North Wales food producers reaching new customers and promoting authenticity through Welsh language and culture

A north Wales social enterprise has been supporting local food producers to reach new customers by partnering with tourism and hospitality businesses across the region.

Through its Neges@Home project Menter Môn has worked with accommodation providers to promote local food and drink products with a focus on the Welsh language and local culture. The aim is to create a sense of place as well as facilitate the link between producers and self-catering guests as a potential new market.

The Neges concept is to encourage visitors to order a hamper from their self-catering accommodation rather than getting a supermarket delivery or doing a food shop before arriving in Wales. Four food businesses are currently part of the scheme with more lined up to join in time for next summer’s peak holiday season.

Dafydd Gruffydd is managing Director of Menter Môn. He said:

“Improving the visitor experience by promoting local business is core to this project. As an organisation we’re always looking for different ways of introducing the language to new audiences through our language initiative, Menter Iaith Môn. Neges@Home lets us do this, through clever packaging, promoting what’s unique to this area as well as enhancing the visitor experience. What better way of introducing an area and its culture to those on holiday here than through quality local food.”

Gwion Llwyd, Director of Dioni Self Catering Ltd, one of the accommodation providers involved in the project added:

“We’re always keen to give our guests an authentic experience when they stay with us. Through this scheme we can do this as well as ensure they spend more in the local economy – so, signing up made perfect business sense. There has been an increase in self-catering providers over recent years, with this also comes the need to stand out from the crowd – using our language and culture is a positive way we can do this.”

Bethan Jones, owns and runs Holyhead based Bragdy Cybi, one of the food and drinks suppliers involved in the project. He said: “This is a sizeable and growing market for us in north Wales. Getting access to new and potential customers in this way is to be welcomed. It’s also a great way of making sure visitors get a real taste for Wales.”

Neges is funded by the Cooperation and Supply Chain Development scheme through WEFO and Welsh Government.