Welsh food and drink producers eager to take their businesses to the next level had unique access to expert support at a special marketing event.
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Organised by the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board and the Fine Food Cluster, the ‘TUCK IN’ masterclass drew together a wealth of expertise and experience from across the marketing spectrum.
Held at Llanerch Vineyard at Hensol in the Vale of Glamorgan, TUCK IN afforded Welsh food and drink producers the opportunity to see what other successful companies have been doing and to think and plan their own next steps towards growth.
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More than 70 company delegates attended the event where the object of marketing, they were told “is to ensure you have what customers want” while the object of selling “is to make customers want what you have.”
The Fine Food Cluster is a business led development programme supported by the Welsh Government and facilitated by Cywain. The Cluster is chaired by Alison Lea-Wilson from the Anglesey Sea Salt Company who is also a member of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board. Alison led the development of the TUCK IN programme.
Andy Richardson, Chair of the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board commented:
“TUCK IN is a great example of how Wales is focusing on adding value to our food and drink products. After all, you can have the best product in the world inside the pack but if the way it is presented and promoted is not up to scratch success will be harder to achieve.”
Cywain Project Manager, Dewi Evans said, “It was great to see so many Welsh food and drink businesses taking the opportunity to attend the TUCK IN marketing masterclass, and to hear innovative ideas from a range of inspirational speakers.
“This is the second time we have jointly held the TUCK IN Food & Drink Marketing Masterclass with the Food and Drink Wales Industry Board and events of this nature are invaluable in developing the Welsh food and drink sector. There has been some great feedback from the delegates and a tremendous response to the TUCK IN follow-on workshops.
“TUCK IN was different as not only did the delegates have the opportunity to learn from those involved in creating some of the UK’s leading food and drink brands, but it was an opportunity to have time away from their daily businesses to focus on marketing and business growth.”
Tee Sandhu of Pontyclun-based Samosaco – a founding member of the Fine Food Cluster – said it had been a very productive day, with the speakers and one-to-one sessions sharing information crucial to the growth of his family’s business.
He said, “The knowledge and experience of the keynote speakers and the one-to-one sessions were essential to helping us do what we need to go forward – social media, marketing plans, and the brand itself in terms of how it can be perceived by the general public and new and current customers.”
TUCK IN allowed fellow delegates to network and share what they had learned.
Said Tee, “As Cluster members, it was good to discuss the topics and information from the day.”
The TUCK IN Marketing Masterclass was a mix of keynote presentations and one-to-one sessions with a range of marketing specialists.
The keynote speakers were drawn from the worlds of marketing, media, and the food and drink industry. Among them was Head of UK Business Development at Kantar Worldpanel, Chris Hayward, who discussed trends and innovations with particular emphasis on the ‘GB vs Wales’ retail sector.
Lucy Wright, the founder of the Nice brand of canned wine, shared her experience of building a ‘disruptive’ brand; while David Levin of That Lot Social Media outlined social media platforms.
Founder of Brand Inspiration Limited, Glenn Tutssel looked at ‘The Art of Brand Building’; while Olly Hiscocks of Olly’s Olives and Jimmy’s Iced Coffee founder Jim Cregan outlined the approach they had taken to creating and marketing new brands and products.
Fellow Fine Food Cluster member, Radnor Hills Water Company, also highlighted the benefits of the day.
“TUCK IN was another fantastic event which exposed us to some extremely experienced and knowledgeable professionals in their field,” said Radnor Hills Sales Director Chris Sanders.
“We’ve come back with a full list of ideas and improvements on our marketing and social media which, we’re looking forward to implementing.”
