottling plant currently under construction, theyโve also opened a Visitor Centre where locals and tourists alike can come and take a brewery tour and enjoy a real microbrewery experience. There is always plenty going on at Bluestone whether itโs a full line-up of live music, comedy, charity choir competitions, beer festivals and banquet evenings. The events are all held underneath the Breweryโs large stretch tent thatโs covered with fairy lights and making this a warm and welcoming venue. The plus point though without a doubt is their outside bar serving the best Bluestone Beers direct from the Brewery.
2017 saw the family run a packed programme throughout the summer offering a great variety and something for everyone to enjoy. But the highlight of last year was a sell-out gig for Congolese star Kanda Bongo Man, which saw 450 people fill the Brewery Yard and dance the night away to his Soukous beats. Visitors to Wales love trying Welsh food and drink whilst on holiday and a trip to Bluestone Brewery is a great way to start.
Itโs A Hive Of Activity – New Quay Honey Farm
Worry over declining bee populations has led to a new kind of holiday with a positive impact. Itโs no secret that these wonderful insects are in trouble. Pesticides, disease and weather are all contributing factors to declining numbers.
At New Quay Honey Farm itโs clear that they are passionate about bees. Established as a bee farm in 1995, the Farm is a traditional family-run honey farm based in mid Wales. The farm produces 100% pure, raw honeys and boasts a Meadery with production of over 6 distinctive characters of mead.
Hidden on the rural outskirts of New Quay, this picturesque farm, set in an old chapel is steeped in history to inspire the imagination and, with their incomparable promise to treasuring authentic small scale production, New Quay Honey farmsโ products are the signature of the Ceredigion landscape.
New Quay Honey farm displays an exhibition which highlights how we all need to be attentive that bees are at crisis point and that their role in the food chain cannot be underestimated. We also host live hives where we demonstrate honeybees, allowing intimate inspection of their fascinating miniature worlds and the opportunity for sensory experiences through webcams and listening ports.
But this new trend of holidaying with a positive impact also takes in the products. With a quaint tea room and shop selling the delicious Afon Mel honey inspired cakes, chutneys, fudge, honey and mead. But for those Bee-lovers who want to help further their knowledge they can also try bee keeping workshops run by owner, Sam Cooper. 2018 is the year for going on trips that are fulfilling for you but also good for the places you visit and their wildlife, especially when itโs a hive of activity.
Blas Ar Fwyd
Blas ar Fwyd explained that they are a Welsh food manufacturer and fine food wholesaler with free delivery throughout Wales, working with over a hundred Welsh producers to provide artisan products and a large range of wines.
โโWe are a supplier of choice to many tourist venues in Wales from Ffestiniog Railway to Melin Tregwynt. The company also played a part in the success of the re-launch of Conwy Councilโs Visitor Centre, based in Llandudno. We worked closely with Conwy Council to develop the product range and are proud to be supplying over 50 different Welsh brands directly to store. The Visitor Centre was able to deal with Blas ar Fwyd, instead of each brand individually. This is because we work hard to develop quality relationships with our suppliers and are able to achieve efficient pricing for our customers.
We are also proud to wholesale and manufacture Blas ar Fwydโs own handmade products made in our SALSA approved kitchens which have won over 40 Great Taste Awards.
Conwy Council are also building on the success of their Llandudno venture by looking to remodel the Tourist Centre in Conwy in the same manner and we hope to play a part in what will be a successful venture there also.โโ
Felin Talgarth Mill – A Working Watermill In The Heart Of The Brecon Beacons National Park
Felin Talgarth Mill is an 18 Century watermill, restored to full working order in 2011, and now a hub for visitors and local residents who are keen to sample great food and see traditional water power turn grain into flour. The company explained that they mill four days a week and visitors can take a tour with one of our millers or guides and learn about the history of the mill, the restoration project and the Millโs current place in the local rural community.
โโOur onsite cafรฉ and bakery, The Bakersโ Table, bakes fresh bread 5 days a week and offers an award-winning range of teas, coffees, cakes and light lunches. In the Mill, wheat, spelt and rye is used to create five flours perfect for bread making and four flours for cakes, pastries and biscuits. Six bread kits contain everything you need to make a perfect loaf, including expert instructions. Alongside our regular milling and baking, the Mill also offers a range of baking and craft courses, including drop in workshops, and a โTaste of Millingโ experience โ a hands-on session where visitors can learn every step of the milling process.โโ
With such a historic building, a working watermill, a bakery, a cafรฉ, gardens and a craft shop itโs no wonder Felin Talgarth is such a draw for tourists. Nestled in the foothills of the Black Mountains, Felin Talgarth Mill is part of the Visit Wales โFood Itineraryโ โ a lovely slice of history and good food in one place!
Andy Richardson, Chairman of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board
”Never has there been such a perfect match than that between Welsh food and drink and tourism. We all like to try something new and different when weโre on holiday and this could be the catalyst to choosing Welsh food and drink in the regular weekly shopping basket for consumers across the UK and abroad. As Chair of the Food & Drink Industry Board for Wales, I would encourage Welsh Tourist locations to actively engage and promote local Welsh food and drink produce which ultimately should be a mutually beneficial relationship. Wales is a fantastic place to visit and our food and drink will always deliver something new, authentic, tasty and reliable.
The purpose of the Board is to grow, promote and enhance the reputation of the Welsh food and drink industry to deliver the Towards Sustainable Growth: An Action Plan for the Food and Drink Industry 2014 โ 2020. This plan targets 30% growth in the industry by the year 2020 which the Board will work towards achieving.”
A โฌ1.7m pilot scheme to drive innovation within Welsh and Irish businesses in the life science and food and drink sectors will be announced by Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, today [02.03.18]
Backed with โฌ1.3m of EU funding, the Catalyst project will bring together partners on both sides of the Irish Sea to develop new products and processes within their fields.
The scheme will work with 60 businesses to develop new specialist products, access new markets, and ensure packaging of products are sustainably sourced and minimised.
The aim is to encourage business growth and create new employment opportunities.
Supported through the EUโs Ireland Wales Cooperation Programme, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David will lead the scheme alongside WRAP Cymru, the Institute of Technology Carlow, Tipperary County Council and Carlow County Council.
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said:
โItโs great to see how partners on both sides of the Irish Sea are collaborating to increase sustainability and drive design and innovation which, in turn, will help reduce waste, boost competitiveness, and enable businesses to diversify and reach new markets.โ
The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe T.D. said:
โI am delighted to see the launch of another project under the Ireland Wales programme.ย The Catalyst project is a great example of how EU funding is being used to promote innovation and support research and development in the SME sector on a cross border basis.โ
The scheme will address a range of challenges that may prevent businesses from developing their products and processes in areas such as designing medical devices and food for health and wellbeing.
Through the project businesses will have access to workshops where businesses from both sectors will jointly explore sustainable development opportunities. Participating businesses will then embark on an innovation residency programme to work alongside specialist academic staff and expert partners to create new, sustainable and innovative products and processes.
Catalyst Project Manager, Chris Holtom said:
โCatalyst builds on previously successful Ireland Wales projects between the partners. We look forward to working with Welsh and Irish businesses to help them develop new and sustainable products, processes and services as well as create new jobs.โ
Chief Executive of Carlow County Council, Kathleen Holohan, said:
โEnabling job creation in innovative sectors is an essential role of the state-backed enterprise support system in Ireland. This new project will complement the range of support available from local authorities that support enterprises which have a sustainable business model to flourish and grow while also building international connections.โ
Producers from across Wales have come together to challenge consumers to buy Welsh this March. The challenge will be kick started to coincide with St Davidโs Day, 1st March 2018, as the largest celebration of Welsh food and drink ever held on a UK wide level is set to go ahead.
