Welsh Food and Drink Steps Up to the Plate for 2026
- Welsh Gov
- Mar 5
- 13 min read
It has been a sensational few months for Welsh food and drink, but the year ahead promises to bring even more excitement to the table
If 2025 was the exquisite hors d’oeuvre, served to tantalise the taste buds before the delicious entrée arrives, 2026 certainly promises to be a feast to remember for Welsh food and drink.
The past year has seen such magnificent successes at the outstanding Blas Cymru/Taste Wales 2025 event, the launch of an array of innovative new products and the announcement of an exciting selection of Welsh food items to be awarded Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status.
Now the industry is looking ahead to a spectrum of landmark events that will further showcase the impressive selection of food and drink products that Wales has to offer – and Welsh hospitality will also step into the spotlight when the Worldchefs Congress and Expo 2026 is staged in Newport in May.
Shining brightly
Blas Cymru/Taste Wales 2025, a signature brokerage event organised by the Welsh Government for the Welsh food and drink industry, was held at ICC Wales in October. Bringing together producers, suppliers, buyers and food industry professionals from right across the globe, the biennial showcase was a resounding success that has already resulted in over £45 million of forecasted business opportunities.
More than 150 Welsh food and drink producers from Wales showcased some 3000 new products to hundreds of buyers from places as far afield as the Middle East, East Asia, North America and Europe, as well as across the UK, driving exports and further elevating Wales within global food and drink.
The Rising Star Market Place garnered attention for offering buyers the opportunity to connect with up-and-coming names in Welsh food and drink, and was the backdrop to many new product launches – ranging from innovative sparkling teas to carbon-neutral baby potatoes.
North Wales-based Flavour Moments won the Most Exciting New Product Award for its handcrafted Goat’s Cheese Pearls, filled with bursts of honey, pear and fig. Other highlights from the 30 Rising Stars included a spread of mouth-watering surprises from companies such as Castle Dairies. The Caerphilly-based premium butter producer presented its new Halen Môn Sea Salt Butter and its Halen Môn Sea Salt Spreadable. For those seeking sweeter options, artisan chocolatier Coco Pzazz was there to introduce its wares including Rolled Truffles and Bilingual Welsh Bars.
Pembrokeshire Gold promoted its new cold-pressed rapeseed oil including Chilli, Lime and Ginger Dressing and Orange Infused Rapeseed Oil – and Welsh Homestead Smokery made the journey from its smallholding in the Cambrian Mountains to launch its zingy Smoked Bacon Jam and Smoked Chorizo Jam.
The Welsh drinks sector also held its own, with many exciting new products for 2025. Tidy Tea, from Ceredigion, was on the boil with its new Tokyo Blossom, while Radnor Hills Mineral Water Company sparkled brightly with its Radnor Splash Cans. Also attracting great interest was the new Honeyade collection from South Wales beekeepers and mead makers, Hive Mind, in flavours including Lime and Mint and Strawberry and Basil.
Hive Mind Mead and Brew Co also presented its Rum Aged Traditional Mead (18% ABV) and Hiraeth Welsh Dry Heather Mead (14.5% ABV), while Pembrokeshire-based Barti Rum made waves with its handy cans in apple, lemon and punch varieties. Also in the Welsh alcohol arena was coffee upcycler Grounds for Good, with its Aperoffi (11% ABV).
The Hafod Brewing Co came from Mold to showcase its new Wavelength (5% ABV) and its fruity pale ale My Name is Nelson (4.8% ABV). Other notable presences were Gwynt y Ddraig, from Llantwit Fardre, with its new zero alcohol cider and canned Black Dragon (7.2% ABV), and Blighty Booch, with its kombucha starter pack. This Conwy-based producer has also recently launched a new Spiced Plum drink made from fruit unique to North Wales.
Cradoc’s travelled from Brecon with its latest breadsticks, while Sip Syrup brought its natural coffee products from Ceredigion. Gower Gin presented its new cardboard box unit and refillable bottles, and there were new products from Bossa Nova Chocolate, the Crafty Pickle, chocolatier Mr Holt’s, Jones Crisps. Mario’s Ice Cream, from Cross Hands, and GG’s Gelato, from Penclawdd, wowed the buyers with their delicious desserts, while Mumbles-based Dewkes saw to it that canines were also catered for.
