Over 100 gather to oppose GreenGen pylons in growing ‘David vs Goliath' battle
A NEW co-operative formed between West Wales pig farmers and a meat supplier is allowing pork from herds born and reared within the region to be transported for processing just a short distance in a low-throughput abattoir – reducing stress on the animals, providing low food miles meat for consumers and improving producer margins.
The eight Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire-based farmers were brought together by the Farming Connect Agrisgôp initiative after the idea was discussed by Fishguard meat supplier and butcher Martyn Lloyd and Agrisgôp leader Lilwen Joynson.
Martyn had been a member of another Agrisgôp group where Lilwen had helped him to develop his idea for a new processing facility and later, at a Farming Connect mentoring meeting, the idea for the Red Dragon Porc Cyf co-operative was established.
Martyn and his wife, Danielle, had been unable to source low food miles pork for their customers.
'We could get beef and lamb and we have our own poultry but what we were missing was pork, we did our best to find Welsh pork for customers but that pork came with a lot of food miles and that doesn't fit with our business ethos,'' Martyn explains.
Developing an abattoir on their farm at Cilshafe presented a solution.
'We wanted to get some pork producers on board, to help them advance their businesses,'' says Martyn.
'There are a lot of small pig producers in west Wales and many were struggling to work out how best to get their meat to the market but with an existing customer base we could help. We looked to Agrisgôp to help to bring that to life.''
After the first Agrisgôp meeting, facilitated by Lilwen, the idea took shape.
Agrisgôp is a fully-funded management development programme that encourages eligible farmers to get together to not only develop their businesses, but to personally gain confidence and skills through action learning.
And this is what happened for the Red Dragon Porc Cyf members.
Farmers had been receiving inconsistent prices for their pigs when they marketed as individual businesses and their ability to supply a butcher directly was constrained as meeting supply volume requirements was tricky.
'The farmers shared a mission and were guided on putting their ideas into action,'' Lilwen explains.
Building trust and confidence was crucial to the process of forming a cooperative.
'Collaboration and open sharing are definitely key,'' says Lilwen.
'Differences of opinion and thinking had to be overcome and a set of rules and values adopted with individuals accepting that it had to work for the majority since they were no longer operating as individual businesses.''
For some it even meant changing breeding patterns and breed type to accommodate market demands.
At the end of 2024, Red Dragon Porc Cyf had already marketed £43,000 worth of pork, including sausages which captured awards at last year's Royal Welsh Winter Fair.
In April, the missing part of the local pork jigsaw slotted into position when the Lloyds started processing pork at their own Food Standards Agency-approved abattoir.
Until then, co-operative members including Will Kerr had to transport their pigs further to be processed.
'We didn't have any control over prices, the margins were very small,'' Will admits. 'Martyn opening the abattoir in Fishguard has been the catalyst we needed.''
Will has six Welsh pig breeding sows, which he runs alongside suckler beef and sheep enterprises at his family's farm, Blaenawen, at Glanrhyd.
He had long been frustrated at the perception of pork being, in his words 'the cheap cousin'' of beef and lamb.
While it has become commonplace for butchers to display the full history of the beef and lamb they are selling, Will points out that this is rarely applied to pork because it is largely sourced wholesale or has been imported.
'We too are now in a position to tell the exciting story of our pork,'' says Will, who farms with his parents, Mark and Kip.
He sees a major advantage in being part of a co-operative. 'As a group we are more powerful, it gives us many advantages, we are already getting a better price for our pigs.
'Without Agrisgôp we would never have come together so we are grateful to Martyn for initiating it with Farming Connect and to Lilwen for pulling us all together.''
Another member of the group, Ed Walker, also sees big value in collective marketing, that 'strength in numbers''.
'As eight producers we are on a par with commercial farmers as we can offer consistency of supply but we are still individual small producers too.''
The businessman-turned-farmer produces around 600 pigs a year on an outdoor system at 46-acre Model Farm near Tenby.
His 22 breeding sows are a mixture of Large Whites crossed with a Welsh boar and Oxford Sandy and Blacks which he crosses to a Large White.
Keeping pigs started as hobby, alongside running his own civil engineering business, but it is now more or less a full-time job, with a part-time helper too.
