WIREDGOV

Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, yesterday hosted an event to celebrate the Great Taste Award Winners of 2014.

The Great Taste Awards are held annually and organised by the Guild of Fine Food and this year more than 400 judges had the enviable task of judging more than 10,000 products.

The Minister congratulated the award winning Welsh food and drink companies, and invited buyers to meet with producers and sample their produce. Yesterday’s event coincided with the call for entries to the 2015 awards and this year Wales will be hosting the judging of Welsh food and drink entries.

The Deputy Minister said,

“With 120 award winning products, it is only right we should celebrate our success, and I am very proud to be here to support our food and drink producers in showcasing their world class products.

“The innovation and success on display is an example of how Welsh food and drink is at the forefront of the industry in the UK and in the global market.

“I believe there is a positive outlook for the industry in Wales for 2015, but there is much to be done to achieve our aspirations. We must support the industry to achieve greater productivity and profitability, to remain competitive and sustainable. This message is relevant to the entire food chain, from farm to fork. A weak link will undermine the whole of the chain and impact on the industry.

“I am delighted to announce that we will host the judging of the Welsh entries to the Great Taste Awards in 2015. This will be the first time that the judging for the awards will be held in Wales and will be a wonderful opportunity to promote the wealth of quality products produced here. This will attract significant media and industry attention, and I look forward to welcoming many entries from Welsh businesses, and to raising their profile and developing their sales opportunities.”

Among the guests at the Senedd event included the Great Taste Gold Star award winners - Patchwork Pâté, The Coconut Kitchen and Dawn Meats, as well as representatives from retailers and wholesalers.

The food and drink industry is one of the Welsh Government’s key priority sectors and offers significant potential for green growth and jobs, improving resource efficiency, and tackling poverty. It is a vital industry to our economy and communities both in our towns and in rural Wales.

Our Food and Drink action plan outlines our ambition to sustainably grow the food and drink sector in Wales by 30% to £7 billion by 2020 to enable the sector to realise its potential.