Radnor Preserves named one of UK's top 25 producers
AN award-winning Powys company is toasting yet another accolade, after being named one of Britain's best regional food and drink producers.
Radnor Preserves is one of 25 small-scale businesses that have been hand-picked as flag-bearers for Speciality Food Magazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair's Regional Stars initiative.
Launched by Joanna Morgan in Radnorshire in 2010, Radnor Preserves is one of two Welsh artisan food producers on the list, along with Matthew Rees, of Carmarthen Ham.
Radnor Preserves is included in a special feature running in the June issue of Speciality Food Magazine, with the 25 businesses now set to feature at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair, taking place at Olympia London from September 9-10, which will celebrate the best of Britain's regional food and drink.
'Thank you so much to Speciality Food Magazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair for selecting Radnor Preserves as one of Britain's best regional food and drink star producers,' Joanna said in a post on the Radnor Preserves Facebook page earlier this month.
'So proud to represent Wales as one of the key flagbearers of the region's food scene – such a great honour.
'Congratulations to all the chosen stars including Matthew Rees at Carmarthen Ham, also representing Wales. Wonderful to be in such fantastic company.
'Many thanks indeed, this is amazing.'
Radnor Preserves is now based in Newtown, having moved from previous premises in Caersws, but started life as a micro-business in Joanna's kitchen, in and off-grid cottage that had no electricity, in 2010.
A producer of marmalades, chutneys, preserves and jellies, Joanna has been described as the maker of the world's best marmalade and her products have won more than 40 awards.
The former theatre producer's old cottage in the Forest of Arden, in Warwickshire boasted a garden full of fruit and vegetables but she had no television, phone or electricity and worked by candlelight, from a recipe book given to her by her grandfather.
Her crops perished without a fridge, so Joanna taught herself preserve making to prevent her produce going to waste. One year she had made enough jams, chutneys and jellies to create Christmas hampers for all her family and friends.
She then moved to Radnorshire, where the landscape offered an abundance of elderflowers, blackberries and other fruit. Now with electricity and a freezer, Joanna began selling at local farmers' markets and Radnor Preserves was born.
Speciality Food Magazine feature's feature said: 'A particularly stand-out product in the range is the Welsh Cider & Leek Chutney – a unique combination which celebrates the Welsh heritage at the heart of the business.
'New to the range is an attractive tin filled with Radnor Preserves sweet and savoury preserves, which boasts a stunning image of the region's famous Cambrian Mountains.
'Indeed, the brand is such a passionate advocate of its provenance that the images used on its packaging have inspired holidayers and locals alike to explore the area.'
Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food Magazine, said: 'As a nation, we have a proud heritage of excellent produce and it's exciting to see how these 25 businesses have not only joined forces with other producers to create supportive ecosystems in their local area, but worked tirelessly with a pure focus on quality to ensure that what they create is a celebration of the land under their feet.
'I'm proud to profile the following businesses in the pages of Speciality Food and look forward to celebrating them in person at Speciality & Fine Food Fair in September.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
6 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Monmouthshire council will lobby for Magor walkway station
The UK Government announced in its comprehensive spending review it would make £445 million available, with most of the money to be spent within the next three years, for rail upgrades in Wales. The Welsh Government intends pressing ahead with five new stops between Cardiff and Chepstow to ease congestion on the M4. Monmouthshire County Council agreed at its July meeting it would write to decision makers in the Cardiff and Westminster governments, and the rail industry, to 'ensure that Magor Station is recognised as a quick win and is delivered immediately and without delay' with the funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Magor West independent councillor Frances Taylor, who put the motion asking for the council's to once again commit to the village 'walkway' station, intended to be accessed on foot rather than by car, said she was glad when plans for an M4 relief road were dropped. But she said Magor station could have been delivered at any time since the Burns report, that considered alternatives, was published in early 2021 and said she couldn't see any of its recommendations have been implemented. 'Critically Magor station does not need to wait for relief line enhancements it could be delivered tomorrow for circa £10m,' said Cllr Taylor who added two hourly trains, from Cardiff, to Taunton and Cheltenham could service it. READ MORE: 'Magor should be priority of five new stations near Newport' The councillor said the five stations require improvements to the relief line, which carries freight, and she said that work hasn't been included in the £445m announced in the spending review. Cllr Catrin Maby, the council's Labour cabinet member with responsibility for transport, said while the walkway station as first proposed by local campaigners, in 2013, isn't reliant on upgrading the relief line that would likely be required for it to be 'fully functional' with the others proposed and to accommodate freight, fast trains passing through and stopping trains. The Drybridge councillor said the relief line upgrade is 'on the radar' of Westminster's Department of Transport, which is providing the funding. Labour member for Magor East with Undy John Crook said the council should focus on working with MP Catherine Fookes to lobby the government in London. An amendment put forward by Cllr Maby, who said she 'didn't disagree with the motion', suggested 'clarifying' timing of the relief line, but that was rejected by Cllr Taylor who said: 'It is not about clarifying the timescale, there is no timescale to the relief line upgrade.' The amendment was rejected by one vote and Labour councillor Armand Watts said he couldn't vote due to a technical problem. Cllr Maby also said the council is committed to other recommendations to ease M4 congestion including a Rogiet relief road which could also make travel to the Severn Tunnel Junction station easier.
