A family run, micro Smokery on a smallholding in the Cambrian Mountains in Ceredigion shows no sign of faltering success during the pandemic due to owner Claire Jesse’s insatiable adaptability.
Established in 2019, launched in May the same year, Welsh Homestead Smokery opened its doors with Claire Jesse and family at the helm. Creating a small batch of smoked products with some unusual flavour combinations, the farm boasts ethical self-sufficiency and as many locally sourced ingredients as they can manage. Claire’s enthusiasm for her smoked produce has proved a huge success, Welsh Homestead Smokery can now boast that they have won 2 stars at the Great Taste Awards for the Lemon Drop Smoked Chilli Jam and the Chocolate Habanero Smoked Chilli Jam and one star for the Smoked Chilli Salt. The Smokery also boasts being one of the only producers of commercially available smoked lamb bacon in the UK!
They produce seven different flavours of smoked chilli jams ranging from mild to hot. In their own on-site smoker, the chillies (grown in the uk) come fresh from harvest ready to be smoked. Although Welsh Homestead Smokery is popular for its innovative flavours and ethical values, no one has come out of this pandemic unscathed, but it must be said that the company's tenacity for adapting to the times has seen new doors open.
The Smokery benefited from a lot of events before the pandemic, running workshops that educated participants in learning the basics for things like curing and smoking meat and fish. When everything closed its doors and these options were not available anymore, Claire wasted no time in adjusting her business to suit new demands. With online deliveries rising and less sales happening within wholesale, the homestead decided to optimise their online presence to help in these sales and adapt as fluidly as possible, even beginning to sell postal selection boxes. The postal selection boxes include things like their Smoked Chilli Jam, Welsh Cheese Cracker box, BBQ box and Smoky Carbonara box all having great success. Realising the importance of analytics and gaining an understanding of their customers' online habits has seen the Welsh Homestead Smokery generate the best results that they could in unprecedented times. Using these skills the company's sales have rocketed by 600%! Going on to develop another three themed boxes for their range that preach affordability at £30 to £36 each.
Head over to their website now to order your own and help keep small businesses thriving in Wales!
Maesffynnon, Penuwch, Tregaron, Ceredigion, SY25 6RD, 07974 354471