There has never been a better time for Welsh food and drink, with the number of products attaining European protected food name status nearly doubling in the past year and the number of Welsh entries for the prestigious Great Taste Awards reaching a record high.
Sales are also soaring and the 2020 target of increasing sales to ยฃ7 billion is well on target to be met a few years early.
Welsh food and drink producers will be banging the drum across the UK and reinforcing the message that Welsh food and drink is among the best in the world in terms of quality and value.
For Londoners there will be a chance to savour the delights of Walesโs excellent produce, from luscious lamb, to creamy cheeses and award winning wine.
To help people get in the mood celebrations and tastings will kick off a week early as Waitrose customers in Oxford Street and Canary Wharf will be treated to the finest Welsh produce the country can offer with traditional cheese and Welsh cakes, yoghurt and waffles, accompanied by Welsh beer or whiskey.
Staying in London, the popular Borough Market will also be awash with Welsh nibbles and tipples to try for a three day extravaganza beginning on St Davidโs Day featuring guest Welsh producers of Radnor Preserves, and Rhug Estates alongside the established market stalls on day one followed by themed stalls of sweet things, preserves, Selwyn Seaweed laverbread and cheese and pickles.
Rail travellers to Paddington station are in for a treat as Welsh producers will be showcasing their wares on the platforms, while on board commuters will be able to savour traditional Welsh cakes alongside their morning cuppa โ Welsh Brew tea of course. As if it couldnโt get any better a Welsh choir will also be on hand to entertain travellers with rousing renditions of well-known hymns and songs to brighten up the day.
Retailers are also getting involved with Waitrose, Asda, Co-op, Morrisons and Ocado all holding their own showcases with Welsh suppliers at their Head Offices promoting the very best of Wales. 34 Asda stores will be using the Food and Drink Wales โThis is a Celebration. This is Walesโ retailer toolkit to promote Welsh food and drink.
These St Davidโs Day celebrations form part of the Welsh Governmentโs #ThisisWales campaign, ensuring Wales and its first class produce are centre stage on the patron saintโs day.
The Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said,
โEvery year our Welsh food and drink celebrations for St. Davidโs Day get bigger and better as the fine reputation of our produce increases. We have some excellent products on show and only the finest Welsh ingredients are used. I would like to thank our producers for showcasing their products in London and further enhancing the belief by consumers and retailers alike that Welsh food and drink is of the highest quality. Our challenge now to consumers is to put our produce to the test โ and I for one am fully confident that it will prove to be a success.โ
In addition to events in London, stores across Wales will naturally be showcasing their first rate quality Welsh food and drink and challenging more of their customers to buy Welsh โ for the quality, the value and the provenance.
St David, the patron Saint of Wales, is celebrated all over the world on the 1st March and is an important part of the heritage of Wales, as is food and drink, which is one of Walesโs premier treasures. Do not miss out on these St Davidโs Day celebrations and indulge in the best quality offerings from across Wales.
Welsh food and drink companies are preparing to attend one of the worldโs largest food trade events in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 18-22 February. Held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Gulfood will attract over 97,000 visitors over the five days, welcoming more than 5,000 exhibitors from 120 countries showcasing products across 8 primary market sectors.
14 Welsh companies from across the Welsh food and drink sector in Wales will be present under the Welsh Governmentโs Cymru/Wales banner. The Welsh participating companies will include Dairy Partners, Fayrefields Foods, Daioni, Calon Wen, Hilltop Honey, Hybu Cig Cymru, Radnor Hills, The Cake Crew, Llaeth y Llan, Eat my Flowers and Coco Pzazz.
Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, believes that it is vital for the industry to continue to develop global markets,
โIn recent years Welsh food and drink has gained a growing and well-deserved reputation for high quality. However, it is important that we maintain our visibility and showcase our innovative products at key global trade events. Having a presence at events such as Gulfood contributes to our ongoing targets of growing the industry by 30% to 7bn by 2020 for the sector which plays an increasingly important role in the Welsh economy.โ
One north Wales based company – The Cake Crew company is hoping that Gulfood will open new opportunities in the Middle East. As the largest independent manufacturer of private label cupcakes in the UK, it produces a wide range of bakery products, including cupcakes, tray bakes, loaf cakes and muffins.
Sales Development Director Bill Smith-Coats commented,
โWith a 25,000 square foot bakery situated in Bala, north Wales and employing around 300 staff, The Cake Crew is one of the biggest employers in the area. In recent years, the company has experienced sustained growth which has led to expansion into the branded cupcake category with our โBeautifully Craftedโ range. We believe we have created some outstanding recipes and are proud of this premium hand finished cupcake range. With high swirl topping and premium gold decorations they offer consumers a real indulgent treat.
We are very much looking forward to this trip and hope it will create new opportunities for us in the Middle East as we are keen to expand into the global market.โ
Currently going through a major expansion to accommodate requests for their highly sought after cheese products is Mozzarella producer Dairy partners, a long established family owned cheese marker. Producingย Mozzarella and Pizza cheese as well as fat-filled Mozzarella, cheese has been produced on the same site in West Wales since 1938.ย Sourcing milk from within aย 50 mileย radius of theย Carmarthenshire site, Dairy Partners works together with local farmers to ensureย supply.
Sarah Hughes of Eat My Flowers
HCC showcasing their Welsh Lamb at last yearโs Gulfood 2017
Eat My Flowers Crystallised flowers with 24kt gold leaf highlight
In June last year, Dairy Partners purchased land to build a new processing plant.ย The new site will double the production and have the room to grow as demand increases, especially from overseas markets.
Commenting ahead of the visit to Gulfood, Director Will Bennett,
โWe have seen high growth in the overseas markets in the past couple of years, particularly from the Middle East and Asia. We see this expansion as well as our presence at Gulfood, as a great opportunity to enter growing markets and to invest in our existing relationships. We are the only fully integrated Pizza cheese, mozzarella and string cheese manufacturing, shredding and processing business in Northern Europe and we are continually expanding!โ
There are a number of new products being launched by Welsh producers at Gulfood. Llaeth y Llan / Village Dairy will be showcasing two new lines – a Fat Free Natural yogurt and a Natural with Honey yogurt, working alongside Hilltop Honey to develop a product which gained a Great Taste Golden Fork in 2016.
The award winning Mid Wales honey producer, Hilltop Honey, also exhibiting at Gulfood, has this month secured three new product listings with Sainsburyโs. The new range of honey products include Lavender Honey, Orange Blossom Honey and Thyme Honey and will be available across 343 Sainsburyโs stores.
Radnor Hills will be showcasing their recently relaunched popular Heartease Farm Premium Pressรฉ range with brand new labels and sugar reduced recipes.
Commenting on the relaunch Marketing Executive Holly Sparrow,
โWe are sticking to the brandโs main heritage and ethos by only using all natural ingredients as well as utilising our own lightly sparkling spring water from the farm in Powys, Mid Wales. The new recipes will be sweetened with Stevia โ an all-natural plant based sweetener that contains almost no calories! Each bottle will still have the same amount of real delicious fruit juices which are expertly blended into traditional British recipes but the new โlightโ approach will mean that some flavours could contain around 50% less sugar.โ
One producer attending looking to make an impression at Gulfood is Sarah Hughes of Eat My Flowers, who produces hand crystallised โedibleโ flowers that are used to decorate desserts, chocolates, cakes and lollipops. Sarah supplies her lollipops and flowers to Harrods, The Dorchester and The Berkeley Hotels in London.
