Bodnant Welsh Food has been named Wales Regional Winner of the Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards 2021, for transforming its business which is a real asset to the community of north Wales.
The family run Welsh farm shop in the Conwy Valley is one of nine regional winners and 30 commended retailers chosen from a shortlist of 153 speciality retailers across the UK.
The awards held in partnership with The Grocer and sponsored by Food and Drink Wales and Garofalo, took a different format this year so they could shine a spotlight on the retailers who deserve recognition for their commitment to customers, community, staff and suppliers throughout the pandemic. Therefore, the winners were named regionally rather than by category as seen previously.
The judges praised Bodnant Welsh Food for ‘stepping beyond the pivots we now expect to see as a result of Covid by including health and wellness’. There is a real emphasis on what they can offer to benefit their customers and community’s wellbeing.
Commenting on their win and achievements of the past two and a half years, managing director Richard Reynolds at Bodnant Welsh Food, said, “We are thrilled to have won this award, it’s great for us and our profile. It has been an incredible time for us, an awful lot has happened and we have learnt a lot about the business and our suppliers.
“We use about 81% of Welsh produce within the business. We have an in-house bakery and have had to employ two new bakers to cope with demand. All our meat is locally sourced and we prepare all our burgers and sausages for selling in the farmshop and used in our restaurants.
“Like many businesses over the past 15 months, we did have to adapt the business during the Covid-19 pandemic, we opened an online shop and home delivery service which was a massive success. Footfall is now increasing and it is great to welcome customers back to Bodnant.
“We value our local community, suppliers and shoppers alike and are proud to be recognised as a beacon of our area.”
The Reynolds family are all very much fully immersed in running Bodnant. Richard and Cathryn Reynolds, with their two girls Olivia 24 and Tilly 20, bought Bodnant Welsh Food in December 2018 after it went into liquidation.
They re-opened the business on the 1st February 2019 after re-furbishing the farm shop, turned the tearooms into a restaurant, while the former Hayloft restaurant is now used for weddings and other events. They currently employ 50 members of staff.
Bodnant showcases the very best Welsh artisan produce, from organic vegetables to cheeses, locally supplied meat to tasty bakes and preserves. The beautifully converted 18th century Furnace Farm houses an award-winning farm shop, two restaurants, bakery, butchery, cookery school and wedding and events venue.
Bodnant Welsh Food also host other extra-curricular activities such as cookery demonstrations and a cookery school which has also spawned a cookbook and there are other elements which they are looking at developing further.
Commenting on Bodnant’s success, Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths said: “I would like to congratulate Bodnant Welsh Food on its success in the Farm Shop & Deli Retailers awards. It is great to see our food businesses doing so well and being recognised for the hard work and commitment they have put into building up the business again, particularly during such difficult times.
“Wales is a fantastic place for food and drink businesses to establish themselves and become rooted in our communities. I would like to wish Bodnant every success for the future.”
