Come into our parlour!
NEW Pembrokeshire producer, Lochmeyler Farm Ice Cream, has rounded off a whirlwind first eight months in business by opening an ice-cream parlour.
The family-run business had only recently got up and running when it was featured at the Cywain stand at last summer’s Royal Welsh Show. Now, barely four months later, owners Margo and Matthew Evans have opened the doors of their retail premises.
“It is a huge leap for us,” says Margo. “But by going to the Royal Welsh Show and also the Pembrokeshire County Show, we had brilliant feedback.”
Located in the heart of Haverfordwest’s Riverside Shopping Centre, Lochmeyler Farm Ice Cream will be open six days a week, all year round.
“It’s a small unit and it has a market-stall feel, but everything is permanent,” says Margo proudly.
Fresh milk from the family’s dairy herd at the ancient Lochmeyler Farm in Llandeloy is used to make the creamy ice cream, which is stocked by a growing number of outlets throughout the county.
Available in a range of sizes from small 120ml pots through to 4.75-litre catering tubs, customers at the Haverfordwest parlour will be able to buy the ice cream in tubs and cones.
Margo and Matthew also have an ice cream bike, which they take to outdoor events including weddings.
The couple began producing ice cream at the Food Centre Wales in Horeb, and now the final touches are being added to a production unit on the farm – fittingly housed in the old dairy. Among the flavours are blackberry, Pembrokeshire salted caramel, ginger, chocolate and pistachio. There are special Christmas-inspired flavours too, including Christmas pudding truffle, white chocolate and cranberry, and gingerbread.
Margo and Matthew have been helped in their venture by Cywain – a Menter a Busnes delivered project that supports the development of growth-orientated businesses in the food and drink sector in Wales.
Says Margo: “Cywain has been 100% behind us and has given us support and training – such as the selling skills course I went on at the Vale Resort. There is no way we would have considered opening our premises without the help we’ve had from Cywain and the Food Centre Wales.”
Also, through Cywain events, the couple met many producers who now supply ingredients for Lochmeyler’s ice cream, including Pembrokeshire Sea Salt, Trwffl, Farmers Food At Home, and Farm Cottage Bakery.
Adds Margo: “It’s lovely to be able to tell customers about other Pembrokeshire food producers too.”
Cywain development officer Nerys Adams says: “I’ve been delighted to see the progress Margo and Matthew have made in such a short space of time. They’ve made the most of every opportunity presented to them by Cywain and it’s great to see all of this hard work paying off.
“Lochmeyler Farm Ice Cream is fast becoming an established brand in its own right and the team at Cywain look forward to continue working with them to develop and grow the business even further.”