Eat My Flowers products will also feature in the new Gulfood Discover Zone at the Show, an opportunity for a limited number of new and innovative products to be showcased in an exclusive and interactive lounge.
Owner Sarah Hughes sees Gulfood as a great opportunity to promote her products to an international audience,
โI am very excited about the trip to Dubai next month. Events such as this are fantastic for any business, and with the support of the Welsh Governmentโs Food and Drink Wales I am able to showcase my products direct to buyers and suppliers in the Middle East. I am hoping this visit will open up at least one potential lead.โ
Gulfood, now in its 23rd year will bring together a series of insights and activities to help the global food and beverage community to make informed business decisions, discover new products and suppliers, unveil new business opportunities and find solutions to new and evolving global challenges.
Visit the Cymru/Wales stands SN18 & SP17 in the World Food Sheikh Saeed Hall I, stands A2-18 and A2-26 in the Dairy Hall at Gulfood 2018.
Welsh Food: More than 350 chefs from across Wales and England will competing at the Welsh International Culinary Championships in North Wales next week.
Grลตp Llandrilloย Menaiโs, Rhos-on-Sea campus welcomes the annual four-day event, which sees all the nationโs culinary competitions brought together in one venue for the first time. In addition to the National and Junior Chef of Wales finals and the Battle for the Dragon contest, there will be the culinary finals of Skills Competition Wales and the Major International Regional Competition.
The Junior Chef of Wales final and Skills Competition Wales culinary finals get the WICC underway on Monday afternoon. Seeking to become Walesโ top junior chef are finalists: Harry Paynter-Roberts, 20, Manchester House Restaurant, Manchester; Arron Tye, 22, Carden Park Hotel, Chester; Oliver Thompson, 19, The Bull, Beaumaris; Luke Jordan, 20, who works at Slaughters Manor House, Cheltenham and Martin Thomas, 21, Marine Parade, Cardiff.
Harry Paynter-Robert looking to go one better in the Junior Chef of Wales final next week.
Paynter-Roberts is looking to go one better after being a finalist this year. The Junior Chef of Wales winner will automatically qualify for the Craft Guild of Chefsโ Young National Chef of the Year contest semi-final, receive a study tour with Koppert Cress and receive a set of engraved knives from Friedr Dick.
The growing popularity of baking, sugarcraft and cake decorating is reflected in the Cake Cymru show, which opens on Tuesday, with entries expected from across Wales and England.
The Battle for the Dragon contest begins on Wednesday, with the Junior Culinary Team Wales competing against Englandโs junior team. Wales are first into the kitchen followed by England on Thursday, with both teams challenged to prepare and cook a three-course meal for 80 paying guests in three hours.
The Skills Competition Wales culinary finals and the Major International Regional Competition run from Monday to Wednesday alongside a wide range of WICC competitions for chefs and front of house staff.
The event concludes on Thursday with the prestigious National Chef of Wales final, which sees eight chefs compete in morning and afternoon heats. They will be given three hours to prepare and cook a three-course menu for four people using Welsh ingredients wherever possible.
Tom Westerland who will be competing in the National Chef of Wales final.
The finalists are: Jake Mann, 26, The Bull, Beaumaris; John Quill, 45, JQ Catering Services LTD, Barry; Dion Jones, 30, Carden Park Hotel, Chester; Matthew Ramsdale, 25, The Chester Grosvenor, Chester; Matthew Smith, 34, Hawkstone Park Hotel, Weston-under-Redcastle, Shrewsbury; Wayne Bernard, 35, Pier 64, Penarth Marina, Cardiff; Tom Westerland, 26, Lucknam Park Hotel, Colerne and Gavin Kellett, 33, The Vine Tree, Llangattock, Crickhowell.
In addition to the coveted title, the national chef winner will receive a study tour with Koppert Cress, ยฃ250 worth of Churchill products and an engraved set of knives made by Friedr Dick.
Winners of the showpiece competitions will be announced at a presentation dinner at Llandudno Bay Hotel, Llandudno on Thursday night, which will be attended by Lesley Griffiths, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs.
Organised by the Culinary Association of Wales, then WICCโs main sponsor is Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Assembly Governmentโs department representing the food and drink industry.
Other sponsors include Meat Promotion Wales/Hybu Cig Cymru, Castell Howell, Major International, Harlech Foods, H. N. Nuttall, Churchill, MCS Tech, Rollergrill, Koppertcress and Dick Knives.
Arwyn Watkins, Culinary Association of Wales president, said:
โThe Welsh International Culinary Championships is the perfect place for all the nationโs culinary competitions to come together for the first time.
โI welcome the co-operation and collaboration by the competitionsโ organisers and it promises to be a fantastic showcase for culinary and hospitality skills over four days at Coleg Llandrillo Menai. I encourage members of the public to come along and see the talented chefs and front of house staff in action.โ
Caws Cenarth are pleased that โTraditional Welsh Caerphilly/Traditional Welsh Caerffiliโ has joined the ranks of Champagne, Parma Ham and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies by being awarded protected food name status by the European Commission.
From today โTraditional Welsh Caerphilly/Traditional Welsh Caerffiliโ is protected by the European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, one of three special European Protected Food Name (PFN) designations. Under the EUโs protected food name scheme certain food and drink products receive Europe-wide legal protection against imitation, misuse and fraud. ย โTraditional Welsh Caerphilly /Traditional Welsh Caerffiliโ is Walesโs first cheese to attain PFN status and joins a family of 15 Welsh PFN products.The application for PGI status was made to the European Commission on behalf of Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheesemakers in Wales, led by Carwyn Adams from Caws Cenarth.
โTraditional Welsh Caerphilly/Traditional Welsh Caerffilliโ is Walesโs only native cheese. Gwynfor and Thelma Adams from Caws Cenarth first made this cheese in 1987 when they started making cheese as a direct result of milk quotas. Today, 30 years later, their Traditional Welsh Caerffili is made with the same original recipe and has been named after Thelma, as Thelmaโs Original.
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said:
โI was delighted to visit Caws Cenarth recently and, having sampled their Traditional Welsh Caerphilly Cheese, I can confirm this is indeed a product worthy of recognition. I am pleased the Welsh Government was able to support Caws Cenarth, on behalf of all Traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheesemakers, with this application.
โWe are proud we now have fifteen Welsh food and drink products that have been awarded PFN status. This is testament to the high quality and unique nature of our produce.โ
Carwyn Adams from Caws Cenarth said:
โGreat care is taken at every step of the recipe. From the careful hand cutting of the curds to the individual hand moulding of the cheese. We are really excited to be able to protect the โTraditional Welsh Caerphilly/Traditional Welsh Caerffiliโ name. Itโs a guarantee of its quality and authenticity, and the skill and passion involved in the makingโ.
The Welsh Government funds support to all Welsh producers wanting to attain PFN status, this support is currently delivered by ADAS.
The Welsh Food and drinks industry turnover has increased strongly to ยฃ6.9bn and is edging ever nearer to meeting ambitious targets for the sector.
