FOOD & DRINK

NEW LOOK FOR MICROBREWERY

Cornish Crown Brewery has invested in a major equipment overhaul and relaunched with a new look to keep pace with the rapidly evolving market for craft beer.

Since launching in 2012, the microbrewery, which overlooks St Michael’s Mount, has grown to become one of the south west’s most iconic small breweries.

Founder Josh Dunkley recently revealed a rebrand for the brewery and a revamped website for online sales. He has also invested in cutting-edge equipment for seamless production of small batch, hop forward beers which he will mainly be selling in can. And he has bought an electric van for local deliveries. He said: “Pre-Covid we were still producing quite a lot of cask beer for pubs. It was a shrinking market, accelerated by the effects of the pandemic. Our response has been to completely overhaul our business, taking it in a new and exciting direction.”

MP HEARS FALFISH PLANS

Environment Secretary George Eustice visited the main Falfish site in Redruth and met with Morrisons chief executive David Potts, to hear about the company’s plan for investment and growth of Falfish.

Falfish operates from two sites in Redruth and Falmouth docks and was acquired by Morrison’s earlier this year.

Eustice toured the Redruth main site, the new 1,400 pallet coldstore and a nearby development to increase Falfish’s freezing capacity for Cornish Sardines.

The business has long-term relationships with the owners and skippers of over 70 partner boats in the south west who land their total catch direct to Falfish. Falfish’s buyers also buy direct from the three key south west fish markets in Newlyn, Plymouth and Brixham.

Following the visit, Eustice said: “It was great to visit the Redruth site recently and hear more from Morrison’s about their plans to invest in Falfish to help create more jobs in our local area.”

CORNISH TEA DOWNUNDER

Cornish tea producer Tregothnan was given an opportunity to break into the Australian market last month, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson handed a bespoke hamper filled with food and drink products to the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

The event aimed to showcase well-known, high quality Great British food and drink brands who are set to benefit from the newly-announced free trade agreement with Australia.

The hamper was set up as part of the Great British Food Programme, an initiative delivered by Business West to support UK food & drink producers to engage with international buyers across the world with events, workshops, and an online directory.

Tregothnan commercial director Greg Springer said: “Tregothnan has been pleased and proud to be a part of the Great British Food Programme as it has helped showcase our English grown tea to markets across the globe.

“It is never too early, or too late, to think about export. As soon as you have a product you are happy to sell online, or to put in a shop in the next town over – you are ready to export.”

INN AT NUMBER 10 The directors of Inn Cornwall Ltd were invited to Number 10 last month to help launch a new campaign as part of the UK’s drive to net zero.

Through the Together for our Planet small business campaign, the Government is urging the thousands of SMEs across the south west to lead the way on climate action, as part of a national call to put the small business community at the heart of the green revolution. Kwasi Kwarteng greeted a number of small business leaders at the reception, including Justin Barnett and Mark Holden from Inn Cornwall, who operate The Victoria Inn at Threemilestone, the Norway Inn at Perranarworthal and The Victoria Inn at Roche.

Holden said: “It was an amazing experience to meet the Prime Minister and to hear first hand his vision as he launched this fantastic new campaign for businesses. We talked about our company’s recent journey and discussed our future plans for our pubs. We are constantly looking at ways to improve and have started making steps towards Net Zero.”