New retail plan to help businesses achieve similar success to Authentic Curries and World Foods

Authentic Curry Company (ACC) received Food Business Investment Funding to expand the production facilities.

Following the expansion, ACC were successful in achieving listings in Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op and Sainsbury stores across Wales.

In July, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths visited ACC as part of the announcement of the Welsh Government’s new Food and Drink Retail Plan.

St David Awards success for Honey Producer

The Food Business Investment Scheme enabled the purchase of a building and equipment for Hilltop Honey to expand into. 

Following the expansion, Hilltop were able to add to it's list of retail placements, now supplying Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Tesco.

Scott founded Hilltop Honey as a ‘hobby’ in 2011 in the back garden of his parents’ house in Mid Wales and in 2019 his 'hobby' really paid off when he won Enterprise Award in the St David Awards

Hilltop Honey, Our Journey So Far

Cywain - businesses collaborating for profit

This Project offers a seamless provision for growth orientated food and drink businesses, bringing together and building on the successes of the existing Cywain programme and the Fine Food and Drink Clusters pilot.

From milking machine to vending machine - Self-serve milk vending machines are growing in popularity, and with Cywain’s help a number of Welsh dairy farms are taking up the technology – and providing a modern twist on traditional farmgate sales.

Cywain map points shoppers to Welsh food & drink - A new tool has been launched by Cywain to help shoppers confined by the coronavirus pandemic to access fantastic Welsh food and drink at the click of a button.

Virtual food and drink festivals get a helping hand from Cywain - At the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020,with traditional food events off the agenda Cywain offered an alternative - ‘virtual’ food events.

Project HELIX

Project HELIX will look to develop and deliver knowledge transfer activity focused on innovation, food strategy and efficiency which will increase production and see waste reduction in the food chain.

This project will form part of the food Innovation Wales delivery which allow for pan Wales coverage.

Project HELIX will gather information on from across the globe and transfer the knowledge to Welsh companies. 

Project HELIX will have significant impact on job creation, retention, waste reduction, and new business development.

There are Food Centres involved in Project Helix - 

ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University - provides food businesses with technical, operational and commercial support to enable them to compete more effectively.

• Trio of Welsh companies see food safety certification success
• Food and drink manufacturers offered support to improve sustainability
• Cardiff-based Korean sauce company picks up coveted food award

Food Centre Wales; Ceredigion - Food Centre Wales is a dedicated food technology centre offering advice, technical services and training to business start-ups, SME’s and existing food manufacturers.

• Ridiculously Rich by Alana, a luxury cake making business owned and run by BBC Apprentice 2016 winner Alana Spencer, is growing and expanding thanks to help and support from Food Centre Wales
• The Little Welsh Deli was able to practise and hone their production methods whilst using the Food Centre
• The Bug Farm have received help to develop the Cricket Cookies and get them into the marketplace.

The Food Technology Centre Llangefni - is actively involved in a number of projects that supports the food and drink manufacturing industry in Wales.

• Patchwork Traditional Food Company 
• Edwards of Conwy
• Rural Foodies home of Coco Pzazz

The Food Skills Cymru programme 

The project supports businesses within the Welsh food and drink processing and manufacturing industry to ensure employees have the right skills and training for their business and the wider industry as a whole.
Working across all sectors within the Welsh food and drink industry, it aims to prepare employees across Wales to adapt to future economic and environmental challenges and position them to capitalise on opportunities for business development and growth.

BrewLab Training Course - we recently supported a brewery training course for a number of Welsh brewers. See how it went!

Other success stories include: Dyfi Distillery; Flawsome! & Capestone Organic Poultry Ltd.

Wales. A Food Destination

‘Wales. A Food Destination’ is a project which sits within Food Skills Cymru specialising in supporting retail and hospitality businesses to source, serve and sell Welsh food and drink.

Learn a little bit about the project here.