Celebration Day

A Celebration of Welsh Food and Drink

A look back at the food and drink that shaped this year’s Wales Week and St. David’s Day celebrations, as well as the producers, organisations, chefs, and food-lovers who made it all possible.

Aside from being an excellent opportunity to celebrate the beautiful nation that is Wales, St. David’s Day and Wales Week take place during something of a turning point in the year. As the cold and dark days of winter draw to a close and we look forward to the longer days of spring and summer that lie just ahead, we enter into one of the most exciting and busy times in the seasonal calendar for Welsh food and drink.

Maybe you spent St. David’s Day weekend enjoying a walk along a Gower beach, or among the rolling hills and fields in your very own favourite corner of Wales. Quite possibly, you went in high spirits to your local pub to watch the rugby – or maybe you simply enjoyed a good meal surrounded by those who are most special to you.

Whatever you did on and around St. David’s Day this year, we hope you had a chance to enjoy some of the world-class food and drink that Wales has to offer. Be it a Sunday lunch with PGI Welsh Lamb, rarebit on bakery bread, a traditional cawl, or a modern take on a classic recipe. You might also have enjoyed some local wine, a bottle of craft beer, a gin and tonic, or any of the other offerings available from Wales’ many exceptional breweries and distilleries.

The possibilities offered by Wales’ natural larder – from its fertile soil to its vital waters, and from pasture to valley – are truly endless. The many skilled farmers and producers who draw upon what Wales offers in this respect are among the very best in the world. This St. David’s Day, the food and drink of Wales was enjoyed by many, from those who have grown up surrounded by it, to those who may never have had the chance to try it before. Here are some of the ways that people and businesses marked the occasion.

Offering British consumers a taste of Wales

During this year’s Wales Week, those seeking delicious, sustainable Welsh food and drink were spoilt for choice, whether at home or abroad. At events across the UK (from London to Liverpool, Bristol, Berkshire and Gloucester) visitors were treated to traditional delicacies including Glamorgan sausage, laverbread, and Welsh cakes, as well as some of the nation’s finest organic dairy produce, artisan cheeses, fresh coffee, honey, sea salt, craft beer, wine, spirits, and much more.

One such event was The Welsh Food Roadshow, organised by Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales, which visited three locations across England to showcase products from Welsh brands. Producers in attendance included Hedgerow Honey, Do Goodly Dips, Samosaco, Calon Wen, Craddocks Biscuits, Radnor Preserves, Coconut Kitchen, Pen Y Bryn Apiary, Wrexham Lager, and The Spirit of Wales. The event was a hit with producers and consumers alike, with participants quick to praise the diverse range of top-quality food and drink on offer.

James Gibbons, Head Distiller at The Spirit of Wales attended the London leg of the event – which took place at Ely’s Yard just off of Brick Lane – in order to showcase the brand’s Newport-distilled vodka, rum, and gin products: “A weekend on the other side of a market stall in London’s Spitalfields district was a truly brilliant experience, especially standing alongside such an excellent selection of food and drinks manufacturers from Wales… “The opportunity to meet people and share our products with them over the St. David’s weekend was extremely valuable – within our first year of trading, too.”

Hedgerow Honey (based in Penyffordd, Flintshire) were also in attendance at the Roadshow. As a familyrun business with four generations of experience in beekeeping and honey production, Hedgerow Honey is committed to creating sustainable honey from the local flora of North Wales and Shropshire, where their hives are kept. Director of Hedgerow, Wendy Cooper, said that when the opportunity arose for the brand to participate in the St. David’s Day event, it was one that they ‘grabbed with both hands’.

“It was a really positive event to attend for us as producers. We are used to selling to our stockists, on local markets and at food and drink events, but to sell in London was a new experience. We felt proud taking our Welsh honey to the capital to show people what we can do and produce. It was great to talk to other Welsh producers and learn about how they operate.

“Our brand was well received by the customers and visitors to the roadshow… We are delighted to have picked up several sales via our website because of this event.”

