Welsh food and drink business support programme – Cywain – celebrated a decade of nurturing talent in the sector by showcasing a raft of new enterprises at the Royal Welsh Show (July 22-25).
For the past ten years Cywain has been guiding and encouraging small food and drink businesses – helping them to grow in confidence and skill.
Delivered by a Menter a Busnes, Cywain is a business-led programme dedicated to developing new and existing micro businesses and SMEs in the Welsh food and drink sector focusing on maximising opportunities and growth potential. This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural
Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
Over the years Cywain has worked with countless companies – more than 350 in the last 12 months alone - many of which have been featured in the Royal Welsh Show’s famous Food Hall.
"Cywain was established to help these businesses realise their potential and equip them with the skills required to take their enterprises to the next level,”
Said Dewi Evans, Cywain Project Manager.
“To be present at the beginning of such exciting and innovative enterprises is a privilege. We are very proud to have worked with so many producers, some of whom have gone on to become key players and employers in the food and drink industry in Wales.”
Support is achieved through packages of business support targeted to individual requirements, including expert advice and mentoring, product development, networking, clustering, and test trading and market opportunities.
Sixteen producers showcased on the Cywain stand at this year’s Royal Welsh Show, with four new producers each day.
For most of them, it was the first time they will have showcased their products to such a large audience – and for some it will be their trading debut.