Wales’ reputation for producing world class food and drink is now well recognised and the sector is worth a staggering amount to the Welsh economy, with recent reports showing that the GVA of the Welsh food and drink manufacturing sector is over £1.7bn. However this is just the beginning, and Wales has a lot more to offer.

We at Cywain have been a pivotal force in enabling businesses to survive and thrive in this dynamic landscape, a landscape characterised by fluctuating economic pressures, the growing importance of sustainability, and the need for businesses to adapt to changing regulations and evolving consumer values. A programme funded by the Welsh Government, we support micro, small and medium scale food and drink manufacturers in Wales to grow their business by offering targeted support via our pan Wales team. Our Regional Growth Managers work with businesses to understand their ambitions, to assess their needs and develop and implement action plans with them to help businesses unlock their growth potential.

However, in order to continue pushing the sector forwards, and to gain traction in the markets for Welsh food and drink, Cywain constantly seeks to identify and support promising food and drink producers and ensure a pipeline of future growth businesses and rising stars!

So how do we do this?

First and foremost, our staff are true foodies and passionate about supporting SME’s and growing the rural economy in Wales. Many of the team come from agricultural backgrounds, and all have extensive experience of working in the food sector. So if there’s a budding brewer or exciting new baker making waves, then the team are on the case to see where we can offer support and help propel their business ideas towards success. And they have their finger on the pulse, working very closely with other support programmes, Government and Academic institutions to ensure that businesses are able to take advantage of the plethora of help that is out there for businesses.

Once onboard, it’s important to gauge where the business is at and we take a snapshot of current performance and position as a business, so that the business’ needs can be assessed. At this point, our Growth Managers will create a bespoke development plan for that business, and where relevant offer some targeted work such as one to one specialist mentoring and coaching from our staff. However, there is so much support on the menu at Cywain, a business can engage as much or as little as they like, in the knowledge that there’s always someone at the end of the phone to help and pick up where they left off.

Fungi Foods is one recent example. They turned to Cywain for branding support...

“Sometimes you just need someone to help you get over the line, and that’s what the help with our branding from Cywain did for Fungi Foods” Gareth Griffith-Swain, founder of Fungi Foods.

And what drives success amongst food and drink producers?

Passion is key and the driving force behind most of the successful producers we work with. The businesses that succeed almost always are those that love doing what they are doing. It’s what keeps them moving forwards, as there are so many challenges and hurdles in the way of any business owner, not least those running a food or drink business. But this passion is the essence of why Wales produces such great produce - passionate people with a love for creating fantastic produce. And our staff match this energy, equally dedicated to helping people, businesses and communities succeed.

Alongside this, we strongly believe in giving businesses strong foundations. Foundations upon which strong brands and sustainable businesses can build and thrive.

To build a scalable business from the start, our approach focuses on establishing solid fundamental practices. This includes:

• Developing scalable practices for agile growth.
• Developing a good understanding of the importance of strategic marketing
• Ensuring commercial and financial literacy from the start, including cash flow forecasting and a thorough understanding of the business’ costs and margins.

With these fundamentals and proactive use of our expertise, businesses gain strong foundations for achieving their growth ambitions.

How do we measure our impact on the Welsh SME landscape?

We at Cywain have supported over 1,400 businesses since 2018, helping them to grow. We have forged over 1,100 new markets, generating over £1.3 million in value in 2024 alone.

This month we took 22 businesses to Farm Shop and Deli as part of Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Wales pavilion. A key UK trade show, Farm Shop and Deli is a fantastic trading opportunity for producers and gives them a platform to meet buyers and secure listings across the UK that will generate increased sales for months and years to come.

They were supported by our knowledgeable & experienced team with pre-show preparations & promotion tips, ideas about pitching their products, how to identify key leads, creating meaningful conversations with buyers and the all-important follow-up after the show to turn those new trade connections into listings.

What’s next for us at Cywain?

We will continue to shape the future of the industry, playing a crucial role in Wales’ development in the food and drink sector. With exciting plans on the horizon, we're poised to make an even greater difference: showcasing innovative new businesses at the Royal Welsh Show’s famous food hall, reaching important consumer and trade markets. As well as this, we’ll be celebrating our Rising Stars at the Blas Cymru event in Newport – the year's prime opportunity to connect with key buyers. Our experienced team of Growth Managers will continue to act as catalysts for business growth, ultimately building strong and resilient enterprises that firmly position Welsh Food & Drink on the global stage.