BlasCymru/TasteWales 2023: Wales’ finest showcase of food and drink

Organised by Food & Drink Wales (Welsh Government), and held bi-annually, BlasCymru/TasteWales is Wales’ premier international food and drink trade event, which brought food and drink producers, buyers, suppliers and food industry professionals together from across the world at the International Convention Centre Wales (ICCW), Newport recently.

The theme of this year’s event was ‘Powerful together: From challenge to success. The role of resilience, innovation and optimism’.

The event is meticulously organised, offering an engaging experience in two integral parts: the Brokerage area and the main Exhibition Hall.

The brokerage area gave access to a large-scale product showcase for retail, foodservice and private label, with over 1000 products, of which over 200 new products were unveiled reflecting the diverse flavours of Wales’ innovative culinary scene.

It also served as the nerve centre, facilitating meaningful collaborations and business meetings between food and drink producers from across Wales and UK and international buyers. The format is designed around short initial introductory buyer-supplier meetings, just 20 minutes long where discussions flow, partnerships form, and innovative ideas take shape, underscoring the event’s commitment to driving the Welsh food and drink industry forward.

Simultaneously, the main exhibition hall featured three auditorium areas where a seminar programme ran over the course of the two days featuring a range of brief, focused talks from leading industry speakers and panellists covering topics such as the Value of Welshness, Inward Investment, Export, Developing Sustainable Healthy Food Products, among others. There were themed zone areas – Innovation, Business, Skills, Tourism, Sustainability, Investor, Food and Drink Wales Cluster Network Group, and Advanced Manufacturing, showcasing the latest technology, innovative ideas, training and support available to the sector.

BlasCymru/TasteWales stands as a testament to Wales’ culinary prowess. Through its carefully structured brokerage area and main exhibition hall, it not only connects producers with buyers but also promotes Welsh food and drink and expertise to a wider audience, making it a pivotal event in the Welsh food and drink calendar.