>Point-of-sale materials, as well as social media activity featuring the #CaruCymruCaruBlas #LoveWalesLoveTaste campaign, will enable shoppers to identify a host of Welsh food and drink products easily.< The campaign celebrates Welsh food and drink. It was initially launched last summer by the Welsh Government working with Menter a Busnes to support producers and retailers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The campaign has successfully captured the imagination of producers, retailers, and consumers, so much so that #CaruCymruCaruBlas has become an integral part of promoting Welsh food and drink all year round.
The campaign is also in tune with the ‘Value of Welshness’ research carried out for the Welsh Government, highlighting the growing importance of Welsh produce to consumers.
The Welsh Food Fortnight campaign has been arranged by the Food & Drink Wales Fine Food Cluster in conjunction with SPAR UK partner A.F. Blakemore. A total of 139 independently owned SPAR stores across Wales and 91 Blakemore Retail stores are taking part.
Funded by the Welsh Government, the Wales Fine Food Cluster is facilitated by the Cywain project. Delivered by Menter a Busnes, the Cywain project supports the development of growth-orientated businesses in the food and drink sector in Wales.
To prepare producers for the campaign, the Fine Food Cluster has supported the businesses in several ways. These include a social media webinar to show them how to maximise their presence during Welsh Food Fortnight.
A.F. Blakemore Category Controller Patrice Garrigues said: “As a business, we are pleased to be working in collaboration with many Welsh brands across various categories. Our partnership offers them a route to market for their products.
“Having quality Welsh products in our SPAR stores is something that our customers enjoy as part of our range. It gives them a choice and the opportunity to support, in many cases, a local business.
Fine Food Cluster Manager Jayne Jones said, “SPAR is a fantastic platform for Welsh food and drink products in Wales. We looked at how we could work with them on a new campaign using the social media networks of the food and drink suppliers, as well as in-store point of sale materials. Collectively this will raise awareness during the fortnight and help increase footfall and sales.”
Source: SPAR UK
About SPAR UK
The UK became a SPAR member in 1956 when SPAR International granted the SPAR licence to a group of independent wholesalers. There are now five regional partners in the UK. A central office in London provides national marketing and buying services for the group.
SPAR has led the highly competitive convenience market in the UK for many years. Always innovative, the five regional partners have continued to grow the brand. SPAR UK comprises independently owned licensed retailers and company-owned stores. These include forecourts, airports, train stations, city centres, and local neighbourhood stores.
