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The Welsh Food & Drink Annual Insight Programme Conference will take place from 10 to 14 March 2025, offering a comprehensive programme designed to provide the latest market intelligence and strategic insights to support the Welsh food and drink sector.
This year’s theme, ‘Be Ahead of the Curve,’ will focus on several key areas: the economy and business, future consumer trends, retail developments, the out-of-home sector, and export opportunities. Attendees will benefit from expert analysis and practical guidance from leading industry specialists.
Register now
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I am a sheep farmers daughter from Ceredigion. I have followed my interest and passions for agriculture and food from 6 years of age, when we moved to the farm.
These passions have directed me through University at Harper Adams to study Agri Food Marketing and Business and then to various roles within the agri-food supply chain.
Read Alison's report in full
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 Food & Drink Wales have created a tool kit for Welsh Food & Drink producers to promote their brands on St David’s Day on 1 March.
The #CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste campaign will be back this St. David’s Day to support Welsh food and drink. The #CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste social media campaign will start on the 24 of February – with digital frames encouraging consumers to ‘Make it Welsh’.
This will culminate with a celebration on St David’s Day – Saturday 1 March with a Happy St David’s Day message.
As with previous campaigns, there is a new digital toolkit for producers to use in their social media communications during the campaign.
The digital toolkit and more information are available on our website.
Join the campaign by downloading the toolkit and planning your social media posts, let’s turn the internet RED for St. David’s Day! #GWLAD
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Food and Drink Wales have launched a new campaign which encourages restaurants in Wales to feature more GI (Geographical Indication) protected products.
The new campaign is backed by Welsh Government research which highlights that nine out of ten hospitality guests believe it important for venues to have a good range of dishes with Welsh ingredients. Four out of ten would be prepared to pay more for dishes with Welsh ingredients and 25 percent of respondents would be discouraged from visiting venues with no Welsh food offer.
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There are currently 20 GI products in Wales, and all are urging more chefs and hospitality venues to use and promote these examples of authentically Welsh produce on their menus.
Chefs Osian Jones of Crwst and Chris Walker of Yr Hen Printworks, both based in Cardigan and Douglas Balish from the Grove of Narberth have created recipes, demonstration videos and food & drink pairing recommendations for the campaign.
Download the recipe cards, QR codes and information leaflets for ideas and inspiration to put more Welsh GI on your menu.
GI Toolkit | Business Wales - Food and drink
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On 28 January 2025, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, laid the Free-Range Egg Marketing Standards (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2025 before the Senedd.
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Subject to approval by the Senedd, these Regulations will remove current derogation timings, allowing free range eggs to retain their ‘free range’ status for the duration of any mandatory housing period. This will remove the requirement to relabel or repackage free range eggs during housing orders issued in response to Avian Influenza.
The full announcement is available on the gov.wales website.
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 Discover how Welsh food and drink businesses have benefited from expert support and funding. From business development to technical guidance, see what’s available to help your brand grow.
One such success story is Hilltop Honey, founded by Scott Davies in 2011 at just 23 years old. Based in Newtown, Mid Wales, the company has grown into a leading honey and maple syrup producer, employing 130 people and supplying a third of the UK market.
With support from the Welsh Government, including Business Skills Development courses, assistance from the Food Technology Centre in Llangefni, and funding through the Food Business Accelerator and Investment Schemes, Hilltop Honey has flourished.
Their achievements include multiple industry awards and becoming the UK’s first B Corp-certified honey brand in 2022.
Check out our full range of case studies to see how you can benefit from similar support!
Case Studies | Business Wales - Food and drink
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The Food & Drink Wales Sustainability Cluster encourages Welsh B Corps to engage in the B Corp Month 2025 campaign with their new B Corp Month Toolkit.
The Sustainability Cluster is proud to collaborate with over 100 food and drink producers, of which 11 are B Corp certified.
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B Corp is a global certification to show that an organization meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
B Corp Month is an annual, global campaign. Every year during March, B Lab and the global B Corp community come together to celebrate everything it means to be a B Corp, raising awareness of the movement across the world.
The Sustainability Cluster team has produced a toolkit ahead of B Corp Month 2025 featuring customizable and ready-to-post social media assets, as well as flyers and stickers that Welsh B Corps can order to print.
The toolkit is available to all Welsh B Corp certified food & drink producers. Assets are to be used only during March when the campaign takes place.
The Sustainability Cluster is dedicated to supporting its producers in achieving excellence in sustainability and amplifying their efforts to make a positive impact.
If you wish for more information regarding the B Corp Month toolkit, or the Sustainability Cluster as a whole, please contact Mark.Grant@levercliff.co.uk
B Corp Month Toolkit
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Discover the latest in Welsh food and drink with Taste.Blas Magazine! Packed with stories, recipes, and industry insights, it showcases the best of Wales’ vibrant food scene.
📍 Available in fine food establishments and supermarkets across Wales. Don’t miss your copy!
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 Food and drink producers are being urged to enter the Wales Food and Drink Awards 2025 before the upcoming deadline.
Entries close at midnight on February 21, 2025. Now in its fourth year, the Wales Food and Drink Awards have become the hallmark of excellence for the nation’s thriving food and drink industry.
The awards offer 16 categories to choose from. Companies can enter up to two categories for free and all entry criteria can be found on the website.
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Entries are now open for the sixth Virtual Cheese Awards and this year’s British & Irish Cheese Awards, celebrating the best cheese and the dedicated artisans behind them.
Don’t miss your chance to showcase your craft and have your cheese judged among the finest -enter today!
Enter now!
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The Food & Drink Skills Wales | Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru programme has offered pupils from three schools in South Wales the opportunity to experience the culinary artistry of the food and drink world at the Welsh International Culinary Championship 2025, held at the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC), Newport.
Read the article in full
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 Don’t miss the chance to showcase your brand on the global stage! Recruitment is now open for Welsh food and drink producers to exhibit under the Food & Drink Wales banner at two major events:
📍 FHA - Food & Beverage, Singapore | 8-11 April 2025
📍 Farm Shop & Deli Show, NEC Birmingham | 7-9 April 2025
Seize this opportunity to connect with buyers, grow your brand, and put Welsh food and drink in the spotlight!
Interested? Secure your space today: News and events | Business Wales - Food and drink
Upcoming Events 2025
17-21 February – Gulfood, Dubai
18 February – Heat decarbonisation technologies, online
04 March - Decarbonisation of cooling and refrigeration, online
7th March - International women's Day: Women in Exports
10-14 March - Insight Conference 2025: Be Ahead of the Curve
11 March - Foodex, Japan
11 March - Decarbonisation of Food Waste and Packaging, online
13 March - Explore Export, South Wales
20 March - Explore Export, North Wales
20 March - Appetite for Engineering, Manufacturing Technology Centre, Coventry – FREE for food and beverage sector professionals
7-9 April - Farm Shop & Deli Show, NEC Birmingham
8-11 April FHA – Food and Beverage, Singapore
20 May - Management of Cleaning in Place (CIP), Food Centre Wales, Llandysul
22 May - The Wales Food and Drink Awards - Deadline for Entry: 21st February 2025
25 June - The UK Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference 2025 Tickets, Wed 25 Jun 2025 at 09:00 | Eventbrite
22-23 October - Blas Cymru / Taste Wales Brokerage 2025, International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales, Celtic Manor Resort, Newport.
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