Cywain will feature an array of new and growing Welsh food and drink businesses in the Food Hall at this year’s Royal Welsh Show (July 24th-27th).
Over the years, the Cywain stand has been the launch pad for countless up-and-coming food and drink producers eager to take the step of selling directly to the public at larger events and showcase their products and skills to a broad audience.
Emboldened by the early support and guidance they received from Cywain, many producers have gone on to take on their own stands in the famous Food Hall, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors during the four-day show.
Four different producers will take to the stand per day (number 55), each bringing their unique style and flavours to an audience looking to try and buy something new.
With a network of development managers throughout Wales, the Cywain project – delivered by Menter a Busnes – works with food and drink producers across Wales, helping them grow and develop their businesses
Support is offered in various areas, including marketing, brand development, sustainability, and finance. An essential part of that work includes supporting producers at events and test trading.
Alex James, Cywain Project Manager, said,
“The Royal Welsh Show is an exciting time for our client producers and Cywain staff too, as you can see the training, advice and support all come together.
“We take great delight in helping producers to grow in experience and confidence, bring new products to the marketplace and add their talents to the Welsh food and drink industry as a whole.
“The Royal Welsh Food Hall is a hugely important showcase for Welsh food and drink producers, and the ultimate shopwindow – and, for the public, it is one of the ‘must visit’ attractions of the show.”
WELSH FOOD AND DRINK PRODUCERS FEATURED AT THE CYWAIN STAND
MONDAY, JULY 24th
CARDI BAY BANGERS
Sizzling onto the Cywain stand will be a new butchery brand, Cardi Bay Bangers.
They are made from a carefully selected blend of herbs and spices to complement the tender, flavour-filled pork. The result is succulent sausages that are ‘screaming out to be barbecued on a beach, fried at the top of a mountain, or just homecooked the way you like it.’
Cardigan Bay has a growing reputation for its food, and there are decades of experience and skill behind Cardi Bay Bangers. Visitors to the Cywain stand will be able to sample the sausages and buy them to cook and enjoy at home – or wherever they desire!
More information: www.cardibay.com
BEECH AVENUE BREWERY
Beech Avenue Brewery began life as a kitchen enterprise before expanding into a refurbished grain silo on a farm near Wrexham and a shop and taproom on Rhosddu Industrial Estate.
Sustainability is important to the brewery’s founders – Brian Hardman and Melissa Chamberlain – so the brewing process is powered using electricity from an anaerobic digester which also utilises the brewery’s organic waste.
The brewery serves the local community with its traditional Welsh cask ales, and craft and seasonal bottled beers.
A selection of liqueurs and cider have joined the range – with the latter produced using surplus apples from gardens in the locality, and each year a community apple pressing day is held with food and entertainment.
More information: www.beechavenuebrewery.co.uk
SALT & SMOKE
Family-run Pembrokeshire smokery – Salt & Smoke – was born from a shared ethos to create quality produce from sustainable ingredients. Every stage of the process is carefully undertaken, from sourcing the salmon to hand-slicing.
In the business’ traditional stone smoke shed near Tenby, ancient methods infuse the salmon with a subtle smoky flavour. Each side of salmon is hand-picked, then hand-pin-boned, hand-brined, hand-cured, hand-smoked, hand-sliced and hand-packaged.
Served by a growing number of local restaurants, Salt & Smoke’s salmon can be bought direct from the business and Welsh food hub – Blas ar Fwyd.
More information: https://www.instagram.com/saltandsmoke.co/
FUNGI FOODS
Passionate about all things mushroom, Fungi Foods is on a mission to showcase the beautiful varieties of mushrooms as a sustainable, versatile and delicious food source.
The North Wales enterprise grows and sells fresh and dried mushrooms locally and to the culinary industry and are now branching out to the retail market with their innovative dried products. Fungi Foods believes mushrooms have a big part to play in the future, and growing kits are available too.
At the Cywain stand, there will be a variety of mushrooms – including eye-catching varieties such as Lion’s Mane – in fresh and dried forms.
More information: www.fungifoods.co.uk
TUESDAY, JULY 25th
CARMARTHEN HAM
The recipe for Carmarthen Ham has been handed down through generations of the Rees family, who use traditional methods to air-dry and salt cure whole bone ham.
