Spring Festival goers hungry for Porc.Wales

A celebration of pigs and pork from Wales staged at the Spring Festival this year included brand new recipes, posters, production and promotional tips and advice, as well as a special cooking demonstration by top London chef, Bryn Williams.

Visitors to the event filled their pockets with the pork recipes, which were a joint initiative between red meat body Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and the newly launched Menter Moch Cymru project. These included a sizzling stirfry, popular pulled pork and burgers for the BBQ which prove the versatility and quality of the meat produced here in Wales. 

Specialist pig producers enjoyed a series of short seminars, hosted by HCC and Farming Connect, which focused on marketing pork from Wales and the Porc.Wales website, as well as pig production and health with vet Bob Stevenson.

Market Development Manager, Rhys Llywelyn, who participated in the seminars to explain how HCC can help promote pork from Wales and work with producers, said: “Despite being a relatively small, niche sector, Wales is lucky to have very passionate and proud pig producers.

“The Spring Festival is one of the best opportunities to meet and greet pork producers from across Wales and share information about our work for the sector. This includes the Porc.Wales website which has a list of producers, a guide for consumers on where to buy the meat, and recipe ideas.

“It was also great to launch the new recipe leaflets and distribute pork cuts posters. Not only were they very popular with the public, but chef Bryn Williams was also a fan! His cooking demonstrations using pork from Wales were a hugely popular attraction and visitors were stopped in their tracks by the whiffs of his wonderful cooking!”

Bryn Williams’ involvement formed part of the launch of Menter Moch Cymru. Project Manager Melanie Cargill said: “The weekend was a great success in raising the profile of pork from Wales and the opportunities available through the new Menter Moch Cymru project. Chef Bryn Williams’ cooking demonstration was definitely one of the highlights of the show. Demonstrating the quality, flavour and versatility of this succulent meat.

“Menter Moch Cymru is very pleased to be working with Hybu Cig Cymru to offer the pig sector in Wales free promotional materials in the form of the new recipe cards and posters. This is one example of the support available through the Menter Moch Cymru project.”

As a long-term supporter of all RWAS events, HCC was also pleased to sponsor a number of the competitive pig classes, and rosettes were presented to the championing porkers.

The HCC-sponsored champion pig was awarded to T & A Smith from Newport with Trausmawr Doreen, and reserve champion went to Mr & Mrs H. D. & E. M. Roberts of Oinc Oink, Pwllheli with Braemor Daffodil.