Gaining PGI status
Blas Cymru/Taste Wales 2025 also saw some exciting new introductions within the Welsh whisky forum. In the Welsh Wind, from West Wales, brought its new Brychan Welsh Blended Whisky (46% ABV), while Aber Falls Distillery, from North Wales, launched its new Madeira Single Malt Welsh Whisky (47% ABV).
Single Malt Welsh Whisky is, of course, one of the many Welsh delicacies that now has PGI status, alongside more immediately recognisable items, such as Welsh Lamb, Welsh Leeks and Welsh Laverbread. And, as of 2025, the list of authentic Welsh food and drink products meeting the strict production standards and geographical requirements required to be granted PGI status reached a triumphant 24.
Joining the likes of Carmarthen Ham, Conwy Mussels and Welsh Beef were Dovey Native Botanical Gin, Pembrokeshire Native Oysters, Pembrokeshire Rock Oysters and Welsh Heather Honey. Formally recognised for their distinctive qualities and regional heritage, these PGI products not only now gain valuable market advantage but also help preserve traditional production methods and champion Welsh products on the international stage.
The value of Welshness
There could be no better time than 2026 for Welsh food and drink to step up to the plate, according to Sophie Colquhoun, Director of insight specialists Category-Insight. An experienced leader in food marketing, she is involved in delivering the Insight Programme for Welsh Government Food and Drink, conducting a survey every year in a bid to understand the “value of Welshness” and what consumers seek from the food they buy in shops or order in restaurants. Focusing one year on retail and the next on out of home, she has seen soaring demand for “Welshness” in recent times.
“I am genuinely surprised about how much the value of Welsh products has become so much more important to people in Wales,” she admits. “If you look at our results, nearly every metric has seen an increase in people’s desire to have access to more Welsh food.”
For example, in her most recent research, 80% of Welsh shoppers said they would choose Welsh for top products (like for like) and 65% agreed they would pay more for Welsh food items – up from 44% in 2017. Furthermore, eight out of 10 said they believed it was important for their retailer to stock a good range of Welsh products and two-thirds said seeing “Welshness” on packaging would encourage shoppers to buy.
While seven out of 10 think their retailer does already have a good range of Welsh food and drink, it was interesting to note that two-thirds would like them to offer more, and that outside Wales, 80% of shoppers in England thought it was important their retailer stocked a great range of brands with Welsh, Scottish and English provenance.
“When it comes to Welsh food and drink, people talk about these key themes,” she says. “They talk about supporting their local economy; they think that it’s fresher, better quality and better tasting, and that food and drink form Wales is percieved as being better for the environment.”
Her research has, however, highlighted the fact that consumers are still not always aware of the “Welshness” of a product: “So the message for hospitality is to make sure they highlight and promote the fact that they are using local Welsh foods – and, from a producer’s point of view, if you have a story to tell, then tell it,” she emphasises.
“Yes, it is about the product and how delicious it is, but there’s often also a really great story behind a lot of these local brands, and people want to hear and understand those stories.”
Marking St David’s Day
No occasion offers the chance to highlight the “Welshness” of food and drink products more than St David’s Day – and a variety of events have been lined up by the Welsh Government’s Food Division, Food and Drink Wales (FDW), and other organisations to mark the occasion. From activities scheduled to take place in Cardiff Central Square to Wales Week London’s VIP dinner at the Guildhall, this year’s celebrations of the patron saint of Wales bring with them the opportunity to tell many of the tales behind the country’s products.
FDW’s flagship St David’s Day event will take place at London’s historic Spitalfields Market, where a curated group of Welsh food and drink businesses will showcase their products from Saturday, February 28 to Sunday, March 1. Emphasising the commercial strength and diversity of the Welsh food and drink sector, while offering an opportunity to meet producers, explore products and understand the stories and supply chains behind them, it will feature a range of producers.
Among those present will be Flavour Moments again, together with Ferrari’s Coffee, from Bridgend, and Maggie’s African Twist, bringing its chilli sauces and seasonings from North Wales. While Pen y Bryn Apiary will have some of its award-winning honey available to be sampled.
