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With the food industry in Wales aiming to sustainably grow to £7BN (AED38BN) by the year 2020, the Welsh Government is keen to stress the vital role exports to the Gulf region play in achieving this critical aim, part of its Action Plan for the Food and Drink Industry.
Key to this is participation at this week's Gulfood trade fair, seen as an enabling strategy and a shop window for the Welsh food industry, this year featuring 16 Welsh companies.
Commenting on the Welsh trade delegation, Tony Hicks, the Welsh Government's lead on trade development in the Gulf region, said "the UAE is Wales's third largest export territory with food and drink exports growing by 56% in 2014. Our presence at Gulfood over many years has played an important part in this growth and we view it as the perfect platform on which to build further on these strong foundations."
The Welsh Government's Action for the sector plan focuses on issues that are crucially important to the UAE's own priorities. These include Food Safety and Sustainable Development, ensuring that the provenance of food is impeccable, delivered to customers in perfect and healthy condition, and produced in a responsible and sustainable way.
The Welsh climate also plays a major part in accelerating the ambitions of the Action Plan, providing a fertile environment for Wales's world renowned agriculture, dairy and meat products, many of which are readily available through the UAE's retailers. But one lesser known fact is that Welsh food producers are increasingly recognized by industry experts from around the world, notching up more than 174 Great Taste Awards last year.
One award winning example on show is the Pant Du Orchard, from the spectacular Snowdonia mountain range, with their range of exclusive juices and mineral waters. They are one of ten recognized Welsh water producers, including the much celebrated Tŷ Nant.
Located in the Cambrian Mountains, Tŷ Nant has almost achieved mythical status being discovered 40 years ago by an eminent water diviner, Tom Ashley, who described it as the "purest water he had ever tasted".
Another multi- award winning, innovative Welsh food producer on show at Gulfood is the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company. Gaining international acclaim at the London Olympics with its signature dish "SeaShore Wraps", they'll be offering some truly unique and natural sea-foraged products including "Welshman's Caviar" - made from nutritious laver seaweed - Mermaid Confetti, Halen Môn Sea Salt and their unique Sea Biscuits.
Biscuits are the focus of Burts Biscuits and Cakes, a family business of 75 years that puts its success down to following traditional and authentic recipes created by the first generation of the family. Sweet success is something Clarks will be adding to the Welsh group's food offering with its range of maple syrups, dessert sauces and honeys.
This is just a flavour of what Wales has on show at Gulfood. Located in the UK pavilion, visitors are invited to experience Welsh food first hand ...as the proof is always in the pudding. The Welsh Government need to grow the Welsh food chain from farm to fork. The range of produce coming out of Wales is impressive. Blessed with a fresh and fertile natural environment, producers are inspired to tempt us with food and drink we want to shout about.
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About the Welsh Government:
The Welsh Government's office in Dubai is responsible for developing Wales' strategic approach to identifying export opportunities relating to the Middle East & North Africa region, and attracting new foreign direct investment into Wales from MENA. The Welsh Government's MENA office was opened on March 1st, 2004 (St David's Day) and since then it has worked with over 550 companies bringing trade missions, delegations and exhibitor to events in the region.
List of Welsh companies exhibiting in Gulfood:
- Plas Farm - Plas Farm is the UK's leading frozen yogurt manufacturer, with 20 years of industry experience. The company is committed to developing top quality, innovative products that are delicious and healthy.
- Dairy Partners - Dairy Partners is a long established, family-owned dairy company supplying UK and overseas food service and retail markets with healthy cheese and other dairy products.
- Daioni - Daioni is a leading provider of premium quality British organic milk and organic dairy products. Meaning 'goodness' in Welsh, Daioni is proud to call the lush, green mountains of Wales its home.
- Clarks UK - Clarks is the biggest producer and supplier of maple syrup in the UK, and accounts for +55% volume of the UK £13.5m retail maple syrup market.
- Princes Gate Spring Water & Mambo Drinks - Created from a farming diversification model in 1991, the business is based on a working organic dairy farm in Pembrokeshire, and proud to be a multi award-winning, environmentally conscious manufacturer.
- Ty Nant - Located in the small hamlet of Bethania, west Wales, Ty Nant produces an award-winning range of natural mineral and spring waters, bottled at source from land certified as Organic.
- Vydex - Vydex delivers customised solutions for health and sports supplements based in Cardiff.
- Bridgehead Foods Partners - Bridgehead Food Partners produce artisan and speciality British cheeses, in pack sizes from 15g to over 1kg, depending on customer needs.
- The Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company - The Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company began as a street food trader before going on to win numerous awards and cater at the London Olympics 2012. Their unusual foods are inspired by the coast and seas of Pembrokeshire.
- Meet the Alternative Foods - Meet the Alternative products have been produced to look and taste like real meat, without compromise, to appeal to the health conscious meat reducer. They are all GM Free and suitable for vegetarians.
- Pant Du - Pant Du Vineyard & Orchard is a family run business situated on the stunning slopes of the Nantlle Valley, Snowdonia, North Wales. The business produces wine, fruit juices and spring water.
- Caws Cenarth - Wales' longest established Farmhouse Cheesemakers. Manufacturers of hand crafted, speciality cheeses including cow's milk Blue, Mould Ripened, Washed Rinded, Naturally Rinded and Waxed flavour added cheeses.
- Easibake (Evron Foods) - Evron Foods Group is a privately-owned company manufacturing and marketing quality frozen, chilled and ambient bakery products for the retail, foodservice/QSR, wholesale and food-processing / sandwich manufacturing market sectors. Manufacturing sites are in Cralgavon, Northern Ireland and Pontypool, South Wales, supplying customers in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
- Burts Biscuits and Cakes Ltd - Burts Biscuits and Cakes Limited is a manufacturer of traditional British Tea Time Cake and Novelty Shortbread, which can now be found on sale in the UAE in Spinneys, Zoom Markets and Express, Choithrams and Carrefour.
- The Good Carb Food Company - Selling products under the Lizi brand, since its launch 10 years ago, we have become the leading innovative producer of healthy granola breakfast cereals.
- Samosaco (Sim's Foods Ltd) - Samosaco is a leading producer of a range of Vegetarian and Vegan snacks and meal solutions including Ethnic Variants for both the Foodservice and Retail operations.
For more information, please contact:
Abdul Karim Samaan, Taqarabu Communications
abdulkarim@taqarabu.com
+971 50 363 3145
© Press Release 2016
