Three up-and-coming Pembrokeshire food and drink producers have been been given the opportunity to set out their stalls at one of the year’s most important public events – the Royal Welsh Winter Fair (November 25 and 26).
Now in its 34th year, the Winter Fair is one of the finest prime stock shows in Europe and draws crowds from far and wide to enjoy two days packed full of competitions, festivities, Christmas shopping—and, of course, fabulous food and drink!
The showground’s famous Food Hall in Llanelwedd will be filled with fantastic food and drink. Several burgeoning companies will exhibit and trade under the auspices of Cywain, a Welsh government-funded programme that delivers a range of support and advice for new and growing food and drink businesses in Wales.
Eight companies will take to the Cywain stand, including three from Pembrokeshire.
For visitors to the Food Hall who like tradition with a twist, Mamgu Welshcakes has a range of sweet, savoury, and seasonal welshcakes. The business started with a family recipe and has grown to include more than 30 different flavours, handmade in the heart of Pembrokeshire by the Mamgu bakery team, with husband and wife Sam and Becky Swift at the helm.
The welshcakes are sold online and at Mamgu’s two cafes, in St Davids and Saundersfoot, and the alternative welshcake flavours are a hit with a host of farm shops, delis and independent retailers, too.
The Cywain stand on Monday, November 25 will feature a selection of year-round flavours and seasonal specials, such as mince pie welshcakes.
Also making an appearance will be Mamgu’s latest flavour - Barti Rum & Raisi – the result of a collaboration with fellow popular Pembrokeshire producer Barti Rum.
On the Rocks Pembrokeshire will be bringing premium quality cocktails ‘made simple’ to the Cywain stand.
Handcrafted in small batches, the range of ready-to-drink classic cocktails includes – Strawberry Daiquiri, Espresso Martini, Sex on the Beach, Mojito, Goscar Rock, Pornstar Martini, Woo Woo, and Cosmo.
This is a special time of the year for owners Sam Lewtas and Jess Webb, as the business was launched just before Christmas 2021.
Also proud to champion Welsh distilleries - each bottle contains a minimum of a double measure of award-winning Welsh base spirit. All their cocktails are bar strength and quality and also suitable for vegans.
Câr-y-Môr, Wales’ first regenerative ocean farm, will bring its ‘Beach Food’ range - an array of artisan deli products and a vibrant taste of the coast - to the Cywain stand on November 26.
After taking over the reins from the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company, the ‘Beach Food’ by Câr-y-Môr range is available online and from UK retailers. Featured are sustainably crafted seaweed seasonings, sauces, and seafood specialities from the pristine waters of Pembrokeshire.
Working closely with local fishermen and gatherers, the range includes unique seaweed blends, flavourful condiments like the signature Kelpchup, and unique gift sets such as the Seren Y Môr Hamper and the Mermaids Purse Gift Bag of sea herb sachets.
Câr-y-Môr means ‘For the Love of the Sea’ in Welsh, and the St David ’s-based company’s mission is to support the community by creating jobs, improving livelihoods, and nurturing a sustainable, land-to-sea ecosystem.
Each company has benefitted from the tailored support offered by Cywain, including advice on marketing, developing business plans, 1-2-1 mentoring, test trading opportunities, study tours, webinars, and grants for branding and packaging.
Other Welsh Government-funded programmes, such as The Welsh Seafood Cluster and Farming Connect, have also assisted the fledgling businesses on their journey.
Lowri Jones, Cywain Client Growth and Engagement Lead, said, “For so many of us the Winter Fair marks the start of the festive season - and a visit to the Food Hall is an absolute must to stock up on gifts for family and friends, and for our own Christmas treats.
“The portfolio of support we offer through the Cywain programme is designed to enable Welsh food and drink businesses to thrive - and as a part of this, we're delighted once again to support eight new and growing Welsh businesses to showcase their products and promote their brands at this iconic event.”