In addition to producers creating traditional Welsh products, the event was also an opportunity for Welsh businesses selling internationally inspired food and drink to showcase their wares. When asked to name which products you are most likely to encounter at a Welsh food and drink market, you would be forgiven for not placing Thai curry pastes, samosas, bhajis, guacamole and salsa near the top of that list. However,

those who attended the event at Ely’s Yard were able to enjoy a wide variety of tastes from around the globe, all produced domestically in Wales.

“We produce Thai sauces and curry pastes but they are all made in Wales,” says Paul Witherington, Director of Coconut Kitchen. “The idea of having an authentic Thai brand but without the food miles of being shipped from Asia seems to resonate with the customers we met.”

Each of the producers that we spoke with were eager to express their thanks to Welsh Government for making the event possible.

Another pop-up market organised by Welsh Government at the Gloucester Services provided a further opportunity for consumers on the other side of the border to try some of Wales’ best food and drink. Those who visited the pop-up market were able to sample and purchase goods from a wide array of Welsh producers, such as vegetarian and vegan specialist the Parsnipship, as well as the makers of what BBC Good Food labelled ‘the best brownies they have ever eaten’ – Gower Cottage Brownies. Also in attendance was the award-winning Drop Bear Beer Co., a Welsh craft beer company specialising in low- and no-alcohol beers who became Wales first B-Corp™ certified brewery in 2021, and also hold the title for the best-rated alcoholfree brewery in the UK.

Another Welsh company shaking up the drinks industry at the moment is Wye Valley Meadery, who were also at the Gloucester event. A family run business started by brothers Matt and Kit Newell, WVM makes ales and porters imbued with honey from their own beehives, as well as having created a contemporary take on traditional mead. Their modern iteration of one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages is a session-strength, lightly sparkling and semi-sweet drink, which is bottled at 4% ABV (significantly lower than many traditional meads) and is made to be enjoyed in the same way as a beer, cider or sparkling wine.

Also present were Caws Cenarth Cheese, Trailhead, Barti Rum, Coaltown Kitchen, Dylans, Halen Môn, Daioni, Peterston Tea, Tregroes Waffles, and Coco Pzazz.

Back in London for the big day itself, on March 1st the celebrated Denbighshire-born chef Bryn Williams put together a special St. David’s Day menu, based around some of the best produce Wales has to offer. Diners at Odette’s in Primrose Hill – where Williams is Chef Patron – were treated to a menu including smoked haddock tart, leek fondue with crispy cockles and laverbread, PGI Welsh Beef sirloin and braised leeks, Caws Cenarth’s Perl Las cheese with Welsh cakes and fruit chutney, and for dessert – one of Williams’ specialities – bara brith custard.

Restaurant Manager of Odette’s, Guillaume Mornet, shared the following: “St. David’s Day was a huge success at Odette’s. A lot of people who have been coming to Odette’s for years joined us to celebrate. Fully booked – as it should be for a restaurant with a strong Welsh influence. Bryn & the head chef, Tom Dixon made a special menu for the occasion using mostly Welsh produce… We also had daffodils everywhere in the restaurant.”

Meanwhile the London Welsh Centre also ran several celebratory events supported by Food & Drink Wales through the Fine Food and Drinks Cluster.

Flying the Welsh flag abroad

Two weeks before St. David’s Day, a number of Welsh brands visited Gulfood in Dubai, one of the world’s largest annual trade exhibitions for food and drink businesses. We spoke to a Welsh Government representative who was at the event, in order to get some more information about how things went for the Welsh producers present.

The Welsh Government representative was happy to report that any previously held concerns over how the event would fare in the wake of the pandemic were quickly allayed on the first day, when it became clear that there was a flood of interest directed towards the various food and drink businesses waving the Welsh flag in Dubai.