Speaking during plenary, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said the Welsh Food & Drink industry is thriving and stands on the edge of meeting the target of ยฃ7bn turnover by 2020.
The Cabinet Secretary also spoke of the challenges and opportunities Brexit presents and outlined how the Welsh Government is working with the sector to overcome these.
Cabinet Secretary said:ย
โOur Welsh food and drink industry continues to go from strength to strength.ย With the industryโs sales turnover increasing from ยฃ6.1bn to ยฃ6.9bn, we stand on the threshold of reaching our Food and Drink Action Plan target of ยฃ7bn by 2020 early.
โThis is tremendous progress and weโve seen great success since the Plan was published in 2014.ย It reflects the hard work and significant progress by businesses across Wales, large and small.
โThe interest in our wonderful Welsh food and drink has never been greater.ย The quality, service and originality of the Welsh offer are recognised across the World.
โWalesโ food and drink industry is a huge asset.ย It contributes increasingly to our economy, creating jobs and careers where skills matter. It adds value to our agricultural produce and it brings prestige to our nation with a growing profile and reputation throughout the World. Wales has a winner.
โHowever, we cannot ignore the challenges and uncertainty Brexit presents. To maintain the momentum we have achieved to date, we must embrace change and seek any opportunities that arise.
โThrough continued focus on building on what works, and through a readiness for Brexit, we will be fully โfit for marketโ with industry well placed for optimal performance. I have every confidence we will continue to succeed and make the best of Brexit and deliver for Wales.โ
It really should go without saying about how important the Welsh Food and drink industry is to Wales and essential that we are able to attract talented people into this sector.
With Brexit looming large, it is forecasted that by 2022, that Wales will require 4,000 new entrants to enter the food manufacturing sector and to achieve this figure, the industry must be viewed as providing great career opportunities as well as job satisfaction. These tough challenges must be met and students need to recognise what the food industry has to offer in its various sectors, then studying subjects relevant to the industry. As the labour market tightens the food and drink sector must realise ย they are competing against other growth sectors so it is vital that they ย are being pro-active to โsellโ their industry to students. By working closely with academia and training providers to define and deliver those skills, the Government are accepting these tough challenges, otherwise the growth that is required will not be maintained. A recent conference agreed that assistance must be given to the Welsh Food and Drink Board Skills Work Stream to develop the Skills Sector Strategy. With a further conference early next year letโs hope that this is a successful move forward.
Iโve been disappointed to hear from some in the restaurant sector that some parents do not consider the hospitality industry as a suitable job for their offspring, which is so unlike the continent where it is a respected career move. I hope that with the Welsh Governmentโs investment and support into skills and training into this sector will also address this issue.
I loved the unusual take by the Cambrian Training Company encouraging employers to show love and care for their employees this Valentineโs Day! Thatโs such a great idea.
Give Employees The Gift Of Learning This Valentineโs Day
Award winning training provider Cambrian Training Company is encouraging employers to show some love and care for their employees this Valentineโs Day by giving them the gift of learning.
The Welshpool-based training specialist says itโs the perfect time of the year for employers to invest in apprentices to give their businesses the skills they need now and in the future.
For those employers who are new to apprenticeships or have not recruited an apprentice for the past 30 months, thereโs a great offer on the table from the Welsh Government.
The Apprenticeship Employer Incentive Programme provides support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to recruit apprentices aged between 16 and 19 years. The programme aims to provide individuals and employers with the skills needed over the long term and prevent skills shortages.
Support is offered to a maximum of three apprentices per employer and is available irrespective of the level of the apprenticeship. A payment of ยฃ3,500 per learner is offered for an apprentice recruited during July, September and January to March and a payment of ยฃ2,500 at other times of the year. The full payment is made after the apprentice has been employed for eight months.
To find out more details about the full range of apprenticeship opportunities and training support available, contact Cambrian Training Company on Tel: 01938 555 893.
Apprentices train in the workplace alongside experienced employees normally for between two and three years. Cambrian Training Company oversees training and regularly assesses the apprenticeโs progress.ย Apprenticeships begin at level two – a Foundation Apprenticeship โ and progress to level three – an Apprenticeship – and level four and above – Higher Apprenticeships.
The Apprenticeship Programme in Wales is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
For more information about Cambrian Training click here
The Cabinet Secretary for Environmental and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths,ย spoke ahead of the conference, organised by the Welsh Governmentโs Food and Drink Wales Industry Board saying:
โOur Food and Drink industry is one of Walesโ largest business sectors and a Welsh success story. Over 222,000 people are employed within the whole supply chain and in 2016 we exported ยฃ337 million; around 20% growth on the previous year. We cannot, though, ignore the issues facing the sector. Brexit, for example, is not just a challenge in terms of the security of our supply chains and ability to export; it also presents a threat to the stability of our workforce. I want to ensure the momentum the industry has generated is maintained in the years to come.ย
ย
Fingers & Forks
Hospitality comes under the vast umbrella of services providing everything from the morning take-away cuppa to those special event celebrations that are the markers throughout our lives. The months/years of dreaming, planning and saving to have a day that families and friends remember are placed in the hands of the hospitality teams to fulfil with delicious foods cooked to perfection with seamless efficient service, challenging their skills, logistical knowledge and commitment to their craft.
Hospitality is a challenging job requiring a plethora of differing skills from communication & marketing, to culinary, bars and licensed products, housekeeping, understanding and execution of food safety and hygiene regulations, not to mention the eye for detail to make something really special.
So why do so many young people not consider hospitality as a career choice? Training for so many of us is constantly ongoing involving a lot of time, effort and money into an employee who quote: โis just looking to earn some money to financially see me through college/ university to train for a real jobโ. Could not all students receive training in food safety before they leave school so they are at least ready for the workplace, considering that hospitality seems to be the way of funding most avenues of education?
Within the trade, training options are varied from college courses to in-house NVQ, covering a huge range of subjects, hours are varied, some anti-social agreed, but job satisfaction is high, financial reward perhaps not as good as it needs to be for the skills required, but quietly improving. But until we can attract trainees for whom this is their career choice, vast sums of time, effort and money will continue to fail to realise true potential as we work with a transient workforce.
For more information about Fingers & Forks click here.
Delivering Courses To Support The Welsh Food & Drink Sector
Bridgend College has been delivering full time, part time and short bespoke courses to support the Welsh Food and Drink Sector for many years. Recently graded as double Excellent by ESTYN, the college has an outstanding reputation for quality and support for learners. A thriving Land Based department based at the Pencoed Campus, just off Junc. 35 of the M4 offers a wide range of courses in Agriculture and Horticulture. Food production features heavily in all courses, and bespoke commercial courses tailored to business needs can be designed in consultation with clients. Teaching staff are experts in livestock, fruit and vegetable production, and the department works closely with industry to ensure courses are meeting current market needs.
In addition to courses covering food production, the college also has an outstanding catering and hospitality department delivering full, part time and bespoke courses. From professional catering to food safety; hospitality to tourism, the college can support the needs of the sector and respond to requests for industry linked education and training. A link with the Land Based area has seen an ongoing initiative โFrom Field to Forkโ, which has supported learners in their understanding of the food supply chain. Welsh lamb produced at the college has been served in the college restaurant, with students involved at all stages of food production.
Increasing numbers of employers are choosing to train their staff through apprenticeships run at Bridgend College. Established apprenticeship programmes in Agriculture and Horticulture have enabled local businesses to ensure their staff are well qualified and have the skills and competencies to support their employers in their business aims.
