GUEST COLUMN:
Neil Burchell
Food & Drink Wales Trade Development Programme
As part of the Trade Development Programme, I’ve had the privilege of seeing firsthand the impact of Blas Cymru / Taste Wales since its inception in 2017. This biennial event has evolved into a powerful platform, bridging the gap between Welsh food and drink producers and buyers from around the world.
For 2025, plans are underway with buyers pre registering to take part in the brokerage meet the buyer event on October 22–23 at the ICC Wales in Newport, offering Welsh suppliers an invaluable opportunity to connect directly with industry leaders, both nationally and internationally.
Next year’s brokerage event is expected to feature approximately 140 Welsh food and drink suppliers and around 300 buyers from the UK and beyond. It’s a highly targeted, efficient format where suppliers have scheduled meetings, short, focused sessions where they can pitch their products to buyers across all sectors. In previous years, these interactions have been a remarkable success, generating over £30 million in sales and providing Welsh producers with exposure on a global stage. In 2023 alone, we facilitated around 3,000 meetings over two days.
The Welsh Government made a strategic decision this year to separate the conference and brokerage components of Blas Cymru / Taste Wales. In past events, both elements ran simultaneously, which created challenges for suppliers and buyers alike, as brokerage participants had limited time to attend the conference sessions. The new format has allowed us to dedicate 2024 to the Blas Cymru / Taste Wales Conference, an event that featured approximately 250 delegates and an impressive array of plenary sessions, panel discussions, and specialised “surgery” sessions. These workshops, led by government and industry experts, showcased the wide range of support programmes available to Welsh producers—a resource that, in my view, is truly phenomenal.
For Welsh suppliers, the brokerage event in 2025 isn’t just about sales; it’s a chance to demonstrate the innovation and quality that the Welsh food and drink sector is known for.
Buyers from around the globe will have the opportunity to experience this first-hand, whether they’re looking for traditional products or the latest in food innovation. Blas Cymru / Taste Wales has become a signature event, a critical juncture where Welsh businesses showcase their credentials and tap into new markets, ultimately helping to secure Wales’ place in the global food and drink landscape.
As we prepare for next year, I’m filled with optimism about the future of Welsh food and drink. Blas Cymru / Taste Wales represents more than just an event, it’s a gateway to growth, and it has never been more exciting to see what Welsh businesses will bring to the table.