Radnor Preserves, from Newtown, Rogue Welsh cakes from Newport and the Patty Man, from Cardiff, will also be setting up at Spitalfields, along with producers of some of the finest Welsh alcoholic beverages. Visitors should look out for wine from Mydflower, near Llandovery, Vermouth from Still Wild in Pembrokeshire, and farmhouse beer and natural cider from Sobremesa Drinks, near Talgarth. Also present will be Gower Gin and Aber Falls.
The aim of the culinary celebration is to highlight Wales’s credentials as a modern food nation with a growing reputation for high-quality, provenance-led products across retail, catering, hospitality and speciality markets. Set within one of London’s most established food trading destinations, Spitalfields Market provides a high-profile platform to present the country’s food and drink to buyers, industry stakeholders and influential audiences.
The event will demonstrate how Welsh producers are combining heritage, protected status and local sourcing with innovation and brand development. It will underline the commercial importance of provenance, origin and PGI status, alongside the role of sustainable farming, skilled production and strong brand storytelling in driving growth.
Wales on the world stage
Having just returned from successful participation in the world’s largest food and beverage sourcing and innovation show, Dubai’s Gulfood 2026, the Welsh Government’s Food Division is also looking ahead to major global events for 2026. Subject to change – and again under the FDW brand – it hopes to be at Food and Hospitality Asia (FHA) in Singapore in April and Summer Fancy Food in New York in June.
Closer to home, but also attracting international attention, will be the UK Food and Drink Shows, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham from April 12 to 14. These include the Food and Drink Expo and the Farm Shop and Deli Show.
The follow-up to Blas Cymru/Taste Wales 2025, the Blas Cymru/Taste Wales Conference will be held across two days in October at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. This is expected to focus on key themes, such as sustainability and business skills, with workshops and seminars for Welsh producers.
What is in no doubt, however, is that the Worldchefs Congress and Expo will be the jewel in the crown of the glittering array of food and drinks events taking place here in Wales this year. Described by the Welsh Government as a significant milestone for the country, reflecting its commitment to excellence in food, hospitality, sustainability, and farm-to-table practices, it will foster connections and collaborations within the culinary community. It will also encourage the exchange of ideas, inspiring new creations and providing an opportunity to showcase food and drink from Wales to an international audience of culinary artists.
A Team Wales partnership, including the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), ICC Wales and the Celtic Manor Resort, with support from the Welsh Government’s Food Division, worked ceaselessly on the bid to host the major global event. Headed up by Arwyn Watkins, OBE, President of the CAW, years of planning and lobbying saw them secure the necessary support from right across the world.
Now the event, which will be centred on the theme of Pasture, Passion, Plate, is expected to attract more than 800 chefs and 5,000 visitors from some 110 different countries. To be delivered by CAW and staged at ICC Wales from May 16 to 19, it is, according to Mr Watkins, “the culinary equivalent of Wales hosting the football World Cup finals.”
“To be putting Wales on the world stage and on the culinary map like this is hugely significant,” he stresses. “I cannot emphasise enough what an opportunity this is – an occasion where the world is actually coming to Wales, rather than us having to travel across the globe, to experience the Welsh food service sector and our incredible food and drink products.”
Launched by French chef Auguste Escoffier and other key names in Paris in 1930 and organised by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), a global network of chefs’ associations founded in 1928, this is the 41st staging of the biennial event.
“This is the first time ever in its 98-year history that the event has been held in any part of the United Kingdom,” Mr Watkins, CAW President for 11 years now, observes.
A member of WACS and run entirely by volunteers, CAW represents and champions chefs who are Welsh or work in Wales, while also supporting and promoting the country’s food and drink. With over 400 members, including chefs, college lecturers, and suppliers to the hospitality industry, it exists to promote excellence in the art of professional cookery within Wales. Its teams compete in the Culinary Olympics and the Culinary World Cup.
Committing to excellence
Highlights of the Worldchefs Congress and Expo will include the presence of the Expo’s Ambassador, international singer and founder of Cygnet Gin, Katherine Jenkins OBE, who will perform her specially written anthem “When you return to Wales” at the opening ceremony.
An event partner and official exhibitor, luxury Welsh spirit Cygnet says it is proud to demonstrate what Welsh craft truly represents: exceptional quality, authentic innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. The company stresses it feels privileged to share its story with the global culinary community and to play a part in strengthening the country’s reputation for premium, artisanal produce.
