Shoppers at SPAR stores are in for a treat next month when Welsh Food Fortnight (August 5th – 18th) takes off!
For two weeks, some 230 SPAR stores across Wales will be joining with producers to celebrate and promote Welsh food and drink in-store and on social media.
Social media activity featuring the #CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste campaign and point of sale (PoS) materials, will enable shoppers to identify a host of Welsh food and drink products easily.
The #CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste campaign celebrates Welsh food and drink. It was initially launched last summer by the Welsh Government working in partnership with Menter a Busnes to support producers and retailers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The campaign has successfully captured the imagination of producers, retailers and consumers in-store and across social media. So much so that #CaruCymruCaruBlas has become an integral part of promoting Welsh food and drink all year round.
The campaign is also in tune with the ‘Value of Welshness’ research carried out for the Welsh Government, highlighting the growing importance of Welsh produce to consumers.
Welsh Food Fortnight has been arranged by the Food & Drink Wales Fine Food Cluster in conjunction with SPAR retailer and wholesaler AF Blakemore & Son Ltd and SPAR UK. Some 139 independently owned SPAR stores across Wales as well as the 91 stores owned and managed by AF Blakemore directly, are taking part in Welsh Food Fortnight.
Funded by the Welsh Government, the Wales Fine Food Cluster is facilitated by the Cywain project. Delivered by Menter a Busnes, the Cywain project supports the development of growth-orientated businesses in the food and drink sector in Wales.
In order to prepare producers for the campaign, the Fine Food Cluster has supported the businesses in several ways, including with a social media webinar to show them how to maximise their presence during Welsh Food Fortnight using the #CaruCymruCaruBlas and #LoveWalesLoveTaste hashtags.
AF Blakemore & Son Ltd Category Controller, Patrice Garrigues, said, “As a business, AF Blakemore & Son are pleased to be working in collaboration with many Welsh brands across various categories. Our partnership offers them a route to market for their products.
“Having quality Welsh products in our SPAR stores is something that our customers enjoy as part of our range mix; it gives them choice and the opportunity to support, in many cases, a local business.
“We are delighted to continue to work closely with the Food & Drink Wales Fine Food Cluster. For this campaign we have worked with them to create point of sale material, which will be displayed in our stores to help showcase Welsh products to our customers.”
Jayne Jones, Fine Food Cluster Manager, said, “SPAR is a fantastic platform for Welsh food and drink products in Wales, and this campaign builds on activity undertaken with them in 2015.
“We looked at how we could work with them on a new campaign using the social media networks of the food and drink suppliers. This will raise awareness during the fortnight and help increase footfall and sales.”
Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, said:
“Welsh Food Fortnight is an excellent opportunity to highlight the wonderful food and drink we have in Wales, and for shoppers including tourists to discover something new.
“I want to see our fantastic Welsh products being enjoyed by more people and the Food and Drink Retail Plan which I recently launched will be key to achieving this.”