Bridgend College looks forward to further supporting the growth of the food and drink industry in Wales, and encourages local businesses to discuss training options.
For more information about Bridgend College click here.
The ยฃ4.5 billion Welsh food and drink sector, which is arguably one of the best in the world, will be showcasing its best-known food and drink products as part of a themed tourism campaign called Year of the Sea.ย
The Welsh Food and Drink industry is the rising star of the Welsh economy and a general love of good food is ingrained in the nationโs history.ย The Welsh Governmentโs food division is encouraging visitors and businesses to enjoy food and drink connected to the coastline and to discover epic sea specialities.
Wales is surrounded on 3 of its 4 sides by the sea and has over 230 beaches and over 50 islands. Wherever you are in Wales you are never more than just over an hour from the sea and all it offers. From the lobster pots of Anglesey and the mussel beds of Menai to the scallops of Cardigan Bay and the seaweed from Swansea, our produce comes from a highly skilled fishing industry, with most of it sourced fromย small family run boats with minimum environmental impact.
The Year of the Sea campaign promotes Wales to the world as a 21st century coastal destination putting the coastal communities and the epic shores (from coastal, to lakeside and riverside) front and centre of the marketing activity coordinated by Visit Wales.
As the attention shifts to the coast, naturally the RNLI is keen to help keep members of the Welsh fishing industry safe in their work as they fish the waters. The RNLI is calling on members of the coastline community and members of the tourism industry to support its 2018 fundraising campaign.
There are a host of fundraising initiatives focusing on the Year of the Sea theme which are aimed at keeping those who work in the fishing industry safe as well as those who come to Wales to enjoyย the food and drink.ย Further details available.
The RNLIโs rescues are at a 5 year high. This is why the RNLI is asking for the support of individuals, organisations and businesses during Year of the Sea to help keep the service running. Participation can involve anything from holding a quiz, a fish supper or choosing a special dish that will come with a donation to the RNLI with each order. Feel free to visit rnli.org/support-us/raise-money/fundraising-ideas for more fundraising ideas and to register your plans.
RNLI volunteers drop whatever theyโre doing to come to the rescue of strangers to save lives from drowning. The RNLI runs a 24/7 volunteer crewed lifeboat service, a flood rescue service, a seasonal lifeguard service and an international programme to save lives at sea. Every ยฃ1 counts and all enquiries are welcomed. Fundraise for the RNLI and join a network of lifesavers this Year of The Sea!
โWe will work with our farmers to help them meet the challenges of Brexit,โ says Lesley Griffiths – Welsh Food
On the opening day of the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, will today call on the agriculture industry to focus on turning the challenges of Brexit into opportunities. In a keynote speech at the Hybu Cig Cymru breakfast, the Cabinet Secretary will talk about a number of important initiatives the Welsh Government has in place to provide valuable support to Welsh Food farmers, many of which are particularly relevant as the UK leaves the EU and farm businesses prepare for the major change that lies ahead.
A new land capability mapping system for Wales will be launched by the Cabinet Secretary at this yearโs Winter Fair โ the first major update since the original maps were produced in the early 1970โs. The Predictive Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) Map allows land users, planners and Government to make informed choices about how agricultural land is used in Wales.
The Cabinet Secretary will also announce that over 91% of farmersโ Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2017 claims will be paid on Friday (1st December).ย Over ยฃ201m will be paid into the bank accounts of 14,111 Welsh farm businesses on the firstย day on which payments may be madeย under European rules.
Speaking ahead of the Winter Fair Lesley Griffiths said:
โBrexit will bring significant and lasting change, of that there is absolutely no doubt.ย A โno dealโ scenario presents particularly acute risks for those sectors particularly reliant on exports to the EU including lamb.
โLeaving the Common Agricultural Policy and new, yet to be established, trading arrangements mean that maintaining the status quo is simply not an option. Turning challenges into opportunities is where the industry and individual farm businesses need to be focusing their attention.
โFor our part, we are already heavily involved working alongside our key partners in seeking to address our agriculture sectorsโ readiness for Brexit.
โBrexit will provide a once in a generation opportunity to redesign our policy framework in a way that is uniquely Welsh, that reflects Welsh needs and strengths.
โWe all have a role to play shaping how the industry will look after Brexit and we need farmers to be bold, imaginative; open to new ideas and practices.
โWith this new approach in mind, Iโm pleased to today launch a new Predictive Agricultural Land Classification Map for Wales.ย It identifies the potential versatility of land to support a range of cropping choices and allows land users, planners and Government to make informed choices on how land is used.
โMy priority is to ensure our agricultural industry is in the best possible position to deal with the change ahead. As a government we are committed to providing solutions which work for Wales and we will continue to work with the industry, our partners and others to make the most of every opportunity.โ
On the record payment of Basic Payment Scheme claims, the Cabinet Secretary added:ย
โI am delighted to announce that over 91% of farmers receiving their BPS payments on the first day.ย This is yet another example of the success of our uniquely Welsh approach and our exemplary record on payments.ย It is a tribute to the way Welsh farmers have embraced new technology, RPW Online and made the new system such a success.โ
After the legendary summer enjoyed by Welsh Food , drink and tourism there will not be many, if any, people that will disagree with me when I say Wales is fast becoming a holiday hotspot. This is understandable as Wales has so much to offer visitors.
Over 40% of tourism businesses are reporting more visitors this year than in 2016 and for the first time, 2017 is showing that Wales is on track to reach 1.5 million for the first time by the end of the year. Many Welsh businesses are to be congratulated as theyโve taken responsibility for their own marketing which has proved successful with 23% reporting increased visitors as more people were staying in the UK. From beaches to mountains, hills to coastal path walks, there is scenery that will literally take your breath away. Add into that mix sailing, fishing, walking, climbing, canoeing, surfing, the list for those thirsting for action and fun is endless. For those who like to look back at the past, well Wales has that in abundance too with magnificent castles, historic houses, many with beautiful gardens there are so many places to visit and enjoy for people of all ages. A further attraction for visitors to Wales is that they love sampling local Welsh Food and Drink, looking for different produce than their local supermarket stock. Here again I can blow the Welsh trumpet as weโve not only got a growing sector of delightful delis, we can offer our visitors local produce markets, an abundance of fantastic food festivals and fairs. Many hotels and restaurants are now promoting buying local produce and their menus highlight for example where their beers and cider are from, who their local butcher and farmer are, where their tea, cheese, butter and breakfast marmalades are produced. This is so important for their guests, even if they do not really class themselves as foodies, it gives guests a further sense of Wales and โWelshnessโ. What we need to ensure is that all eateries are highlighting Welsh food and drink, because if theyโre not they are missing a huge trick.
Cowpots โ Utilising The Cowshedย
Since starting production of Cowpots ice cream on the family farm in July 2005 there were always plans to have their own outlet on the farm which is in Whitland, on the outskirts of Carmarthen. In January 2014 , work started at the farm on conversion of the old milking parlour and in July work was complete and โThe Cowshedโ was opened serving ice cream and cafรฉ food. Today it is an ice cream parlour and fully licensed pizzeria open through into the evening for meals and events. There are also a large range of Welsh ales and ciders on offer. With a wood fired traditional pizza oven and ice cream made with Jersey milk from a local herd, this is a unique offering that appeals to all ages. Their market is not just locals but has a huge appeal to visitors as there are still some cattle on the farm which has stunning views over Carmarthenshire along with a beautiful woodland walk that can take up to 2 hours.