Wales Online
14 hours ago
- Wales Online
What Eluned Morgan's Welsh Labour needs to do to win the Senedd election
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info On Saturday night, some of Labour's biggest hitters were in a room listening to the findings of hours of polling and analysis about what the numbers show about Labour's electoral chances in 2026. The Welsh Election Study is a comprehensive piece of work that looks at voting patterns and results from the 2024 general election, and the results did not make comfortable listening for Labour but anyone who left that room thinking the words can be ignored would be wrong. The Welsh Government was not popular at the general election, people viewed it negatively, but Labour still did well, because the UK Government was less popular. On key metrics like education and the NHS, people think services have got worse, and it is the Welsh Government's fault. That is clearly a problem for Labour. People think their standard of living has got worse, but for that they blamed the UK Government mainly, but it still wasn't good news for the Welsh Government. That discontent is playing out in polls - more than now one - projecting the party which has had a longstanding record of success in Wales will get 18% of the vote at the Senedd election in just over 10 months time. Of course, it is more than just Labour policies, there are global matters at play, there is a tendency across the western world to turn away from established politics. Populist politicians and parties are doing well the world over. Wars, finances, the economic climate are all things out of Labour's control. But when this room of experts were asked to list the thing they think Labour needs to do, the message was fairly simple. Labour in Wales needs a clear set of simple messages and with a clear intended audience. That's not so hard, is it? Well, maybe. The background is this, UK Labour is targeting its attacks at Reform. But it's not really clear why when you look at who voted for Reform UK in 2024, thus giving us an insight who may do it in 2026. We know Reform is expected to do well in the election in May 2026 and it could end up as the biggest party, so too could Plaid Cymru. With the obvious disclaimers that the election is a long way away, far from the front of most peoples' minds, and that polling is just a snapshot in time, there is one thing crystal clear - no-one expects it to be Labour. And yet, Eluned Morgan keeps talking about Nigel Farage and the danger his party poses. The First Minister made that clear when she said they were a "real danger" to the NHS in Wales, workers rights, public services. However, it isn't (on the whole) Labour voters - the WES data shows - who are going to vote for them. UK Labour keeps targeting Reform policies too - despite the same being true in England too. Reform isn't taking swathes of Labour voters. The support Labour is losing is mainly, Plaid, but also Lib Dems and Greens. Reform is gaining support in Wales is coming from a combination of new voters (those who don't normally vote) and disaffected Conservatives. And yet it was Reform that Keir Starmer, Jo Stevens and Eluned Morgan mainly chose to target - although the latter two did mention Plaid Cymru too. The message from academic experts at the party event was to work out who they are focusing on. The other message that came from the event was that the messages need to be simple. The First Minister told BBC Wales' Sunday Supplement she "I am responsible for making sure the party has a clear sense of direction and purpose within Wales". She spoke on the radio that she was focusing on the "bread and butter issues". And yet, that is one of the biggest criticisms from her within the party - that there isn't clear direction. There are concerns she has far too many communications advisors, and not enough focusing on actual policy, resulting in a scattergun approach. When her party colleagues went to Llandudno, they heard her speech cover the bases you'd expect - well rehearsed pledges about waiting times and potholes - and she added in commitments to mental health and £5m to tidying up towns (albeit divisible by 22 local authorities) but there was also an eight minute segment about Artificial Intelligence committing money, resources, and now a pre-election pledge to something, quite frankly, something that many simply don't understand how Wales would ever