Sweet success for Mid Wales Preserves company

During these challenging times for food and drink businesses in Wales, Radnor Preserves, a mid Wales artisan preserves company is expanding, picking up numerous awards and securing export deals in Asia and the Middle East.

Radnor Preserves has been honoured in The Great British Food Awards 2020 for their Hand–Cut Lime & Laver Marmalade. It received the overall winner of the Sweet Preserve Category, judged by food writer and influencer, Rosie Birkett who described the product, “I love the unexpected combination of laver and lime in this beautifully zesty marmalade. The laver brings a beautifully saline, umami note which works in contrast with the sweet, zingy lime. Delicious on generously buttered toast.”

The Great British Food Awards, which was announced recently showcases the finest artisan food and drink from across the British Isles and are judged by a panel of celebrity judges, including The Hairy Bikers, Michel Roux Jr, William Sitwell, and Raymond Blanc.

The Hand-Cut Lime & Laver Marmalade sources its dried Laver seaweed from the Pembrokeshire Beach Company and was created in 2018 to celebrate the Year of the Sea. This Great British Food Awards winner also received a Gold Medal at the World Marmalade Awards in 2018.

Further exciting news for the company, The Great British Food Awards 2020 winning Hand-Cut Lime & Laver Marmalade is amongst eight flavours that will be launched in UAE at 17 Premium Stores of Spinneys, next month. It joins their Hand-Cut Orange & Date Marmalade, a new flavour developed especially for the market; Great Taste Award winners Strawberry & Rose El Hanout Preserve, Raspberry & Crushed Cardamom Preserve, Hand-Cut Radnor Three Fruit Marmalade and Hand-Cut Radnor Classic Seville Orange Marmalade, plus two other favourites Blackberry & Cracked Black Pepper Preserve and Rhubarb & Caramelized Fig Preserve.

Four pallets of marmalades and preserves have been ordered for the launch, and Spinneys will then roll out the range to a further 10 stores across the UAE in early 2021.

The deal was secured having met with the buyer initially at the TasteWales international food and drink trade event, and then again having attended Gulfood, one of the world’s largest food and drink trade events on the Welsh Government Food & Drink Wales stand.

In September, Radnor Preserves also exported two pallets of preserves and marmalades to Macau for a new Food Hall that is launching there as part of a new complex in early 2021.

To keep up with demand, the business has recently moved to larger premises in Newtown.

Commenting Joanna Morgan of Radnor Preserves says; “We’re thrilled to receive these overseas contracts for Spinneys in the Middle East and for the new Food Hall in Macau. It is a fantastic boost of confidence for us. 

We’re excited too to move to new premises in order to meet demands of production, and really delighted to win the Preserve Category at the Great British Food Awards. Many customers have written to us to say that our preserves have been a highlight during lockdown and the only thing keeping them going which is the greatest praise of all.”

Following on from the Great British Food Award, earlier this year, Radnor Preserves won another Gold Medal at the World Marmalade Awards 2020, one of the marmalade world’s most prestigious accolades, for its Smoky Bourbon Marmalade, scoring 20 out of 20, the highest marks for its appearance, colour, consistency, aroma and flavour, consolidating their reputation as one of the country’s best marmalade makers and as a leading artisan producer of exquisite hand-made preserves. Last but not least, Radnor Preserves also won a 2020 Great Taste Award for its Apricot Conserve, part of a new range of products that will launch in 2021.

The Great British Food Award Winning Hand-Cut Lime & Laver Marmalade will also feature in a set of Luxury Sweet & Savoury Preserves due to air on QVC in November.

Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, said:

“I would like to congratulate Radnor Preserves on all their achievements this year. They are a company who should be very proud of themselves and an excellent example of the drive and determination they’ve shown.

“It shows that Welsh food and drink businesses can continue to thrive in these challenging times, and we are here to help in any way we can.”

The company, founded by Joanna Morgan in 2010, started making jams and marmalades when she lived in a cottage with no electricity. Such was the subsequent demand to buy her products, she trialled them at local farmers’ markets with great success and now has a reputation for producing exceptional innovative marmalades. Joanna has an all female-team who make each product by hand.  All marmalade peel is hand-cut to give a superior flavour.  All products are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Radnor Preserves supports local food banks and this year is particularly pleased to be supporting The Marmalade Trust who combats loneliness with gifts of marmalade to their Christmas Hampers.

Radnor Preserves creates many delectable delights, ranging from their stunning gift boxes to Christmas Chutney, made with pomegranates and cranberries, and now available on their new e-commerce website www.radnorpreserves.com.