Among a hugely competitive field, your business shone through—how does that feel?!
We feel immensely proud! – of everything that our team has done, but also of our wider network. Some of the farmers we work with are 4th generation farmers have been producing the best Welsh produce for decades, others are newer to the sector but they are all dedicated and have the ambition to drive the sector forward through better environmental practices.
Our retailers are also incredibly supportive and innovative of equal measure when it comes to showcasing the best of Welsh agriculture. We are proud to bring the farming and retail community together through our supply chain, to bring people in Wales the best of Welsh produce. This award marks a success story for everyone who plays a part in that farm to fork journey.
What’s been the best reaction you’ve had since the win?
Working on the submission for a cross-category award of such high calibre as Farm to Fork, required us to critique strategies and processes throughout our entire business.
The result and reaction to the information and evidence we provided has been a step change for the conversations that we are now having with our retailers. We have always known that a resilient and innovative farm-to-fork supply chain is integral to our business success. However, showcasing the best practices around this has opened doors for us to take this narrative further, which we hope will result in further collaboration with retailers on our shared Farm to Fork story. A story of meticulous details, authentic partnerships, with the Welsh customer at the heart of what we do.
Who inspires you in the food and drink world—and why?
Consumers may not always realise this, but the Welsh food and drink sector is a quite a closeknit network. Although some Welsh businesses are in direct competition (and we like a little healthy competition!) we meet regularly to collaborate and work together. Whether that be on multi-brand marketing campaigns with the support of Food and Drink Wales, or shared learnings around business processes and growth. The approach the sector has, to shared success, inspires and motivates us. Welsh food and drink companies support each other and that really helps in putting Wales on the map.
Got any words of wisdom for someone dreaming of launching a food or drink business?
Have a clear business plan, know your product and your audience inside out, and don’t be afraid to approach people, whether that be investors or retailers. We have an amazingly supportive community in Welsh Food and Drink, utilise it!
What drives you to create change or set new standards in the Welsh food and drink industry?
Farming and business share a common need, and that is the need to be resilient. We constantly evolve and refine our processes to ensure that we can continuously improve, and lead the way, in areas that we can influence in the sector. Sustainability is a core value of ours, alongside community, so a lot of our drive comes from looking inwardly at our own processes to ensure that we continue to have a positive impact on the land, people and economy around us.
What’s next for you and the business—any exciting plans on the horizon that you can share?
Our brand, Blas y Tir has recently launched into a new sector, with the launch of Milk in the retail dairy category, and Cream in wholesale dairy. Alongside this, our produce volumes continue to grow with the addition of new business and potential next step into prep produce utilising all the product we process, so our focus now is to bring the full portfolio of products together and to bring the brand values to life for the customer, with sustainability being a big area of ongoing focus.
Finally, what’s the best bit about being part of the Welsh food and drink scene?
The Welsh customer! – we know how much people in Wales love Welsh brands, supporting local farmers and the Welsh economy. Of course, there’s data and analytics that show this, but we really do see it on a personal level, from the direct feedback we get, and from the public engagement at community events and shows. Welsh Food & Drink has a lot of love to give, and businesses really appreciate this.