have a stake in. There was widespread confusion why, in a central speech at a crucial time, the First Minister spent eight minutes of her speech talking about AI and committing £2.5m to the development of "excellence zone" in Wales. It was, more than one person said, typical of the chaotic approach at the top of Welsh Labour, with ideas switched between at the drop of a hat. No-one really saw that coming, and knows what it actually means in Wales, nor what £2.5m of funding can actually do to achieve. It is just pennies in a vast virtual ocean. She is facing repeating questions too about her influence on Keir Starmer's government. While Eluned Morgan kept telling journalists that Welsh Government pressure had helped force the welfare u-turn, but the pressure came from rebelling MPs. When Eluned Morgan's Welsh Government wrote a letter detailing the impact the welfare cuts will have on Wales, only five MPs signed it. So it's no surprise she faced questions what her role as Welsh Labour leader means in terms of the 27-strong bloc of MPs who represent Wales. Eluned Morgan says the next election is a "moment of reckoning". She isn't wrong. When we asked her if this focus on Nigel Farage risked glamorising the party too much sway in Wales she was clear, "there is nothing glamorous about Reform". The problem she has is convincing people there is something glamorous about Welsh Labour.
Wales Online
16 hours ago
- Wales Online
Welsh bakery creating 150 jobs in £47m expansion
Welsh bakery creating 150 jobs in £47m expansion The business is ramping up its production and storage capacity Jones Village bakery Wrexham: chief executive Simon Thorpe and Wrexham councillor Nigel Williams. (Image: Picture Mandy Jones ) Jones Village Bakery is investing £47m to expand its production and storage capacity in a move that will create 150 new jobs. The investment will see a new £20m production line to make bread and rolls at its headquarters site on Wrexham Industrial Estate. When it becomes operational, the 140,000 sq ft bakery in Ash Road will be full to capacity. It is also planning to convert and extend a storage facility that was built on a nearby site of the company's bakery that was destroyed by a devastating fire in 2019. The scheme will see an additional investment of £27m and the new bakery will enable the company to continue to ramp up production. Last year private equity firm Limerston Capital sold its majority stake in the business to French bakery venture Menissez. In financial year to the end of September, 2023, Village Bakery employed 740 with revenues of nearly £100m. Article continues below Wales experiences big rise in foreign direct investment projects READ MORE: Its chief executive Simon Thorpe said: "This is the beginning of yet another new and exciting chapter in the Village Bakery success story. "Our plan is to rise, phoenix-like from the ashes and turn the old fire site where the bakery burned down into a state-of-the-art facility. "Once again we will be marrying the very best equipment available with our craft bakery skills so we can make even more fantastic products in greater volume." Projects director Kris Green said: "The additional capacity is needed because of our burgeoning order book thanks to the growing appetite for our products, not just here in the UK but also across Europe and as far afield as Australia. "It's going to enable us to make a wider range of products with a real focus on quality." Former managing director and chief executive, Robin Jones said: "Between them, these two major investments will create 150 new jobs – 30 of them at the site of the former bakery that was destroyed. "It was a heartbreaking experience but thankfully nobody was hurt and our darkest day also became our finest hour. "We are now growing faster than ever and his is great news for Wrexham and the local economy." Nigel Williams, Wrexham County Borough Council's lead member for economy, business and tourism, said: "How the company has bounced back after the fire and the growth they've had since then is phenomenal – the company is a great ambassador for Wrexham. Article continues below "It's great to hear that they have the confidence to continue investing in Wrexham – their commitment to Wrexham is 100% and the extra jobs coming here are great news for the local economy. "It's very much a family brand and a place to work with a family ethos which is nice to see nowadays."