Local advertising along with leaflet distribution, social media and food festivals has allowed Cowpots to keep targeting both visitors as well as locals. Working with other local businesses, Bed & Breakfasts, holiday lets and other local attractions has also been successful in bringing in more tourists to The Cowshed.
The next project for 2018 is to offer camping on the farm for visitors to be able to make the most of this lovely setting.
Ceridwen Centreย – The Personal Touch
If you’re a small catering team, as many are in west Wales, then it’s obviously more efficient if ingredients and products come to you rather than you driving around the countryside collecting yogurt from here, eggs from there. Many of us buy through a distributor, Castell Howell or Blas ar Fwyd, or in our case both. It’s more convenient, saves precious time and resources and opens doors to many producers who we might not have encountered otherwise, or who might not want to deal direct with the little guys.
Itโs so special for us kitchen and front of house folk, when the actual maker, grower, sourcer or producer does deliver direct. Because Gwynt y Ddraig cider phone regularly to check what we need and deliver in their distinctive liveried van to us several times a month we feel we have a connection with where our cider comes from and the people who make it and that our custom, as a Welsh business, is valued by another and very successful Welsh business.
When guests are around when a van from Gwynt, or from Joe’s ice cream, or Caffle Brewery arrives, it makes a palpable difference to these customers too, that something they will be able to consume or buy while they are with us has been delivered personally. They like seeing the face behind the product or the brand. This effect applies equally whether it’s a big Welsh name or a one or two man/woman band – people are just as interested when honey arrives from one of two local beekeepers we buy from, vegan ice cream turns up from Ice Green in Cardigan, the farmhouse box cider is delivered by the farmer up the lane, or the local butcher or charcutier.
While we’re on excellent terms with the regular drivers who bring us goods via the big delivery corporations and whilst maybe there is a lot to be said for focussing on what you do well and letting other folk do the rest, it feels rather distancing when suppliers who once turned up with boxes in the boots of their cars, now use the conventional methods of shipping. Sentimental? Not really. Businesses in this sector need to cling on to individuality, to cultivating relationships of trust and mutual support, if they are to survive and thrive.
Fodder in the Field & The Hut on Moel Famau โ Take Guests To The Hills or Head To The Hills
Diners were recently treated to a legendary dining experience at a pop-up restaurant set up at the top car park of Moel Famau between Mold and Ruthin.ย Located within the Clwydian Range in North East Wales, Moel Famau is the highest hill and provided spectacular views for dining.
Jointly organised by friends Caroline Dawson, who runs outdoor catering company Fodder in the Field and Kate Richards, owner of The Hut on Moel Famau, the event held in July drew in food lovers hoping to sample the culinary delights made with locally-sourced produce. This included hay-cooked local Welsh lamb, vegetables from the Vale of Clwyd and local honey cake with Chilly Cow Ice Creamย for dessert; all washed down with North Star Gin and Hafod Ale.
Another event, Dinner and Dens, aimed at families, was held on Friday 4th August in Coed Nercwys, when diners were given their own den-making kits and encouraged to embrace their sense of adventure while enjoying some delicious locally sourced food and drink.ย The meal included Welsh jacket potatoes with Halen Mon oak smoked local beef chilli โ reared just 3 miles away from the forest.ย The dessert offering at this event was homemade brownies and Chilly Cow Ice Cream topped with fudge also made by Kate, which the children could enjoy sat in their dens!ย The evening ended with marshmallow toasting on the campfire.
Following the success of these two events, the pair hope to bring a series of experiences to the area next year, with new and exciting themes and locations being planned.
Blas Restaurant โ Highlights Local Produce
In August this year Blas Restaurant at Twr y Felin Hotel won โBest Use of Pembrokeshire Produce in a Hospitality Outletโ. An annual event, the Pembrokeshire Produce Mark Awards highlight just four businesses for their outstanding use of food or drink. The scheme has more than 300 members, which are verified to ensure that the product they sell or use is made in Pembrokeshire.
Meaning โTasteโ in Welsh, Blas offers a menu influenced by the season and locality and champions produce sourced from predominantly Pembrokeshire and Welsh suppliers, as well as foraged ingredients from the surrounding countryside and coast.
Under Head Chef Simon Coe Blas is quickly establishing a reputation as north Pembrokeshireโs leading fine dining restaurant with a warm Welsh welcome, receiving a two Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence within just 8 months of opening and in July 2017 winning the Radio Pembrokeshire Food, Drink and Hospitality Business Award, which is voted for by the public.
Blas Restaurant prides itself on accommodating guests with dietary requirements. We are able to offer dining for gluten free, coeliac, vegetarian, dairy free and vegan diets. Tailor-made menus are available to guests with allergies. Where possible drinks are of Welsh origin, or produced in Wales.
A conference held in the Welsh capital at the end of the month (26 October) is set to grapple with the looming problem of future skills shortages in a post-Brexit Welsh Food and Drink industry.
Held at the newly refurbished Cardiff Coal Exchange and organised by the Welsh Food and Drink Industry Board, the โInvest in Skills : Invest in Growthโ conference brings together leading industry figures, training providers and government officials to explore ways of ensuring a future pipeline of skills and labour.
Despite recent growth, issues around an ageing workforce, difficulty in attracting and retaining talent and a need for skilled workers graduating through further and higher education are issues of concern. With added uncertainty around Brexit and question marks over the future position of EU nationals currently working in the food and drink industry, a perfect storm is potentially brewing around future skills shortages.
The conference will be the first in a series of two events outlining the present skills needs of the sector, and those required in the future to improve productivity and competitiveness. Participants will be encouraged to join the debate, highlighting what support they need to attract talented people and also have the opportunity to discuss their skills needs with training providers. While the first event will discuss the challenges and needs of the industry, the second conference will focus on finding the solutions in creating a sustainable and competitive food and drink sector.
The issues around potential skills shortages were identified as a priority by the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board, which is a partnership between industry, academia and government to help drive growth and development within the sector. Primarily, the boardโs focus has been on helping develop new markets, encouraging innovation and working to improve the perception of Welsh food and drink both inside and outside Wales. Seen as an important part of the industryโs future prosperity, last year the board organised an โInnovation & Investment for Growthโ conference, which facilitated over a hundred producers and funders and resulted in significant additional capital support for the industry.
Commenting on the upcoming conference, Andy Richardson, Chair of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board said,
โFollowing extensive discussions right across Wales with people working within the industry, we decided as a board that further action was needed to make sure we have the correct skills to meet the needs of a dynamic, growing and successful Welsh Food & Drink sector of the future.
โWe urgently need to understand the future skills requirements of our food and drink producers and to work closely with academia and training providers to deliver those skills and ensure capacity for future growth.
โWhile these conferences will help identify some of the skills issues facing us, by the end of the two-conference programme we will be in a far stronger position by having answers to some of these challenges. In this way the conference is about developing an effective strategy for the future. We look forward to working in tandem with the Welsh Government to put these solutions into practice and help create a prosperous and sustainable industry.โ
Speaking at the event will be the Welsh Governmentโs Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, who said,
โIโm delighted the board has listened to concerns voiced by our food and drink and producers and is proactively working, in partnership with Welsh Government, to help find solutions to make sure we have a suitably skilled workforce to continue driving the growth weโve recently witnessed in the industry.
