‘Welsh Lamb Day’ set to give industry a boost

A revival of an ancient summer tradition is set to kick off a renewed marketing campaign for Welsh Lamb in the UK market.

2016’s summer and autumn PGI Welsh Lamb campaign, run by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) will take place across a wide range of different media. It will feature chefs and food writers as ‘lambassadors’, new booklets containing simple and tasty summer lamb recipes, competitions for consumers, and will also see events to inaugurate ‘Welsh Lamb Day’ or ‘Llamb’s Day’ on August 1st, to coincide with the best new season lamb being widely available.

“The idea behind celebrating Welsh Lamb at the beginning of August is to build on old feasting traditions across Europe, which commemorate this day as the first harvest festival – known as Calan Awst, Lammas or Lughnasadh,” said Prys Morgan, HCC’s Head of Operations. “Marking August 1 as Welsh Lamb Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the arrival of new season PGI Welsh Lamb, and eventually to emulate Australia Day, where locally-reared lamb has over the years become the centerpiece of family celebrations.”

The day will kick off a number of marketing initiatives, which will again involve many stakeholders within the industry. Demonstrations and tastings will be held in supermarkets during August, which will build on the year-round marketing efforts of HCC in the UK and export markets.

The campaign builds on the advertising and branding work carried out in 2015. Then, despite reeling from a perfect storm of unfavourable exchange rates and a flood of cheap imports, the Welsh red meat industry pulled together to mount a powerful campaign to promote the PGI Welsh Lamb brand across Britain, leading to an increase in sales and shelf space.

HCC’s Prys Morgan said; “Last year, the whole industry pulled together to promote consumer awareness of PGI Welsh Lamb as a premium product. The legacy of last year’s united response remains strong, as the marketing campaign for Welsh Lamb enters a new phase.” A renewed marketing drive is essential in the face of continuing economic and political uncertainty, adds Mr. Morgan; “HCC is determined to use a combination of media advertising and grass-roots marketing such as supermarket tastings to bring PGI Welsh Lamb to even more consumers.”