These included the Powys-based Hilltop Honey, oat producer Morning Foods, Tŷ Nant Natural Mineral Water and the Old Coach House Distillery. Being the world’s first alcohol-free distillery, The Old Coach House is currently attempting to launch its products into Middle Eastern markets, thereby providing the region’s non-drinkers with a compelling alternative to conventional soft drinks. These include Old Coach House’s Celtic Myst botanical spirit, containing juniper, citrus and rosemary notes for those seeking a 0% alternative to gin, as well as their aromatic and spiced Silk Roots blend, which mixes elements of clove, cardamom, citrus and cinnamon. The Old Coach House stand garnered a great deal of interest at Gulfood, and it is hoped that this will have laid a solid foundation for their expansion into the region.

When asked which Welsh product tends to attract the most international interest and recognition for unrivalled quality, the Welsh Government representative appeared spoilt for choice, but did say Welsh Lamb is a product with a global profile. With the protected ‘PGI Welsh’ designation ensuring the quality, proper husbandry and animal welfare, and full traceability of all PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef, world-class red meat has long been one of Wales’ most celebrated contributions to the global food market. Yet, the growing success of Welsh producers abroad, and the reputation of Wales as a key player in the international food and drink trade evidences that fact that Wales has much more to offer than only lamb. One further class of products that Wales is renowned for is its dairy, and as such, a number of the nation’s best milk, cheese, cream and yoghurt producers were also in attendance at the five-day event in Dubai – including Dairy Partners, Rachel’s Dairy, Mario’s Ice Cream, and Calon Wen.

Those who attended the event were quick to acknowledge the diverse and varied range of Welsh goods on offer at Gulfood, all unified by one common denominator – quality. The event was a great success for those involved, with a number of deals underway in the wake of the exhibition.

The St. David’s Day celebrations reached out all across the globe this year, with Welsh societies on six continents holding events to mark the occasion. Grassroots groups held both online and in-person parties and meet-ups on and around March 1st in locations from Patagonia to Western Australia, Kansai in Japan, Beijing, Singapore, New England, Florida, Minnesota, and the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Alberta, to name but a few. Many of the societies gathered in pubs and community spaces to share food, watch the Six Nations, sing songs, read poetry, and reconnect with their Welsh roots.

Wales Week Worldwide also saw a range of international events taking place, often hosted by local community groups with the support of the Welsh Government. These included Wales Week New York hosting a virtual gala and sing-along event, as well as dinners hosted in Tokyo by the St. David’s Society Japan and in Thailand by the St. David’s Society of Bangkok. Many more Wales Week Worldwide events are already being planned for 2023, with possible locations including Patagonia, South Africa, Norway, L.A., Geneva, Chicago, Toronto and Hong Kong, amongst others.

#CaruCymruCaruBlas / #LoveWalesLoveTaste

Another initiative of Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales which sought to connect Welsh brand with consumers over the Wales Week period was the social media and online campaign #CaruCymruCaruBlas. The hashtag has offered a great way for businesses, customers, and organisations to share their favourite Welsh products, and demonstrate pride in Wales’ local food and drink culture.

In an online video carrying the #CaruCymruCaruBlas hashtag posted by the Welsh Government during Wales Week, the people behind some of Wales’ top food and drink brands showcased their goods and shared their sentiments about capturing ‘the best of Wales’ in their products. Brands who participated in the video campaign included Aber Falls Distillery, Halen Môn sea salt, Blas Y Tir produce, Radnor Hills water, SamosaCo, and the Welsh Butcher.

#CaruCymruCaruBlas and #LoveWalesLoveTaste were also prominent messages on the airwaves in late February and early March, with television and digital campaigns including adverts on ITV Wales and Channel 4’s on demand service, All 4. At the core of the digital campaign was a celebration of the ‘people, place, and taste’ which makes Welsh food and drink so unique. The adverts were filmed across Wales, including at some iconic locations such as Pen-yFan in the Brecon Beacons, Pembroke Castle, Devil’s Bridge, Conwy Castle and the Menai Strait. A range of producers and their products were also featured on a grand total of 300 digital posters at locations across Wales. around the UK and abroad in celebration of Wales Week and St. David’s Day. Hannah Turner of Brooke’s Wye Valley Dairy Co. was in attendance at one of the London-based events and expressed her excitement about being involved: “We are really looking forward to being part of the #CaruCymruCaruBlas / #LoveWalesLoveTaste Producers Market in London. It’s great that the Welsh Government is supporting and promoting Welsh produce and giving us this opportunity to do so in London.”