Almost all his sales are through Red Dragon Porc Cyf although he is also licenced to sell meat from the farm as Tenby Woodland Pork.
Before the abattoir was established at Cilshafe, he would need to make a 150-mile round trip to the facility at Maesteg.
The next stage for the co-operative could be to establish a meat box scheme.
The throughput of pigs through the Lloyds' abattoir, which also processes other livestock, will be small initially but that is projected to increase as sales gain momentum.
The facility has so far has created four full-time jobs and more could follow.
Picture caption:
Collaborating on pork marketing: Pictured from the left are Tom Young, Nic Caine, Martyn Lloyd, Ed Walker, Will Kerr and Lilwen Joynson
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
31 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Expanding Horizons acquires three South Wales care homes
Cwmbran-based Expanding Horizons secured the homes following its takeover of Enable Care Services (South Wales) Ltd. The acquisition was funded by a £3.25 million investment from NatWest. Ellis Jenkins, director at Expanding Horizons, said: "At Expanding Horizons, we care deeply about the quality of care our service users receive. "We seek to not only support individuals but empower them to be the best versions of themselves. "The fact that so many people in Wales are living with disabilities and severe mental illness underscores the critical need for tailored support which helps them gain or rebuild their independence. "Residents of South Wales deserve the highest quality of care, and we are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Enable Care Services as we continue to grow and expand our network. "NatWest has been exceptional throughout the process, demonstrating a deep understanding of our industry and our goals and we are incredibly grateful for their support." The deal includes two care homes in Cwmbran and one in Argoed. Expanding Horizons provides personalised support for people with learning disabilities and severe mental illnesses. The company marks its 20th anniversary this year. Part of the funding will go towards the acquisition, while the remainder will support refinancing and infrastructure improvements to ensure regulatory compliance. The expansion is aimed at meeting the rising demand for residential and supported living services across South Wales. According to Public Health Network Cymru, around 900,000 people in Wales live with a disability. This represents 27 per cent of the population, compared to the UK average of 22 per cent. Neil Williams, senior relationship manager at NatWest, said: "The work that Expanding Horizons does is absolutely invaluable to its service users and is the exact sort of community benefit that we look to support at NatWest. "We look forward to continuing our partnership and are excited to witness Expanding Horizon's continued growth and evolution." Expanding Horizons said the acquisition will improve its ability to deliver high-quality care across the region. The company currently operates a portfolio of care homes and supported living services in South Wales.
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
Famous pink sweet shop is doing something brilliant after 80 years in business
Famous pink sweet shop is doing something brilliant after 80 years in business The Pink Shop in Pontypridd, now known as Pinc, has been open since the 1940s and is one of the oldest of its kind in south Wales The Pink Shop in Treforest has had a modern makeover (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) If you're local to Treforest you would know of the Pink Shop, and some of you may have even spent some of you pocket money on a few sweets. Over the 80 or so years the shop has been up and running the name has changed several times, however two things have remained the same. The colour and the sweets. Sian Perez and her sister-in-law Jazz Dicker run their own care and supported living service for adults with autism, learning disabilities and mental illness in Treforest called Crwban Care and Support. The family run company started over a Sunday dinner during the pandemic and has since developed in to a major part of the community. The pair have now expanded their horizons and taken over the oldest sweet shop in South Wales. The Pink Shop in Pontypridd, now known as Pinc as a nod to the Welsh language, has been open since the 1940s but has recently had a modern makeover. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Sian who had a care background and Jazz who had a nursing background joined forces to help support adults with additional needs to gain more independence. When the opportunity came up to start their own businesses they said they just had to take it. Jazz said: "We help individuals become independent in the community and live their best lives. Pink was never part of our plan, but when we were given the opportunity, we couldn't turn it down because not only is the Pink Shop or now Pinc, iconic in Trefforest, it also is going to be a place that we want our service users and our residents to be able to volunteer and become integrated members of society and be part of something pretty special." Article continues below There's still a selection of old sweets in the store, but now they have also branched out and are serving breakfast, lunch and coffees too. (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Sian explained: "The Pink Shop is the oldest independent sweet shop in South Wales, so I think it started around the 1940s, and it's just changed over time so it's been a sweet shop since then and obviously we wanted to keep the sweets, but just add a bit more extra." Jazz said: "When we were even painting it outside, the local members of the community were walking past and checking that we weren't going to paint it another colour. The whole community knows about the pink shop and it's actually been really lovely to meet members of the community and hear about their stories and their memories coming here as children with their parents then bringing their own kids. "So we felt it was really important to keep that side of things, especially because we very much want to be a community café and a hub." The family run business consists of barista Tailan de Morais, manager Katrina Morris and co-owners Jazz Dicker and Sian Perez. (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Katrina, Sian's sister and Jazz's wife has taken over managing the cafe/sweet shop, and is primarily the reason it looks the way it does now. They told us that it was a massive family effort to get shop looking and running the way it is now. However, they are also looking forward to including some of their service users in the team, through their volunteer programme. Jazz said: "Having been running Crwban for nearly three years now many of our residents are really desperate to have those sorts of opportunities and whilst we've met a lot of really lovely welcoming businesses in the area who provide those opportunities there's not many, and our our guys are now incredibly excited so Sian's carrying interviews with them on the first of July." Sian added: "We've done interview workshops, CV workshops, application form workshops, just to expand on their skill set as well." Jazz continued: "It's also been really lovely because whilst we set it up with Crwban residents in mind, we've also had other members of the community pop in to ask about opportunities for their loved ones with additional needs. So we've realised it's probably going to be a much bigger project than we first envisaged and we're handing out applications to more of the public now." Two of Crwban's service users who have started volunteering are 22-year-old Dylan and 26-year-old Declan. Dylan said that Pinc is going to be "fantastic "and that he's exciting to work on the till and bake cakes. He said he's "not going to wash up" as he doesn't like it but that he thinks he is going to "have fun and learn lots of things". Meanwhile, Declan's goal is to "learn to use the coffee machine" and he "loves meeting people" so can't wait to start his new role. Declan and Dylan are two of Crwban's service users who are now volunteering in Pinc, Treforest (Image: Pinc ) The duo have hired cafe-specific staff, but also a few support workers who are going to be doing their barista training so they can work across both Crwban and Pinc. Jazz explained: "so then it's a space that you're coming to, you can go to the cafe, but you've also got the cafe staff are trained to engage with individuals with additional needs and give them those experiences. "It's like those social opportunities are really, really important, and being able to then run social groups in an environment like that, and especially because not all of our service users or residence will be able to volunteer at the cafe, we have some more complex individuals, but even just being able come and be there will be good for them." The team are also hoping to do social events and groups for people with additional needs, as well as workshops, cooking lessons, evening classes,karaoke, coffee mornings, open mic nights. The co-founders shared that they have a big vision for Pinc and that they "hope it's going to be very special." The business really is a family affair, as co-owner Jazz, her wife Katrina and her sister-in-law Sian all work together. (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) They hope to make an inclusive and safe space for those in the community to have the sort of experiences, most people take for granted. Jazz continued: "That's probably the the motive for a lot of what we want to do in there so we're starting a chatty hour a couple of mornings a week for an hour where we're gonna sit in the cafe and and if anybody wants to come down just for a chat to sort of tackle loneliness. Article continues below "Local sort of like support groups have approached us to ask if they can sort of base themselves at Pinc as well. So, that's like the main goal is we basically want to be like a hub where there's always something going on for everyone, whether it be our residents or other sort of vulnerable groups within the community."
