Welsh Food and Drink Producers Gear Up for Get Connected Rali Ceredigion

Food & Drink , 30th August 2022

There will be plenty of Welsh food and drink to savour when Aberystwyth welcomes the motorsport world for the Get Connected Rali Ceredigion this week (September 3rd – 4th).

Attracting motorsport enthusiasts from Wales, the UK, and beyond, the rally’s organisers anticipate an attendance of around 25,000 spectators.

To cater for hungry fans and give Welsh producers a valuable opportunity to showcase to a new audience, the Cywain Fine Food Cluster has created a pop-up Food Hall.

Located on the grounds of St Michael’s Church in the heart of the dedicated spectator area, the Food Hall will be open on Saturday (September 3) from 12 noon to 10 pm and forms part of a range of activities planned for Aberystwyth town centre to celebrate the rally.

Six Welsh food and drink companies will be featured – Ridiculously Rich by Alana, The Authentic Curry Company, Trailhead Fine Foods Ltd, Welsh Brew Tea, Edwards of Conwy, and Radnor Hills Mineral Water Company Ltd.

The producers are members of the Cywain Fine Food Cluster, which supports established Welsh food and drink businesses keen to drive business growth through networking and collaboration.

The Food Hall builds on a relationship which began in 2019, when, following changes to the Road Traffic Act, Get Connected Rali Ceredigion became the first timed special stage rally to take place entirely on closed public roads in Wales.

Clusters Team Leader, Sioned Best, said,

“We’re delighted to bring some of Wales’ best-known producers to what is sure to be a tremendous spectacle in Aberystwyth. This is a fantastic opportunity to provide refreshment and showcase Welsh food and drink to a new audience and to grow our partnership with Get Connected Rali Ceredigion at this flagship event.”

The rally is part of four separate championships, and has been selected as a round of the British Rally Championship, Protyre Asphalt Championship, FIA European Rally Trophy and Tour European Rally – attracting drivers from across the UK and Europe.

Among famous names from the motorsport world due to take part in the Get Connected Rali Ceredigion is Hyundai New Zealand World Rally Championship driver Hayden Paddon, who will be in car number one. The full list of drivers will be announced shortly with a number of top drivers from Wales included in the starting line-up.

Phil Pugh, Chairman of Get Connected Rali Ceredigion organising team, said,

“It is fantastic to be working with the Cywain Fine Food Cluster again to offer our spectators the chance to try some great Welsh food and drink. Get Connected Rali Ceredigion is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Wales to the motorsport world. It is important that we show different aspects of our culture and creativity too – so I’m sure those who visit the Food Hall will be suitably refreshed and impressed!”

Bydd digon o fwyd a diod Cymreig ar gael i’w fwynhau pan fydd Aberystwyth yn croesawu’r byd rasio ceir ar gyfer Rali Get Connected Ceredigion yr wythnos nesaf (Medi 3ydd - 4ydd).

Gan ddenu dilynwyr rasio ceir o Gymru, y DU, a thu hwnt, mae trefnwyr y rali’n rhagweld y bydd tua 25,000 yn dod i wylio.

Er mwyn bwydo’r holl gefnogwyr llwglyd yma a rhoi cyfle gwerthfawr i gynhyrchwyr Cymreig i ddangos eu cynnyrch i gynulleidfa newydd, mae Clwstwr Bwyd Da Cywain wedi creu Neuadd Fwyd dros dro.

Wedi’i lleoli ar dir Eglwys Sant Mihangel yng nghanol yr ardal benodol ar gyfer gwylwyr, bydd y Neuadd Fwyd ar agor ddydd Sadwrn (Medi 3) o 12 y prynhawn tan 10 yr hwyr fel rhan o amrywiaeth o weithgareddau sydd wedi eu trefnu ar gyfer canol tref Aberystwyth i ddathlu’r rali.

Bydd chwe chwmni bwyd a diod o Gymru’n cymryd rhan - Ridiculously Rich by Alana, The Authentic Curry Company, Trailhead Fine Foods Ltd, Welsh Brew Tea, Edwards o Gonwy, a chwmni Radnor Hills Spring Water.

Mae’r cynhyrchwyr yn aelodau o Glwstwr Bwyd Da Cywain,, sy’n cefnogi busnesau bwyd a diod sefydledig o Gymru sy’n awyddus i yrru tyfiant busnes drwy rwydweithio a chydweithio.

Mae’r Neuadd Fwyd yn datblygu perthynas a sefydlwyd yn 2019 ymhellach, pan ddaeth Rali Get Connected Ceredigion, yn dilyn newidiadau i’r Ddeddf Traffig Ffyrdd, y rali gyntaf i gynnal cymalau arbennig wedi’u hamseru’n gyfan gwbl ar heolydd oedd wedi eu cau yng Nghymru.

Yn ôl Sioned Best, Arweinydd Tîm y Clwstwr,

“Rydym wrth ein bodd yn dod â rhai o gynhyrchwyr enwocaf Cymru i beth sy’n sicr o fod yn achlysur arbennig iawn yn Aberystwyth. Mae hwn yn gyfle ardderchog i gynnig lluniaeth ac arddangos bwydydd a diodydd o Gymru i gynulleidfa newydd a datblygu ein partneriaeth gyda Rali Get Connected Ceredigion yn y digwyddiad blaenllaw hwn.”

Mae’r rali’n rhan o bedair pencampwriaeth ar wahân, ac wedi’i dewis fel rownd o Bencampwriaeth Ralio Prydain, Pencampwriaeth Protyre Asphalt, y Tlws Rali Ewropeaidd a Rali Ewropeaidd TER - gan ddenu gyrwyr o bob rhan o’r DU ac Ewrop.

Ymysg yr enwogion o fyd rasio ceir fydd yn cymryd rhan o Rali Get Connected Ceredigion mae Hayden Paddon, gyrrwr Pencampwriaeth y Byd Hyundai Seland Newydd a fydd yng nghar rhif un. Caiff rhestr lawn o’r gyrwyr ei chyhoeddi cyn hir gyda nifer o yrwyr o Gymru ar y llinell gychwyn.

Yn ôl Phil Pugh, Cadeirydd tîm trefnu Rali Get Connected Ceredigion,

“Mae’n wych cael cyfle i weithio gyda Chlwstwr Bwyd Da Cywain unwaith eto er mwyn rhoi cyfle i’n gwylwyr drio rhai o fwydydd a diodydd arbennig Cymru. Mae Get Connected Ceredigion yn gyfle bendigedig i ddangos Cymru i’r byd rasio ceir. Mae’n bwysig ein bod ni’n dangos gwahanol agweddau ar ein diwylliant a’n creadigrwydd hefyd felly rwy’n siŵr y bydd y rhai sy’n ymweld â’r Neuadd Fwyd yn cael eu hadfywio ac yn rhyfeddu at yr arlwy!”