โA thriving industry requires the skills and expertise to not only ensure we have the capacity to grow but to also foster innovation and help place Wales at the forefront of any future technological developments. Therefore, it is in all our interests that government, industry and training providers work together to create a workforce that will bring future economic prosperity to both the industry and our communities.
โIโm very much looking forward to be taking part in the conference and meeting our producers to hear their views on how we can meet these challenges.โย
I donโt think anyone would disagree with me that tourism is vital to the Welsh economy with tourists spending around ยฃ14million a day. ย Wales has much to offer for all age groups and one of the many things that encourages people to visit Wales is the amazing array and quality of Welsh Food and drink and the Welsh hospitality that is always on offer.
A warm welcome, friendly, efficient and knowledgeable staff will ensure customers are happy and more than likely to return. There is only one chance to make a good impression and this matters as much in the Welsh Food and Drink hospitality sector as it does in any other business.ย But hospitality is not an area we can afford to get complacent about, because without our chefs, cooks, sous chefs, waiting staff, housekeeping staff and front of house managers etc. the hospitality industry would simply grind to a halt.
I think that what concerns me and is a topic Iโve written about in the past after discussing with people in the Welsh Food & Drink industry, is the fact that in Wales and the UK, the hospitality industry is not taken seriously as a profession, unlike in Europe where the Hospitality Industry is a respected career move. Wales cannot afford to have any gaps in the skills market in the hospitality sector and needs to work out what extra skills and training are needed for this workforce to enable Wales to compete with the UK and of course Europe.
For those of you that wish to enter the hospitality industry there are quite a number of options available and of course itโs a case of doing your research, getting out and talking to people at Colleges and Training Centres, Jobs Growth Wales and Career Wales, just check out what apprenticeships are available. These are the easiest options ย to find out what might work best for you, or perhaps itโs your son, daughter or a grandchild that is thinking about whether the hospitality industry is for them. But at the end of the day thereโs nothing that actually beats getting some work experience locally and it is the easiest way to get practical experience of this industry. Itโs also worth remembering that even learning the art of talking to strangers, people you have never met before, will stand you in good stead for the future as well as giving you lots of confidence too.
For those running a business and looking to up-skill their workforce the Skill Gateway for Business, which is hosted by Business Wales is there to provide information and support to help you improve your staff skills. ReAct is another avenue for businesses to research and more information can be found out on that programme through Business Wales. Plus Further Education Colleges have access to European Funds and are able to develop programmes to support employers to up skill their workforce. Staff training is so important and for hospitality businesses to have help available for staff training is a huge bonus and one not to be ignored.
Kath Rhodes
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said:
โFood and drink go hand in hand with hospitality and tourism in Wales, training and skills is an integral part of these industries. As a Government we recognise this and understand the importance of ensuring our workforce have access to any training availableโ.
Follows are some views of in the Welsh Food and Drink industry:
Culinary Association of Wales
Q. What is the role of the Culinary Association of Wales do? Whatโs the advantage to chefs joining the CAW
A. The Association exists to promote excellence in the art of professional cookery within Wales and a partnership of Professional Chefs and Caterers to develop and raise the culinary profile of Wales, its establishments and those working within them through greater awareness, education and training.
Representing the Association with outstanding success at major international culinary competitions around the world are senior and junior Welsh National Culinary Teams. The teams comprise some of the most talented chefs who were either born in Wales or are currently working or studying here.
Welsh Food, culinary trends and the passion with which it is associated are fast becoming topics of enormous interest to the public, and while chefs have less mystery and are more accessible to the consumer than ever before, their skills are still held in extremely high regard. It is through your much valued membership to the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW) and by default to the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), that those skills are nurtured, supported and built upon.ย
We strive the length and breadth of our country promoting, serving and showcasing the talented Chefs we have in our proud kitchens.ย Members of the Culinary Association of Wales demonstrate their passion, flair and culinary skills at all the major competitions around the globe, across the UK and within Wales.ย Year โ on โ year our membership strengthens from North to Mid to South, Chefs from all levels join, re-join and even work their way to being elected officials in their regions. Join us today; www.welsh culinary association.com.
ย
Cambrian Training Company
Q.You specialise in delivering Apprenticeships and Jobs Growth Wales opportunities for many sectors, but how would you convince a person to look at the Hospitality Industry for a career?
A. The hospitality industry is huge all over the world and especially here in Wales and holds amazing opportunities to use the transferable skills you will learn in incredible places, discover and explore new cultures and people.
It offers a wide range of careers from a chef, a bartender, to working in a cafe. The industry covers hotels, restaurants, cafes, fast food outlets, pubs and clubs to name a few and you donโt need any higher education qualifications to get started in hospitality, even if youโre aiming for management. But if that is the route you choose, there is a clear set of recognised hospitality qualifications that are fully accepted across the industry.
ย Regardless of the job you do within the catering and hospitality sector, there is huge scope to be creative. You are creating a product, be that food, drink or an experience and there is always scope and opportunity to create a new way of making it more memorable for guests.
ย You will make a difference in peopleโs lives as the business is all about people. A smile, a helping hand and that little extra detail. It is all about making people happy, that will bring you great job satisfaction.
ย
Coleg Sir Gรขr
Q. As a college you provide Apprenticeships, Foundation Apprenticeships and also the Professional Cookery and Food Service L1. But what qualities are you looking for to accept students on these courses?
ย Tourism in Wales is big business, and the demand for workforce is rocketing, with nearlyย 40,000people needed in the sector in Wales by 2020.ย
Tourists spend around ยฃ14 million a day, amounting to around ยฃ5.1 billion a year, resulting in a requirement for highly skilled and professional individuals being in demand.
Working in the industry can be extremely rewarding and, individuals wishing to enter the industry must possess skills and qualities like motivation,ย flexibility, individual flair, enthusiasm, creativity, and team working.
Business owners within the Tourism and Hospitality also sector suggest that the skills in most demand are customer-handling skills, closely followed by planning and organisation skills.
Elizabeth Forkuoh, a hospitality, supervision and leadership student at Coleg Sir Gรขr is an exemplar student within the Hospitality industry. Elizabeth is set to represent the UK in Abu Dhabi this October at the World Skills international competition in Restaurant Service.
WorldSkills International takes place in cities around the globe and is the largest international skills competition.
Elizabeth hones the right aptitude and approach to working within the industry and, her success demonstrates that commitment and flexibility can open doors to worldwide opportunities.
Tourism is big business in Wales. Tourists spend around ยฃ14 million a day, amounting to around ยฃ5.1 billion a year.
(Welsh Government, 2015)61%ย of Tourism and Hospitality businesses reportย customer handling skills as most in demand, closely followed byย planning and organisationย andย team work skills.ย (People 1st, 2015)
11,000ย new Chefs are needed in the UK by 2022ย with3,500ย of those needed in Wales.ย (Working Futures 2012-2022).
Nearlyย 40,000people will be needed in the sector in Wales over the nextย 5
(Welsh Government, 2015)
9%of the workforce in Wales is employed in Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure. Thatโsย 1ย in everyย 11
Welsh food and drink producers will be turning their sights to the important export market of the USA next month in search of new and competitive export trading opportunities.
As part of the Welsh Governmentโs commitment to raising Walesโs business profile on the global stage, it is supporting fifteen Welsh food and drink companies on a visit to New York and New Jersey from 17-20 September.