The tender melt-in-the-mouth ham is sold online and at the new Carmarthen Deli – an expansion of butcher Albert Rees Ltd in the town’s market.
According to legend, when the Romans settled in Wales, they were inspired by Carmarthen Ham to create the world-famous Italian Parma Ham.
Today, Carmarthen Ham has international protection – under European law (Protected Geographical Indication status) and, more recently, with UK Geographical Origin status. This means only ham produced in a specified area around Carmarthen can be sold as Carmarthen Ham.
More information:
https://www.facebook.com/carmarthendelicaerfyrddin?locale=en_GB
FFYNON WEN FARM
Produced on a family-run sheep farm near Llandeilo, Ffynnon Wen sheep cheese is made by hand in small artisan batches by Harriet Cooke.
The story began in 2021 when the family purchased a second-hand milking parlour and a flock of dairy sheep.
As the sheep milking season changes, so do the flavours in the milk, giving the cheese a unique and honest character. The result is Soft Joyce, which has a sweet, earthy and honest flavour with a luxuriously light texture. The cheese has a bloomy rind and is washed in a local cider halfway through the ageing process, and overnight acidification adds to the flavour.
More information: www.ffynnonwenfarm.com
TEA BY THE SEA
Tea By The Sea harnesses the power of nature to create delicious teas to soothe the body and mind.
From an early age, Tea By The Sea’s founder Emily Morgan loved tea. But, disillusioned by much available, she began creating her own blends and varieties to aid wellbeing.
The Porthcawl-based business’ handcrafted Fairtrade teas are 100% natural and contain whole flowers. All packaging is eco-friendly, and the teabags are compostable.
Particularly popular is the Women’s Balance HRTea, which features whole-flower red clover, whole chamomile flower and rose. Also among the range are Welsh Breakfast Tea/Bore Da, Daily Calm/Peace Tea, Nos Da/Sleepy Tea, and Mind Fuel Tea/Claritea.
More information: www.teabytheseawales.com
BOSSA NOVA CHOCOLATE
Discover Bossa Nova Chocolate at the Cywain stand, to experience the flavours of Brazil combined with Welsh craftmanship.
Bossa Nova’s Brazilian-style gourmet chocolate truffles are a true indulgence and are made with natural ingredients. They are gluten-free and suitable for vegetarians, with dairy-free/vegan options available too.
The luxury artisan chocolates, feature classic, nutty, fruity, and alcoholic varieties. Also on offer are Hot Chocolate Bombs, low-sugar snacking bars, and delightful chocolate gifts – including handmade Christmas Crackers with Brazilian Chocolate or Advent Calendars for any occasion.
More information: www.bossanovachocolate.co.uk
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26th
AFAL Y GRAIG ARTISAN CIDER & PERRY
Cider lovers will be spoilt for choice at the Cywain stand, as multi-award-winning producer Afal y Graig Artisan Cider & Perry will have an array of beverages to try and buy.
The Neath-based business uses many locally-grown Welsh heritage varieties of apples to make its cider, including Marged Nicolas, Ellis Bitters, Brown’s and Dabinett – and some, such as Afal Pig Aderyn and Afal Pen Caled, which date back to the 11th century.
The apples are turned into popular hand-bottled cider, including Ogi Ogi Ogi, Pigswill, Tree Hugger, A Bit of Rough, and Wonkey Donkey. Also in the Afal y Graig range is Applesecco, a dry sparkling cider, and Raw Apple Cider Vinegar – which uses honey from hives at Afal y Graig’s orchards.
More information: www.facebook.com/Afalygraig
THE PATTYMAN
Leroy Williams, aka The PattyMan, combines his Welsh and Jamaican heritage to create exciting and unique flavour fusions.
Cardiff-based Leroy’s range of luxury sauces, marinades, jellies, relishes and patties honour his late father, who was a member of the Windrush Generation. Also, his pattycakes offer an exciting Caribbean twist on traditional Welsh cakes!
