Food pioneers encouraged to create a buzz at Spring Festival
Got an idea for a new food and drink product or interested in a career in the sector? Then why not ask the experts at this weekend’s Royal Welsh Agricultural Society Spring Festival?
Held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd, the popular two-day event (May 19-20) will feature a new Food Skills Centre aimed at improving the awareness of careers and demonstrate some of the skills required to start your own venture in the food and drink industry.
Among the organisations featured in the new area is Cywain – a project which supports the development of new markets for growth orientated businesses in the agri-food sector.
Cywain marketing officer Elin Wiliam said: “All of Cywain’s clients started off with a skill and a desire to turn that skill into a business. Cywain’s role is to fulfil that desire and work alongside our clients to really develop their talents in order to generate a profit.
“The food and drink sector in Wales would suffer greatly without skilled individuals and that is why it is so important for young people and adults to realise that their skills have potential and are worth exploring and practising.”
Demonstrating their skills on the stand over the weekend will be Cywain clients past and present.
Anglesey-based Cariad Bakery will be showing visitors the secrets of delicious gluten-free baking as well as its Forever Ewe range of confectionary made with organic ewe’s milk.
Also joining the stand will be Old Castle Farm Hives and Honey Bee Beautiful – who will demonstrate the techniques required for, and products derived from, beekeeping.
The two enterprises have received support from Cywain Bee, an initiative created to support Welsh beekeepers and increase honey production and marketing in Wales.
The Cywain stand will also host feedback sessions where visitors can comment on a range of food and drinks. Their comments will act as market research for the clients.
There will be fun for all ages too, as visitors will find out more about the graphic design skills needed when creating a food and drink brand.
Younger children can try designing and colouring their own food and drink packaging, while older children and adults can take part in a quiz to see how many food and drink brands they recognise.
Elin Wiliam added: “Most importantly, Cywain aims to encourage children and young adults to channel their creativity and, if they have a skill or an idea that has a place within the food and drink industry in Wales, to talk about it and think logically about developing it.
“Our development officers will be on-site to offer their expert advice to those seriously thinking about entrepreneurship, as so many others have done before them.”
OLD CASTLE FARM HIVES
Neath beekeeper Ian Roberts, of Old Castle Farm Hives, will be sharing his experience and hopes to encourage more people to take up beekeeping.
Ian, who runs free beekeeping courses at weekends on his farm, recently designed and launched a “virtually sting-proof” beekeeping suit.
He hopes his Sentinel Pro 3D Bee Suit will help attract more young people to beekeeping, as well as make the occupation more comfortable for experienced beekeepers.
Ian said: “I will be giving a demonstration and talk about beekeeping for newcomers.
“I’ll be showing them what’s involved in beekeeping and advising them how to get started and what equipment they need.”
HONEY BEE BEAUTIFUL
People have been making soap since Roman times – and at the Festival, Catherine Clark, of Honey Bee Beautiful, will share the simple but effective science behind honey soap.
Three years ago, the Monmouthshire beekeeper, a former lawyer, expanded her hobby into a full-time business. Blending natural ingredients with products from her own hives, Catherine produces a range of 100% natural and bee-friendly skin products.
At the Cywain stand, Catherine will show visitors how to make honey soap using a “cold” process in which the natural ingredients’ own chemistry combines to create the soap.
Catherine said: “Our ancestors have been making soap for generations, but over the years we have lost that art, but I think people are keen to regain it.”
CARIAD BAKERY & FOREVER EWE
Sara and Lydia Sharpe of Cariad Bakery, an Anglesey-based glutenfree baking and confectionary business, will share their skills and their passion for natural, ethical and locally produced food at the Cywain stand.
An environmental health officer and trained chef, Sara initially created her range of gluten and artificial additive-free baked goods and sweet treats in response to her own and her family’s food intolerances.
Unable to drink cow’s milk, Sara turned to organic ewe’s milk, sourced from the Llyn Peninsula, to make her Forever Ewe confectionary range at her home in Coedana near Llannerch-y-Medd.
Sara said: “At the Spring Festival, Lydia and I will be making pancakes and sweets with ewe’s milk, and decorating cakes. We’ll also be talking to people about what we do and why we do it.”