The Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, will tomorrow (24 March) be showing her support towards small to medium size enterprises and speciality food producers when she attends a ‘Meet the Producer’ event at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff.
The day is designed to inspire tourism and hospitality businesses to provide an even better food experience for visitors by showcasing food and drink from producers across Wales.
This event has been organised by the Welsh Assembly Government, Capital Region Tourism and UWIC with the intention of introducing owners, managers and buyers to a diverse range of local food suppliers.
The Minister says, “The aim of the event is to target local public sector organisations, food producers and tourism operators with a range of informative and interactive sessions to raise awareness of local and regional products, their sourcing, distribution and use.
“This event forms part of the Local Sourcing and Food Tourism Strategic Action Plans which set out proposals to develop the links between food and tourism and maximise their contribution to the Welsh economy. With the tourism industry becoming increasingly more competitive, cultural distinctiveness is seen as critical for a destination to standout.”
The Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones adds: "The Welsh Assembly Government is determined to enhance the opportunities for Welsh companies to expand their knowledge, contacts and sales within the tourism and hospitality sector.
“The Welsh Assembly Government’s Supplier Development Service and the Fisheries, Food and Market Development Division are pooling their resources, along with acknowledged experts in the sector to give SME and speciality food producers a chance to meet with and show their products to key individuals from the local tourism and hospitality industry on a face-to-face basis.”
Some of this year’s True Taste food and drink award winners attending the event will include Cowbridge based Greta’s Wholefoodies, The Blaenavon Cheddar Company, Lewis Pies and Selwyn’s Penclawdd Seafoods (full list of producers under Notes to Editors).
The buyers attending will include Monmouthshire and Carmarthenshire Council, Wales Millennium Centre, Visit Wales and Cadw along with several universities, restaurants, hotels and guest houses.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contact the Welsh Assembly Government’s Food Promotion PR Manager Esther Eckley on 03000 622174 or esther.eckley@cymru.gsi.gov.uk
Notes to Editors
List of suppliers attending the event:
Adwell Foods Ltd, Castle Chocolates (Wales) Ltd, Chocolate House, Farmhouse Freedom Eggs Ltd, Fantastic Crepes, Greta’s Wholefoodies, The Knobbly Carrot Food Co. Ltd, Gwynt Y Ddraig Cider Ltd, Meadow Wine Vineyard, Natures Table Ltd, Peter Broughton Ltd, P&P Fresh Prepared Veg Ltd, Selwyn’s Penclawdd Seafoods, Sim’s Foods Ltd, The Unusual Food Company (Cymru) Ltd, Ty Tanglwyst Dairy, Zucchero Patisserie, Euro Food Group, Loseley Dairy Ice Cream Ltd, Ogmore Vale Bakery Ltd, Panini’s, Pant Mawr Farmhouse Cheeses, Subzero, The Celt Experience Brewery, The Real Crisps Company, White Castle Vineyard, Fusionfish, Penlon Cottage Brewery, Lewis’ Pies Ltd, Maddock Kembery Meats, Welsh Hills Bakery, Princes Gate Spring Water, Wernddu Wine & Vineyard, The Authentic Curry Company, Sushi Day, Welsh Cottage Cakes, Tan Y Castell, Welsh Farmhouse Applejuice, Blaenafon Cheddar Company, Vall D’Chies, Douglas Willis Ltd, Brookes Wye Valley Dairy Co
Tourism Workshops at the event:
Menu Surgery
Food for thought on how to make your menu more distinctive and appealing! You may already use fantastic local produce, but do you really sell it on your menu? Perhaps you could add information about the local butcher or farmer? Perhaps there are some simple little twists you could add to make your menu more interesting? Don’t just offer porridge – why not offer caramelised porridge flamed with Welsh Whisky. Give your guests something to remember! Bring your menu along to our menu surgery and get some simple, achievable and affordable pointers on how to improve it.
Increasing profits with mouth watering Welsh food
Find out how to make the most of Welsh food in your business and see some of Wales’ favourite traditional recipes. This talk is based around four film Case Studies and “Coginio” DVD. The case studies feature four very different businesses in South East Wales who all do food tourism well: The Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay, Ty Tanglyst Dairy and Self Catering Cottages near Porthcawl, The Bunch of Grapes in Pontypridd and the Llantsanfraed Hotel in Monmouthshire. The staff and management of these businesses talk about their take on food tourism. Coginio is the only DVD showing people how to cook some of Wales’ favourite recipes), the aim is to encourage, inspire and demonstrate to hospitality providers the benefits of including local produce and some Welsh recipes on their menus.
Sian Bassett Roberts has promoted Welsh food all over the world. She will talk about the reaction Welsh food gets abroad, how tourists feel about their food experiences in Wales and the importance of Food Tourism and how we in Wales can contribute. She will talk briefly about Welsh food and its history, how it compares with other cuisines and how Welsh food is perceived today, highlighting why we should be proud of our culinary heritage and traditions and make the most of Welsh food. Visitors today are looking for different food experiences – the talk will show how to use local food and Welsh recipes to meet that need.