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths AM, said:
โOur countryโs reputation for producing high quality food and drink is well known and we recognise the enormous value it brings to our economy. We have a clear ambition to grow the industry in Wales by 30% to ยฃ7 billion by the year 2020 by working in partnership with the industry.
โExports for the sector have grown in the past decade and continue to grow. I am delighted we are supporting this group of producers to go to the USA to explore new markets first hand and develop further connections with international businesses.โ
The producers range from meat, cheese, seaweed and laverbread to water and brewing companies.
The USA is the largest, most competitive and technologically advanced economy in the world, and as Walesโs largest export market across all sectors, it is worth ยฃ2.7 billion to the Welsh economy. With the value of speciality food sales in the USA worth $110 billion, this visit to New York and New Jersey is an ideal opportunity for Welsh producers to gain a foothold in this vast market. Minimal language barriers and access to global supply chains, which can lead to exports to other markets, also makes the USA market highly attractive to exporters.
The USA is also one of the largest global markets of dairy, free from products and craft beer producers.
Castle Dairies is a well-known south Wales dairy brand looking to re-engage with the American export market. The butter manufacturing company, which was established in 1966, used to export to the USA in the 1990s and early 2000s and now want to further build on their export business.
Castle Dairiesโ Nigel Lloyd said:
โWe welcome the support given to us by the Welsh Government to expand and start exporting our products into America. It is a perfect stepping stone to help us gain some experience in this area. It provides us with a wonderful opportunity to meet with key buyers and to pick-up advice along the way in order to establish solid contracts to boost confidence and sales.โ
Ahead of the visit Mark Roberts of Wrexham Lager said:
โHaving attended three previous trade development visits, I can say that, as a company, it is an invaluable way of getting your products sampled/tasted and meeting the right people in that country. To hopefully do future business in the export market, even if orders are not forthcoming immediately, chances are they will down the line.โ
John Rodger of US food importer Atalanta Corporation will be meeting with the delegates following his participation in the recent TasteWales event organised by the Welsh Government , which showcased over 800 Welsh food and drink products to buyers from all over the world.
Commenting on the success of TasteWales as well as the impending visit John Rodger said:
โI experienced a very successful trade visit to Wales earlier this year at the first ever TasteWales event, at which I was able to meet many interesting Welsh food producers and trade officials. I am looking forward to reciprocating this in September, when we at Atalanta (the USAโs largest private food importer) will host a select group representing food and trade from Wales. We already import some very fine Welsh products and this will continue our dialogue with producers that have very good potential.โ
During the four day visit, companies will have an opportunity to showcase products to selected buyers, importers and distributors from the retail and food service markets and develop new business through a series of market briefing workshops, store visits and meet the buyer opportunities. An industry networking event celebrating Welsh Food and Drink is also being organised, in conjunction with the Welsh Governmentโs North America office, entitled โA Taste of Wales in New Yorkโ and will provide further opportunity to showcase food and drink produce from Wales in the North America market.
The companies represented on the trade development visit are:
Tลท Nant
Castle Dairies
Lurvills Delight
Wrexham Lager
The Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company
Cwmfarm Charcuterie Products
Bridgehead Foods
Coaltown Coffee Roasters
GRH Food Company
Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC)
Plas Farm
Randall Parker Foods
Dunbia
Conwy Brewery
Welsh Brew Tea
For further information about Food and Drink Wales visit https://gov.wales
Welsh Food and Drink Cabinet Secretary for has praised the impact of the Welsh Government-backed Welsh Seafood Cluster after four of its members received prestigious Great Taste Awards.
Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, is the acknowledged benchmark for fine food and drink within Welsh Food and Drink. It has often been described as the โOscarsโ of the food world. This year, Welsh sauces, sea salt and, for the first time ever, Welsh shellfish all made the shortlist of producers who have received 3 stars, 2 stars and 1 star.
Cardigan Bay Seafood led the way, winning three awards, including two stars for their dressed crab and potted crab and a prestigious one star for their mackerel pate.
Anglesey sea salt company Halen Mon also won three awards with two stars for its Pure Sea Salt and a star each for its Vanilla Sea Salt and Umami Sea Salt products, whilst the islandโs Dylanโs restaurant won two single star awards for its Salted Butterscotch Sauce and Thai Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce.
Meanwhile, Pembrokeshire Beach Food bagged a one star award for its Dulse Sea Herbs range.
All four successful producers are important members of the Welsh Seafood Cluster. Backed by the Welsh Government, the Cluster brings together ambitious Welsh fisheries businesses, enabling them to share best practice, receive expert advice and support to help them create jobs and achieve sustainable growth.
Lesley Griffiths said:
โWalesโ seafood is an important part of our Food and Drink offer. We have big plans to grow the sector by 30% by 2020 and our seafood producers will play a key role in helping us achieve this ambitious target.
โIt is great news four of our Welsh Seafood Cluster members have been successful at the โFood Oscarsโ. This demonstrates our approach in developing and supporting Clusters is paying dividends. I would like to offer my personal congratulations to the four seafood producers along with all of our other wonderful food and drink products that have been recognised.
โAs we try to attract new markets overseas this offers further proof that here in Wales we are forging a reputation for unique food and drink of the very highest qualityโ.
Seafood Cluster manager Caroline Dawson said:
โA huge congratulations to the Seafood Cluster members for their Great Taste Awards, a wonderful achievement. I have been fortunate enough to sample the products and they are certainly award worthy and an inspiration to the industry.โ
‘Who’d have thought it – a little cardigan company winning a Great Taste Award, completely overwhelmed and still in shock. After attending a workshop organised through the seafood cluster I tried my luck and entered three products, I defied all odds and came home with three awards. I’m looking forward to seeing the stickers on my products.’
Welsh Food and Drink Cabinet Secretary for has reminded Walesโ dairy farmers, who carry out milk recording, to take advantage of EU financial support before 19 August.
Welsh Food and Drink has milkers as an important component. Milk recording is a way to receive impartial information on the productivity, health and fertility of a herd. The information on the performance of each cow helps farm businesses become more efficient, resilient and profitable.
The Milk Recording Scheme is voluntary but limited to one payment per Customer Reference Number (CRN). Depending on the number of applications received the payment will be at least ยฃ750 to farmers who have, or take out, a milk recording contract.
To qualify, farmers must have an existing, or take out a new milk recording contract and carry out individual cow milk recording samples a minimum of four times per year. These can be โDIYโ or assisted.
The EU is providing support for farm business in recognition of recent difficulties affecting dairy markets.ย In addition to Milk Recording, up to 1,000 Welsh farmers will benefit from separate โbenchmarkingโ support. Under this voluntary scheme participating farmers will receive ยฃ1,800 and a โbenchmark reportโ showing the strengths and weaknesses of their business.
Lesley Griffiths said:
โThe dairy sector plays an important role in supporting our rural communities. As a pro-business Government, we are committed to supporting the long term viability and profitability of the dairy sector.
โWe recognise the recent difficulties dairy farmers have experienced and I want Walesโ farm businesses to make use of every avenue of support available. The application form for the Milk Recording scheme takes less than five minutes to complete and they can return it to us any time before 19 August.โโย
Company owner Pinel Raval gives us an update:
Gavin Kellett
Thomas Martin
Alice Yeoman
First Minister Carwyn Jones called in to visit the eight Welsh food and drink companies who showcased their products at the station and offering passengers the opportunity to sample and buy a range of high quality Welsh produce.
Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival
