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Welcome to Local Food First WrexhamIncreasing Opportunities for Local Rural Food ProducersWrexham is a wonderfully rich and diverse area with an abundance of mouth watering local food and drink available throughout the county. Wrexham has the Ceiriog Valley with is tender lamb and fresh trout, towards the Cheshire Plains... |
Local Food First Wrexham Calendar 2012
Local Food First Wrexham has produced a limited number of 2012 calendar’s. The calendar’s feature recipes from Wrexham producers and school children, along with a guide to what is in season.
For your free calendar please contact caroline.dawson@wrexham.gov.uk or call 01978 298384
North East Wales Food Conference 2012
Tuesday 31st January 2012, 5.30pm—9.00pm
Venue: Northop Hall Hotel, Chester Road,
Northop Hall, Flintshire, CH7 6HJ
The North East Wales Food Conference – an event aimed at local food and drink producers/businesses from Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham.
Guest Speakers
Conrad Davies-MD Spar/Eurospar stores in Pwllheli, Dolgellau & Blaenau Ffestiniog and Wales the True Taste Champion 2011-2012
Lawrence Washington – Purple Moose Brewery
Amanda Daniels – Koogar Digital Marketing
Russell Ferguson – Wales the True Taste Mentoring Programme
Conference Agenda
5.30pm Arrival and registration
5.45pm Hot buffet and networking
6.30pm Welcome: Caroline Dawson (Local Food First Wrexham)
6.40pm Introduction to the evening: Russell Ferguson
7.00pm Eurospar and Wales the True Taste Champion 2011/12: Conrad Davies
7.30pm Digital Marketing: Amanda Daniels
8.00pm Purple Moose Brewery: Lawrence Washington
8.30pm Open discussion and closing remarks
9.00pm Close
During the evening there will be an opportunity to network with food and drink producers from across the region, hear from social media and marketing experts and learn about new ideas to shape and drive your business forward.
Organisations and project officers will be on hand throughout the evening to offer business advice and support.
The conference has been organised by Northern Marches Cymru and Cadwyn Clwyd
Please respond by Wednesday 25th January 2012
To book your free place, including hot buffet
Call: 01978 298384
Email: caroline.dawson@wrexham.gov.uk
Grow to Love Campaign….
Do you struggle to sell gluts of produce? Do you find less well known varieties of fruit and vegetables more difficult to sell?
Come and join Horticulture Wales for the launch of the new Grow to Love campaign! Aimed at developing communication between growers and consumers to encourage consumers to purchase more delicious, fresh, local produce, find out how the first phase of this campaign can help your business:
• A marketing and merchandising workshop by Sian Roberts of Howel Food Consultancy – lots of useful tips, advice and interactive activities
• Receive a pack of the new Grow to Love product cards with information on a selection of fruit and vegetables including interesting facts, preparation and recipe ideas
• Tasting session – interesting twists on familiar vegetables!
The event is at The Shippon Restaurant, Plassey Leisure Park, Eyton, Wrexham LL13 0SP and starts at 10.30am until approximately 2.30pm.
Attendance is free and lunch will be provided. Places are limited so please reserve your place by email horticulturewales@glyndwr.ac.uk or call 01978 293967 by Wednesday, 7th December. A full itinerary will be provided nearer the time.
The Horticulture Wales project has received funding through the supply chain efficiencies scheme of the Rural Development Plan for Wales. This scheme is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. To find out more about the project please visit www.horticulturewales.co.uk.
Marketing Initiative of the Year 2011
POULTRY veteran Tony Kynaston has become the face of free range eggs after appearing in a snappy poster campaign.
Mr Kynaston, of Nant Ucha Farm, Garth, Llangollen, is pictured holding a chicken on the poster.
Underneath are the word: “Meet Tony … he produces eggs. Well he doesn’t, he leaves that to his free range hens in the wilds of Garth.”
Since its launch earlier this year, the number of outlets stocking Nant Ucha Eggs has soared from 32 to 71.
Tony’s daughter Heather said: “The posters have been fantastic in getting the face of the egg farmer known to the locals.
“Our customers feel as if they know Tony personally. They feel as if they know where the eggs are coming from.
“The posters have helped generate new customers for us, both retail and wholesale.”
The poster was produced by Local Food First Wrexham, which was nominated for an award by Nant Ucha at this month’s British Free Range Egg Producers Conference, Stoneleigh.
Local Food First Wrexham went on to win the Best Egg Marketing Initiative 2011.
Heather added: “My old man is recognised by so many people now.”
Wrexham Champion Sausage 2011
Wrexham Champion Sausage 2011 – Results
Traditional Pork Class
1. Lewis’s Farm Shop, Eyton
2. Jones Brothers Farm Shop, Wrexham
3. Home Farm, Overton
Speciality Class
1. Lewis’s Farm Shop, Eyton – Welsh Dragon Sausage
2. Home Farm, Overton – Pork and Leek
3. Platts Butchers, Wrexham – Pork and Black Pudding
Overall Champion – Lewis’s Farm Shop for their Welsh Dragon Sausage
Lovefinefood.com is Launched
“Lovefinefood.com brings the best of local produce under one website. Now food lovers can buy online and have all of their products assembled into a single order for them to collect in one visit.”
One of the instigators was Yale College catering manager Mark Parsons, an avid supporter of local producers who has has worked with Local Food First Wrexham to host “A Taste of Wrexham” to link customers and buyers to local producers.
He is now working with students to offer a range of “dine-at-home” dishes using produce from local suppliers.
The idea is that shoppers can enjoy “restaurant-quality food” in the comfort of their own homes.
“We have some very gifted students with a passion for producing good food and a 5-star kitchen where we work to the highest standards of hygiene,” said Mark.
“This venture provides the perfect vehicle to put these assets to good use.”
Orders can be collected twice a week from the college, which may also deliver to workplaces if there is sufficient interest.
Products listed so far range from fresh meat and fish to ready meals, wines and specialist teas and coffees.
“It looks fantastic,” said Jo Edwards, of Rossett-based Aballu Artizan Chocolatiers, who is hoping to land some Christmas orders.
“It gives small producers a good platform for sales and to promote the quality of local food.”
To place an order visit: www.lovefinefood.com
Vote For Erlas Victorian Walled Garden
The Erlas Victorian Walled Garden has applied to the Natwest Community Award for a chance to win £6000 which we will use to employ a part-time volunteer co-ordinator. The winners of this award are decided by the number of votes we get from people, and we would be pleased if you can not only vote for our project yourselves, but pass on this e-mail to others so that they can vote for us. Voting finishes by 21st October, and we have 36 votes so far! The link to vote for us is: http://t.co/8QUQFaY7
Fingers crossed and thanks for your support!
At Home on the Farm
Concerns about mass produced food was one of the main spurs behind Alison Everett and her husband Dave moving to Home Farm, Overton-on-Dee from Liverpool just over 2 years ago. Having decided to rear their own, the pair started out with half a dozen chickens and a few pigs.
After sending their first pigs to slaughter, Alison and Dave realised that to do their meat justice they needed to butcher it themselves. Since November 2009, all Home Farm’s pigs have been skillfully butchered on the farm by the husband and wife duo.
According to Alison, “We started supplying our pork to family and friends but soon locals became interested in what we were doing and so just over 18 months ago we started selling our products to the public.”
Home Farm’s traditional rare breed pedigree pig herd now consists of over 60 free range pigs, with breeds including Gloucestershire Old Spot, Oxford Sandy and Black, Middle Whites and Saddle Back.
Their 14 varieties of sausages, from Shropshire Blue Cheese & Leek to their Mediterranean Sausage are all lovingly hand made on site using only the very best, freshest ingredients.
Alison explains, “We aim to produce unusual sausages and burgers, all freshly made to order. We introduce new and exciting flavours regularly as well as offering the more traditional ones. Last year we were delighted to have won gold and silver for our sausages at the Wrexham Champion Sausage Competition.”
According to Alison, “We also keep flocks of traditional rare breed hens, turkeys, ducks and geese for eggs and eating. Our latest addition is a small herd of sheep.”
Home Farm’s products are available from the farm itself or at Garden Village Farmers’ Market, Wrexham on the first Saturday of each month.
Alison notes, “We are very excited to be launching our own website this month, allowing our customers to buy our products online.”
According to Alison, “People are welcome to come and visit the farm. From an educational background myself, I think it’s especially important that the younger generation understand where their food comes from. We regularly have visits from local schools and after a tour of the farm allow the children to have a go at making sausages – a real field to fork experience.”
For more details call 01978 710141 or from September 2011 onwards visit their new website: www.homefarmoverton.co.uk
CAMRA Regional Winners – Bridge End Inn, Ruabon
Congratulations to Bridge End Inn, Ruabon who have recently been awarded the title of CAMRA Regional Winners Merseyside/Cheshire/North Wales. For opening times visit: http://www.mcgivernales.co.uk/index.html.
The Welsh Food & Drink Skills Conference
The Welsh Food & Drink Skills Conference
Food: Growing it, making it, selling it, serving it!
Venue Cymru, Llandudno
11:30am – 3:00pm, 20 October 2011
It’s time we thought of the Welsh food and drink supply network as one interdependent industry, employing 18% of the Welsh workforce and generating around £6.5bn of sales revenue annually. In fact, the industry is now the largest combined industry of employment in Wales.
As one of the key links in that chain, project partners are delighted to invite you to this free conference organised on the day of the True Taste Awards in Llandudno. Key activity over the conference day will include the reporting back of our key findings and recommendations following one of the most comprehensive research projects ever carried out to assess the skills needs of the Welsh Food & Drink Supply Network for the coming decade.
Crammed with expert speakers and discussions on the needs of the industry key reasons to attend on the day include:
If you’re an employer in the Welsh food and drink industry the conference will explore how you can release profit through up skilling the workforce.
If you’re a training provider or educational institution the project’s key report findings will be crucial in order to prepare your future work plans
Of course, if you’re one of the 3000 businesses surveyed during the report’s creation then come along to see how your input fits into this larger picture.
Led by Lantra, the land-based and environmental industries Sector Skills Council, the project is supported by the food and drink manufacturing (Improve Ltd), hospitality and tourism (People 1st Cymru) and retail (Skillsmart Retail) Sector Skills Councils. This project is supported by the Welsh Government’s Sector Priorities Fund Pilot (SPFP) that also received additional support from the European Social Fund (ESF).
Whether you are attending, or not, the True Taste Awards that evening in Llandudno, we do hope that you can join us on the day and I look forward to meeting you there. Please confirm your attendance at the conference to delyth@fbagroup.co.uk or 01970 636404 as soon as possible in order to reserve your place.
