Seaweed sausages could be on menu
SEAWEED sausages, cheesy Welsh cakes and boozy biscuits – three food treats created in Llanefni that could soon be in production in north east Wales.
All three products were developed at the Food Technology Centre (FTC), Llangefni, and are now available for commercialisation by new or existing food producers in Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.
Rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd, which commissioned the project, wants local businesses to take on the products and put them on shop shelves.
One of the products is a lamb and laverbread seaweed sausage, another is a cheese and leek Welsh cake. The third is a biscuit made from the leftover grain from micro-breweries.
A further six new food products are being developed by the FTC team at Grwp Llandrillo Menai, Llangefni, and in due course these will also be made available to businesses in north east Wales.
Donna Hughes, business partnerships officer for Cadwyn Clwyd, said the Concept to Consumer project was set up to find products that could be taken on by established micro-businesses or new start-ups.
Market trends were analysed by the FTC at the start of the two-year project, which was drawn up by the North East Wales Local Action Groups.
“One of the key themes is to look at food trends and how we can implement new products in a sustainable see more of Kate’s work, visit the website katebarlow embroidery.com or Facebook page https://en-gb. facebook.com/ katebarlow embroidery/ and tasty way,” said Donna.
“We also wanted to tap into the flexitarian market where people still want to eat meat but want to reduce their consumption.”
Once potential producers have been selected, the FTC team will help them take the products to market though the Welsh Government’s EUfunded Helix project.
Recipes for each of the products are adaptable, said Ann-Marie Flinn, FTC technical manager.
She added: “It is a great opportunity for producers to benefit from the upfront development.
“We looked at products that were both innovative and of the area. In the case of the sausages we looked at using lamb in combinations with a range of green proteins including spinach, kale and edamame beans.
“The Welsh cakes are a savoury twist on an old favourite – cheese and leeks is a perfect combination.
“The biscuits are tasty and sustainable idea. The micro-brewing industry is booming so it makes sense to produce biscuits from the grain that would otherwise have gone for pig feed.”
The Concept to Consumer scheme is one of the LEADER projects run by Cadwyn Clwyd. These involve Local Action Groups (LAGs), which have the final say on funding.
Food firms should contact: donna.hughes@cadwynclwyd.co.uk or call 01490 340500.