After a break of two years, Welsh food and drink producers will be back on the Cywain stand at next week’s Royal Welsh Winter Fair (November 29th & 30th).
Under the auspices of Cywain, eight producers will be setting out their stalls in the Food Hall at the Royal Welsh Showground at Llanelwedd, The Cywain project works with food and drink producers across Wales, helping them grow and develop their business, with support in a range of areas, including marketing, brand development and finance.
Many of the producers Cywain works with are start-up companies. Attending events such as the Winter Fair, supported by Cywain’s development managers, they can ‘test trade’ with shoppers. This opportunity affords producers a valuable learning experience that will help them shape their future direction and decision-making.
The hope is these young businesses will develop and grow and, in time, progress to being a collaborative member of the Food and Drink Wales Fine Food Cluster, working with other Welsh producers.
On the first day of the Winter Fair (Monday), Fat Bottom Welsh Cakes, Lotsa Goodness, Jones-Trust Your Gut, and Black Mountains Preserves will be featured on the stand. They will be followed on Tuesday by Bossa Nova, Booths Bakery, Black Mountain Roast and Cardiff Distillery.
There will also be a Welsh seafood presence in the Food Hall, organised by the Wales Seafood Cluster, which encourages collaborative working among companies and individuals in the seafood industry.
Elsewhere on the showground, the culmination of a collaborative competition between Cywain and Wales Young farmers Clubs will take place.
The second day of the Winter Fair will see the final of ‘Bring Your Idea To The Table’. Created by Cywain, the competition challenged YFC members to create a menu – presented in the form of a mood board – featuring local Welsh produce.
YFC members were encouraged to use the Cywain Producers’ Map to identify local produce as a way of supporting Welsh food and drink producers.
Manon Llwyd Rowlands, who was recently appointed as one of Menter a Busnes’ directors, said, “The Winter Fair is always such as joyous occasion, and I am looking forward to Cywain returning to Llanelwedd again.
“The Cywain stand is a popular feature of the Food Hall – at both the summer and winter shows – introducing as it does new and smaller food and drink businesses to the broader public.
“For everyone who works in the food and drink sector, the Winter Fair is an important milestone on the road to recovery from a challenging period. I’m sure producers will relish the opportunity to engage face-to-face once more with customers.”
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH
Fat Bottom Welsh Cakes
This Great Taste Award-winning company has a passion for producing Welsh Cakes. Launched in 2019, Carmarthenshire-based Fat Bottom Welsh Cakes and have been developing different varieties of Welsh Cakes ever since.
Lotsa Goodness
After years of teaching healthy cooking to families, children and communities, dietician Rachel spotted a gap in the market for healthy fruit and vegetable-packed sauces. So, she founded Lotsa Goodness which produces healthy, time-saving sauces for busy families.
Jones-Trust Your Gut
Organic fermented foods producer, Jones-Trust Your Gut makes innovative and award-winning natural foods. Formed in 2020, the Monmouthshire company was recognised at the Great Taste Awards 2021.
Black Mountains Preserves
This luxury and award-winning artisan preserves producer will have a host of jams, chutneys, jamalades, gift sets and hampers at the Winter Fair.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH
Bossa Nova
Bossa Nova are passionate about making high-quality Brazilian style chocolate truffles. They are proud to represent Brazil’s authentic, pure taste, bringing joy to customers nationwide. Their chocolates are all handmade using Fair-trade Belgian chocolate and natural ingredients.
Booths Bakery
A traditional and authentic Jamaican bakery, Swansea-based Booths Bakery brings the true taste of the Caribbean to Wales.
Black Mountain Roast
Crafted by coffee-lovers in the foothills of the Black Mountains, the company employs cutting-edge technology and old-fashioned skills. It uses high quality, ethically-sourced coffee beans from around the world.
Cardiff Distillery
It’s Jin Caerdydd impressed the Great Taste Award judges, and visitors to the Food Hall will be able to buy more of Cardiff Distillery’s craft gin which is made in the heart of Wales’ capital city.
