Getting products listed with a distributor is the dream of many food and drink businesses – and with help from Cywain, a group of Welsh producers have been put through their pitching paces.

The culmination of Cywain’s ‘Meet the Buyer’ pitching tutorials was the opportunity to have a one-to-one appointment with Deiniol ap Dafydd, founder and managing director of wholesale distributor Blas ar Fwyd.

For 21 new producers, this led to their products being listed by Llanrwst-based Blas ar Fwyd, which provides over 170 food and drink producer brands from Wales on its platform.

Cywain clients, around half of whom pitched to be listed and the others who are not yet ready to use a distributor, used the opportunity as an advisory appointment to learn more about the process and benefit from expert feedback on their products.

Those pitching to Blas ar Fwyd were offered the opportunity to have a one-to-one mentoring session beforehand. This helped them to get an idea of what to expect from the appointment, advice on the key points they should share within their pitch and to discuss their pricing structures.

Cywain’s innovation and new markets team leader, Nia Ball, said: “While a producer has the skill to make a fantastic product, those who participated in these sessions are relatively new to running a business and so they don’t necessarily have the experience or confidence to make a pitch. Or maybe, they are not yet in a position to take that step forward.

"We help them prepare to pitch and guide them through the process.

“Through its Routes to Market webinars, Cywain has helped producers learn more about the opportunities and requirements of working with distributors and wholesalers.

"We are very grateful to Blas ar Fwyd and Deiniol ap Dafydd for giving our clients the rare opportunity to pitch their products directly to the head of the company. We are delighted that so many have been successful.”

Deiniol ap Dafydd said: “It’s fantastic to see so many new food and drink producers creating new products in Wales. The guidance that the producers receive from Cywain really improves the process of joining our platform at Blas ar Fwyd and makes their products more visible, available and viable.”

Among the Cywain clients who have been included in Blas ar Fwyd’s 2021 catalogue are: Derw Coffee – Anglesey Cold Brew, Do Goodly Dips, and Hafod Brewing Company.

DERW COFFEE – ANGLESEY COLD BREW

Only launched last summer, Wales’ first cold brew coffee producer, Derw Coffee, has been listed by Blas ar Fwyd.

The brewing process uses cold water and takes around 16 hours. The result is a smooth espresso-strength coffee, which can be enjoyed as a drink or used in cakes and desserts. Derw also makes ready to drink spiced coffee using traditional Indonesian spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and cocoa, which have additional digestive properties.

Looking to establish their coffee business on Anglesey, owners Chris and Intan Bristow were directed to Cywain and have since benefitted from a range of advice.

More information: derwcoffee.co.uk

DO GOODLY DIPS

Do Goodly Dips is celebrating its first wholesaler listing – achieved within six months of launching.

The Cross Hands-based enterprise is the result of a collaboration between friends Richard Abbey and Scott Davies.

Richard said: “Scott is a very accomplished chef, who has worked in a number of Michelin-starred restaurants, and I come from a commercial background. We wanted to create unique and great tasting products with purpose, in that they do goodly for you and others and minimise any impact on our amazing planet, that’s why we called ourselves Do Goodly Dips”.

“They are unlike typical dips that are out there; the flavours are unique and tasty. They contain absolutely nothing artificial, are vegan, gluten-free and have no added sugar, and all of the products have some health benefit such as providing fibre or protein. Everything is recyclable and where possible recycled, and we are very proud to say that 10 per cent of our profits go to the mental health charity Mind.”

Following mentoring by Cywain, Do Goodly Dips have been listed by Blas ar Fwyd.

More information: dogoodlydips.com

HAFOD BREWING COMPANY

Being listed by Blas ar Fwyd has been a long-held goal for the Hafod Brewing Company.

The Mold-based brewery prides itself on its ‘deliciously modern Welsh brewing’ and produces a diverse range of beautifully balanced cask, keg and bottled ales Landmark Best Bitter, Moel Famau, and the crisp pilsner-style lager –

Moldbreaker.

Hafod’s general manager, Martin Godfrey, said: “We have wanted to get into Blas ar Fwyd for several years, and with Cywain’s help, we have been able to achieve that desire. Most of our trade to date has been direct with customers, but there are specific elements to working with a distributor.

Through Cywain’s coaching and the expert advice provided, we’ve learnt what the distribution sector wants and how to present ourselves.”

More information: welshbeer.com