Italian Opportunity for Food and Tourism Businesses

Groups of food and tourism businesses from South West Wales recently took a Taste Local Learning Journey to Puglia in Italy.

Several local businesses were successful in their applications to be part of the visit to Italy as a means of developing and growing their own businesses including Teifi Cheese, Vic North Bakes, Oh Sugarplum, SJ Chocolates, Nomnom, Llwynhelyg Country House, Drovers B&B, Llwynhelyg Farm Shop, Wendy Brandon Preserves, Oscar’s Kitchen, Wrights at Aberglasney, Food Centre Wales, Sancler Organic, Caws Cenarth, The Little Velvet Cakery, Fuller Flavour, Jabajaks, Cheese Roles and Tourism Swansea Bay.

Whilst there they visited Cheese Producers, Confectionary businesses ,Cookery Schools, Vine Yards, Food Trails, Farm Shops, Charcuterie and Preserve establishments in the region.

This was just one of a variety being funded by Taste Local, a food tourism project led by Carmarthenshire Local Action Group and delivered by the South West Wales Tourism Partnership. Offering assistance to eligible* South West Wales food producers, retailers, hospitality providers and groups, Taste Local provides the opportunity to visit partner areas in Italy, Denmark and Malta to learn and share best practise in relation to their sector to develop their own businesses and groups.

Vicky North of Vic North Bakes said: “It was an unforgettable experience – the trip to Puglia provided a valuable opportunity to travel back in time and learn from bakeries where traditional techniques such as wood fired ovens and the use of natural yeasts are standard. I hope to build on the contacts I made, bring a taste of Italy to Cardigan Bay and introduce Semolina Bread to my Bread Club subscription service now.”

Andrew Addisfuller of Fuller Flavour added “The trip for me was all about Salami, cured meats & charcuterie, I got my fix and then some. I was taken back by the business owners who welcomed us and were more than willing to show us techniques and share practical advice. Their openness and passion for their trade was astounding, I learnt a great deal and will be able to use this knowledge to help develop my business in Wales”.

Jenny and Teifi Davies from Llwynhelyg Farm Shop stated “Bellissimo! We’ve lots of new ideas for food trails and food tourism following our visit to Puglia, Italy. Very interesting to see that farmers over there are diversifying into tourism to help supplement the farm income. Accommodation and restaurants are the main focus for extra income with guests being encouraged to visit the farm enterprise at the same time.

For example, the dairy farm we visited had a viewing gallery, whilst the olive and orange farm had trails through the groves and they had converted former workers cottages into hideaway accommodation.

One surprising aspect was that the tourist season is very short, mainly July & August, even though the climate in Puglia is mild all year round. They are trying to address this by increasing activities to attract visitors for other times in the year, much the same as we do in Wales.”

Taste Local is funded through the Co-operation Fund under Axis 4 of the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

There are very few bursaries remaining, to find out how your business can benefit, please contact Lowri Edwards on: 01558 669091 / 07977 989723 or lowriedwards@gallu.org.uk for more information.

*To qualify for a bursary you must be a resident of, or own a business within the RDP areas of Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire or Pembrokeshire.