Advocates of Welsh food and drink

Many of this year’s Wales Week celebrations and St. David’s Day food and drink events were organised by and received funding from the Welsh Government. The Government has played a vital role in championing the people and businesses that are at the heart of Wales’ food and drink industry this year. Members of the Senedd as well as the Welsh Office at Westminster brought to fruition a host of activities and initiatives aimed at providing Welsh businesses with platforms to share their food and drink and providing consumers with opportunities to enjoy these products and dishes.

Some of these celebrations happened on the very same day that the Welsh rugby team were in London to face England at Twickenham for Round 3 of this year’s Six Nations, and the momentous sporting occasion helped to bring even more anticipation and excitement to the celebrations. Lesley Griffiths, Trefnydd and Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, had the following to say in the run up to St. David’s Day: “Welsh food and drink have always played a central role in St. David’s Day celebrations, and coupled with Wales being in London today to take on England, I am delighted our fantastic producers are once again able to show and share their wonderful produce.”

Huw Edwards hosting a HCCMPW event at Westminster

In particular, Minister Lesley Griffiths was enthusiastic about the earlier-mentioned food market event at Ely’s Yard in Brick Lane, and the exciting range of food and drink being offered there: “This is a great opportunity for people to head along to Ely’s Yard […] and sample the very best of food and drink from Wales. Further events are taking place to mark St. David’s Day and I encourage everyone to take the time to meet our producers, try their produce and enjoy a very special day in the Welsh calendar.”

Other government events included a reception showcasing PGI Welsh Lamb and Beef at Parliament in Westminster, plus the ‘Taste of Wales’ event at Whitehall, hosted by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, which allowed international guests an opportunity to interact with a number of Welsh producers and suppliers, as well as to sample a range of products representing the Welsh food and drink landscape.

The Welsh Way: fostering sustainability in the agri-food industry

Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales) acted as a sponsor for this year’s Wales Week London and Wales Week Worldwide. The funding provided by HCC helped to make possible the mutual goal of raising the profile of Welsh food and drink at events around the world. In particular, HCC utilised the Wales Week events as a means of connecting consumers with PGI Welsh Lamb and PGI Welsh Beef, and spreading awareness about Wales’ livestock farming practices – particularly relating to the sustainability of red meat reared in Wales. Owen Roberts of HCC had the following to say: “Our message that Welsh food and farming has a great story of sustainability is one we want to shout loud and clear. Partnering with Wales Week London and Wales Week Worldwide will help us to achieve that.”

HCC has published information about its vision for the future of Welsh livestock farming, entitled ‘Perfecting the Welsh Way’. They have also been eager to convey that Wales already boasts one of the world’s best track records for livestock sustainability due to the non-intensive farming methods employed by Welsh farmers.

Cymru am Byth: celebrating Welsh food and drink all year round

Every day, we make decisions about the products and produce we consume. Whether we are doing the weekly shop or ordering a bottle of wine at dinner, we are surrounded by great opportunities to enjoy the spoils of Wales’ natural larder and its vibrant food and drink culture. With sustainability and the provenance of what is on our plates and in our glasses being more important than ever, eating local and thereby supporting Welsh food and drink businesses is something that we can all do which makes a real difference. Just as importantly, with the abundance of world-class food and drink that our nation has to offer, it’s something we can all enjoy.

As we move through spring and towards summer, we hope that you will continue to celebrate and support the excellent people – from the farmers and fishermen, to the chefs, suppliers, small businesses owners, and so many more – who work day-in and day-out to make Wales a truly global name when it comes to food and drink. Minister Lesley Griffiths