Gift sets are available too, featuring The PattyMan artisan sauces – including Jamaican Jerk and BBQ Sauce – and flavour-packed condiments such as Sweetcorn, Mango & Chilli Relish.
More information: www.thepattyman.co.uk
BABITA’S SPICE DELI
Babita’s Spice Deli was formed in 2016 and has become a popular part of Wales’ street food scene.
Swansea-based Babita Verma makes vegan and vegetarian traditional Indian and street food dishes, which are very popular at markets and food festivals.
All her food is made from scratch, and the freshly ground and whole spices bring out the best flavours in each dish. Babita passionately believes in educating people about food, particularly recipes from her family’s home region of Delhi in North India.
At the Royal Welsh Show, Babita will be offering some of her award-winning food-to-go range, including deli snacks and take home dishes such as dhal with baby spinach, French beans in coconut, mustard seeds and ginger, and paneer in a creamy, cardamom sauce.
More information: www.facebook.com/www.babitasspicedeli
TIDY TEA
A Lampeter farming family has gone from delivering milk for customers’ cuppas to supplying teabags, too, by creating a new brand – Tidy Tea.
The teas that make up the Tidy Tea blends are sustainably sourced and GMO-free. The tea bags are compostable, and all the packaging is plastic-free and 100% recyclable.
There are currently five teas in the range: Moroccan Green Tea (with mint), Californian Dreaming (black tea with peach), Winter Warmer (spiced black tea), Delhi Decaf (decaffeinated black tea), and the Great Taste Award-winning Welsh Black Tea (all day breakfast tea).
More information: www.tidytea.com
THURSDAY, JULY 27th
ZAYTERA FOOD
With its motto ‘adventure on a plate,’ Zaytera Food produces Middle Eastern-inspired spice blends, seasonings, and rubs.
The Harlech-based business was born from private chef Sheila Marshall’s take-out restaurant business, which began as a pilot in 2020.
Zaytera’s range of fresh, unique products can be used as condiments or ingredients for an exciting, flavoursome meal.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/ZayteraFood
SOBREMESA DRINKS
Sustainable craft drink business, Sobremesa Drinks produces terroir-driven
farmhouse beers and natural ciders at its on-farm fermentery and blendery in Talgarth.
At the heart of the premises is the Tap Room and Bottle Shop – which also features a
deli counter with Welsh cheeses and charcuterie.
Heritage Welsh wheat – Hen Gymro – is used to brew the Farmhouse Ale beer and they use their very own yeast strain, Rosalind, isolated from the farm and identified by the National Collection of Yeast Cultures.The enterprise grows organic soft fruit in in Hay-on-Wye to flavour the drinks.
The whole project is based on a circular economy model: growing the fruit, using it in
the drinks, and then turning the sub-product, the spent grain and pomace, into something delicious – so closing the loop.More information: www.sobremesadrinks.co.uk
THE SMOKE SHED
Great Taste Award-winning smoked salmon will be available from Pembrokeshire smokery, The Smoke Shed, which was born from a passion for sustainability and enjoying great food around the table.
The ancient craft of smoking was originally used as a preservative, but today it has become more of a way to enhance flavour. The Smoke Shed’s first product is cold smoked salmon – using slow-grown hand-reared and hand-fed sustainable salmon from the cold waters ofthe UK.
The salmon’s firm texture, perfect fat content, and great flavour make it an ideal companion for the smokery, which is in the village of Newport.
After years of testing through award-winning Pembrokeshire restaurant Llys Meddyg – where the salmon can also be bought – the smoked salmon is ready to go public and is available online, where it is smoked to order.
More information: www.thesmokeshed.wales
FUDGE WITHOUT LIMITS
North Wales confectioner Fudge Without Limits will bring a range of delicious, artisan, handmade fudge to the Royal Welsh Show.
Chris and Jen Spindley began making fudge at their home in Old Colwyn and, encouraged by friends and family, turned their hobby into a business.
Fudge flavours include Cherry Bakewell, Lemon Meringue, Salted Caramel, Birthday Cake, and vegan vanilla fudge. They are sold online, at local markets and in shops across Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire. Fudge Without Limits caters for weddings and events, and corporate gifting options are also available.
More information: www.fudgewithoutlimits.com