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
The incredible deli hidden in Cardiff city centre with holiday in the Med vibes
The incredible deli hidden in Cardiff city centre with holiday in the Med vibes If you want to embrace the joy of southern Italian food, long lunches and a friendly atmosphere then look no further Gloria Serena Arcerito, originally from Sicily is the owner of Khione (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) If you've not tried out Khione Sicilian Delicatessen in Duke Street Arcade in Cardiff, you're definitely missing a trick. Italy is my ultimate favourite destination to travel to, partly because of their different attitudes to food and they have the cutest little shops which are way more fun to browse in and pick up your daily essentials than the standard UK supermarket. But as I found out recently, you don't actually have to travel to Italy to soak up the glory of Italian food culture. Khione first started out running at the market in Pontcanna before opening up in Canton and they have now been operating in the city centre for over six months. Owned by Gloria Serena Arcerito, who is originally from Sicily, she started working on the business and idea during lockdown with the intention of bringing the experience of traditional Sicilian cuisine to Cardiff. All of the products at Khione are all carefully selected and shipped directly from Sicily itself. They're also produced by small businesses and farmers who believe in upholding the traditional family recipes many generations of Sicilians have grown up with. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here Gloria Serena Arcerito, who moved from Sicily seven years ago and has built up a thriving Italian business in the centre of Cardiff (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) Gloria moved to the UK seven years ago, and lived with a family in Wales where she learned to speak English. Article continues below 'It was hard at the beginning', she explained. 'I decided to do a full immersion so the family was a Welsh-English family. 'So the lady, Jenny, who's my friend and who owned the house, wanted to learn Italian so we taught each other. We created a community and they helped me start the business because they gave me space which I could use for storage. 'During Covid I also used to work at the City Arms - just because I still wanted to learn and be a part of it all.' Before meeting Gloria and speaking to her properly I tried out the food the night before to get a sense of how the business flows of a typical day and I fell in love with the atmosphere, décor - as well as the amazing flavours straight away. Olives, bread, lemonade and a pizza slice from Khione (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) I arrived just before they were set to close at 6pm and as it was a hot summer's afternoon and went for olives and bread which was totally perfect, and a great, light evening snack. Inside, the vibe is warm and welcoming, and the space invites you to experience a slice of Italian culture in a mix of ways. Downstairs is where the shop sits, where you can stock up on proper Italian food. The décor and layout definitely makes you feel like you've been transported to a Sicilian village rather than the arcades of Cardiff, and when you're browsing through the different products and ingredients - I'd say you feel much more inspired to get creative in the kitchen than picking up food from a chain store, so it acts as a simple reminder of how nice it is to support small businesses. You can look out onto the arcades from some of the seats (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) But if you thought that Khione was just a shop then think again. You can also order from their wide-ranging menu and be served food upstairs, where they have one of the loveliest, homiest dining spaces I've come across in the city - or you can dine on the seating located outside the deli. The olives were zesty, with loads of flavour and it was genuinely the best bread I'd eaten since stopping at a deli I haven't stopped thinking about in Ventimaglia, in Italy itself. My partner got a small slice of pizza which was in his words 'a delectable choice for a quick bite and actually very filling', and we both opted for bottles of lemonade which were lovely, and tasted gorgeously organic. Also on the menu is a selection of Italian favourites including Pinsa Romana, Tiramisu', Honey and pecorino cheese, full size pizzas and much much more. Upstairs in Khione Considering how food is central to her identity and culture, and what it means to her to bring something she is so passionate about to Cardiff, Gloria said: 'My Dad had a company producing preserves, so my dad and the rest of my family are very into food. 'I used to help my mum when she was cooking and making desserts and I would help make cakes or tiramisu. So I just learned by watching. 'It's nice to cook for the family, and eat together as a family. For example at lunch time we'd always try and wait for each other, of course that's not always possible. There are some gorgeous corners inside the deli which create plenty of room for warmth and connection if you're eating there with friends or family (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) 'Nowadays it's not always easy if you work all day but if you have a break in the day to get everyone together and talk about what's going on it's a way to release stress and reset for the other half of the day. 'There is maybe a bit less of that in life day to day. Even in the north of Italy, people work all day, finish earlier but there is no break. 'In the south, people are still taking a little break, one hour or two is a way to reset.' But could these values be picked up by people in Cardiff? Gloria has also found that because of the way the business runs in Cardiff, it might already be encouraging people to slow down a little. She explained: 'Some people who are coming in do seem to be staying a little longer than just for a quick lunch. One of Gloria's goals for the business is to provide a range of authentic Italian food to people in Cardiff and build more connection with what they are eating (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) 'We do serve pizza and paninis to take away. Maybe the fact it is a shop it's slightly confusing, and not just somewhere you go to eat. People are surprised that you can come in and especially go upstairs, where there are completely different vibes. 'The idea is if you want to come here and have a nice lunch, or take home and prepare a dinner if you have a special event, or even daily with the tomato sauce - someone else took care of the food for you, so you can have a nice meal, quicker.' Article continues below
