Following this year’s record breaking success at the industry’s leading UK Great Taste awards, food and drink producers from across Wales have announced their intention to launch, in partnership with the Welsh Government, a Fine Food Wales Cluster, in order to provide a web of like-minded food ambassadors for the industry.
Announced as part of the Great Taste celebrations in Cardiff Bay, Tuesday 10 November, plans will include the development of a business growth toolkit - providing support on commercial skills through to business planning. The key objective of the cluster in 2016 will be to ensure that Wales further develops and builds upon award winning producers of the calibre found at this year’s awards.
As part of the launch, food and drink producers who have been awarded coveted gold stars in the annual Great Taste Awards, often described as the 'Oscars’ of the food world, will be exhibiting their winning products at the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay. The celebration will also give Welsh winners the opportunity to meet major food buyers from leading supermarkets, luxury department stores, specialist delicatessens and the public sector.
Hosted by the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans AM, the showcase is organised by the Welsh Government’s Bwyd a Diod Cymru - Food and Drink Wales, the umbrella identity to promote Welsh produce at home and abroad.
This year’s main winners were Apple County Cider, a Monmouthshire based company who were awarded the coveted 3 Gold stars for its Vilberie Medium Dry Cider and Bridgend based dairy company Ty Tanglwyst for their Salted Butter.
Commenting on the Fine Food Cluster, Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans AM said:
“Following record breaking success last year the launch of today’s Fine Food Cluster sits well with the wider Welsh Government strategy of nurturing Wales as an area of food excellence, be that by artisan producers or companies which have now reach large scale production and distribution. I’m often struck how household names from Rachel’s to Halen Mon had from their outset a drive for excellence rewarded by consumers through their rapid growth. We all know how high the quality of Welsh food and drink is and the launch of this cluster seeks to reinforce these foundations further through providing a web of like-minded food ambassadors for the industry.”
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, organisers of Great Taste, the world’s most coveted blind tasted food awards scheme says the event is an important platform for Welsh producers:
“This yearly showcase, organised by Food and Drink Wales celebrates the success of the many Welsh producers who have been awarded the much coveted Great Taste stars and I applaud the innovation and quality of these products. I’d also like to encourage more food and drink producers in Wales to enter Great Taste 2016 - to use the valuable platform that Great Taste accreditation brings, and to build the profile of Welsh produce to a worldwide audience which we know is eager to source from the list of Great Taste award winners.”
Overall, an impressive 174 coveted Great Taste awards went to products from Wales this year, with 122 entries achieving 1-star, 42 getting 2-stars and 10 being deemed worthy of the 3-star accolade. This year’s competition witnessed a 25% upsurge in Welsh entries, rising from 99 companies entering 374 products in 2014 to 143 companies putting 491 products forward for consideration in 2015. Ten products were awarded the highest rating of 3 gold stars. One star signifies 'Close to perfect', 2 stars represent 'Faultless' and the highest rating of 3 stars is for a product that makes the judges say “Wow, you must taste this”.
Apple County Cider, a Monmouthshire based producer was awarded three stars for its Vilberie Medium Dry Cider as well as achieving the Golden Fork from Wales award.
Owners Ben and Steph Culpin said,
“This is a fantastic achievement for us and a real testament to the hard work that we have put into producing our products. It means a lot to get a Great Taste Award because these are judged by the best chefs, restaurateurs, food critics who have a genuine passion for quality and taste. Securing 3 stars was fantastic but to win the all Wales award as well – that was the icing on the cake for us!”
Ty Tanglwyst, a traditional Welsh family run farm based in Pyle, near Bridgend achieved 3 stars, as well as gaining the prestigious Nigel Barden Heritage Award for its Salted Butter.
Commenting Rhys Lougher from Ty Tanglwyst Dairy,
“We are delighted to win this prestigious award at the Great Taste Awards. We are extremely proud of our products and are passionate about ensuring that our customers get high quality produce.”
The Great Taste Awards are organised by the Guild of Fine Food and are among the world’s largest blind tested food award schemes. The gold stars are an acknowledged benchmark for speciality food and drink.
Worthy winners have to undergo rigorous testing from over 400 industry respected judges to earn their Great Taste 1, 2 or 3 gold stars. Judges test products blindly ensuring this award scheme is based on nothing but ‘Great Taste’.