Katherine herself adds: “When I created Cygnet, it came from a deep belief in never settling for anything less than the very best. That same spirit runs through Wales itself – in our people, our craftsmanship, and our extraordinary food and drink community.
“To welcome the world’s finest chefs to experience what we create here, on Welsh soil, is a moment of immense pride for me. Supporting this is about celebrating Wales, its talent, and its unmistakable sense of excellence, on the global stage.”
Food and drink innovators
Celebrated chef Marco Pierre White will give a keynote speech at the event, and workshops and presentations will be led by other industry experts, covering topics from modern cooking techniques to the latest trends in food and beverage.
The Expo will also host the final of the Global Chefs Challenge, for which the semifinals have already taken place across five continents in four categories: Pastry, Senior Chef, Vegan Chef and Junior Chef, with Wales having a representative in each final.
“There will be 40 chefs competing from 25 countries as far afield as Fiji and Vietnam, Australia, the USA, Singapore and Hong Kong,” explains Mr Watkins. “This is not only an opportunity for Wales to host a world event, but it is our chance to tell the great story we have here about Welsh food and drink.
“Very often, our businesses have to travel abroad to try to get their products in front of people, but this is a huge opportunity for the whole Welsh food and drink sector because about 60% of all the delegates attending will either be influencers or buyers.”
Delegates will be accommodated at Celtic Manor Resort and hotels in the surrounding area, generating over 5,000 bed nights in total.
The Welsh Government’s Food Division will exhibit at the Worldchefs Congress and Expo 2026 under the Food and Drink Wales (FDW) brand. The primary function of its section will be to promote the Welsh food and drink industry and its high-quality products and ingredients.
This showcase area will be similar in style to the Business Lounge at the Royal Welsh Show and Blas Cymru/Taste Wales 2025. Food Division officials will work closely with Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) to prepare and deliver demonstrations and samples to an audience of international chefs and foodservice buyers seeking new products for their market.
The FDW section aims to promote Wales as a nation of food and drink innovators at the global meeting point for industry leaders. Unlike Blas Cymru/Taste Wales 2025, it will focus on food service-oriented products and ingredients rather than products destined for retail. This limits the number of companies available to be invited to be represented.
The Welsh Government also sees the event as an opportunity to showcase Wales as a tourism and hospitality destination and build on the strong reputation of food and drink from Wales, linking provenance and quality, as evidenced by the country’s range of products with PGI status.
Mr Watkins agrees: “Some of the best chefs in the world will be competing right here in Wales. These are people who operate at a very, very high level – and they are looking for some of the best ingredients that are available in the world.
“And, I’ve got to be honest, in Wales, we do have some of the best ingredients that are available in the world.
“When I speak to international chefs, they all know about Welsh Lamb. They know a little bit about Welsh Beef too sometimes, but not about some of the other phenomenal products we have here, such as our fish, cheese and drinks.”
A legacy for Wales
Mr Watkins recently announced that he and CAW Vice President, Colin Gray, owner of Capital Cuisine, Bedwas, plan to stand down later this year.
It was Mr Watkins himself who came up with the theme Pasture, Passion, Plate, believing it encapsulates the very essence of Welsh food and drink and honours the sustainability and craftsmanship of local Welsh produce.
“I wanted to try to connect everything,” he explains. “Everyone knows about Welsh Lamb, but do they know that it’s born and raised on sustainable pastures?
“I also wanted to emphasise just how passionate creative people in Wales are about what they do. We are passionate about our culture and our language – and the story of all of that is translated into the creativity you see on our plates.”
He adds: “We aim to deliver a legacy that supports the ambition of Wales on the world stage. We will not only be making memories at the Worldchefs Congress and Expo, but also business partnerships that will support the Welsh economy into the future.”
Indeed, as registration for day passes to the Worldchefs Congress and Expo opens in March, focus on the event will ramp up and global interest in Welsh food and drink will intensify. Welsh food and drink has never been busier and the spotlight on the country’s exceptional ingredients has never been brighter.
As the goal is set firmly on fostering growth, boosting the economy and driving export, sustainability and innovation will also remain at the heart of the industry as the year ahead promises a myriad of exciting new developments for Welsh producers and hospitality.
With such an abundance of events on the plate for 2026, Welsh food and drink is stepping up again. The industry is rightly celebrating its significant success and is now looking towards a future that is stronger than ever.
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