Glittering ceremony was full of true taste

Nov 20 2007 by Leigh Roberts, Western Mail

HOW many times have you heard that tired old cliche, glittering award ceremony? Here it is again, because the True Taste of Wales food and drink awards last week truly were glittering, from the twinkly fairy lights everywhere to the spangly dresses and stunning trophies.

If you wear wellies or a hair net every day for work then it is probably a nice treat to dress up for a change and drink some wine in the name of networking.

The awards have really hit their stride, and this year there were 700 entries from more than 250 companies.

The winners and finalists in the awards were in the main small and family-run businesses that had started small and were passionate about what they produced.

The camaraderie was tangible. Everyone there, whether farmers, processors, retailers, or people like me who help them with the skills they may not have, was part of something important, growing and special – the Welsh food industry.

There were people like young couple Jonathan and Sally Rees from Welsh Farm Organics who sell their meat online from their farm in Mid Wales; the Adams family (no not that one) where mother Thelma has handed her knowledge down to their son Carwyn who now carries on the successful cheese-making tradition at Caws Cenarth; brother and sister Connie and Phil Parry who run Hurns Brewery in Swansea; and father and son John and Rees Lougher who started retailing their own milk from Ty Tanglwyst farm just 18 months ago.

The winners are inspirational. They had a dream and went for it, refusing to let a lack of finance or marketing knowledge to stand in their way.

They believed in their product and they went all out to get the help they needed to achieve their goals.

Last week their vision, dedication and sheer hard work was rewarded. Now being able to use the sought after True Taste logo on their award-winning produce should soon bring greater commercial rewards.

Leigh Roberts is a partner in the specialist food and farming PR consultancy Coleman Roberts Communications. Contact leigh@colemanroberts.co. uk website: www. colemanroberts.co.uk