We are incredibly proud to share that our parent company, Puffin Produce, has been named Farm to Fork Producer of the Year, at the Wales Food and Drink Awards 2025.
The food and drink sector in Wales is going from strength-to-strength and the annual awards sees hundreds of Welsh producers and suppliers come together to celebrate the achievements across the sector.
The Farm to Fork award category recognises farmers and manufacturers with strong Welsh farm supplier partnerships. It focusses on the work they do to grow and diversify agriculture in Wales.
So, what have we done?
Coming from a farming co-operative with decades of heritage, our team had plenty to talk to the judges about!
Our packing facility in Pembrokeshire is the only BRC AA+ accredited vegetable processing facility in Wales. This means that it meets the highest food safety standards which allows us to supply local produce to UK supermarkets. We are also the sole supplier of Welsh Pembrokeshire Early Potatoes PGI (Protected Geographical Identifier), Welsh Leeks PGI and Daffodils, something that we hope helps put the Welsh food and drink sector on the map.
But beyond a story of quality and scale, sits the story of community, which is at the heart of everything we do. Around 80% of our produce comes from within a 30 mile radius of our factory, showing our commitment to the farmers and growers around us. We are privileged to engage with multi-generational communities in Wales, whether that’s through educational events or agricultural shows. Puffin Produce is also proud to be a Leading Food Partner for FareShare Cymru who redistribute food to those who really need it. Any potatoes that can’t be packed for supermarkets but are still fine to eat, are donated to the charity’s ‘Surplus with Purpose’ scheme. So far, our parent company has contributed to 2 million meals through the scheme.
Turning the judges focus to sustainability, we then shared how we launched our new ‘Sustainable Spuds’ grower scheme in Winter 2024. This scheme incentivises positive environmental outcomes in the potato production system associated with carbon reduction, biodiversity, energy and soil health. This helps ensure that you, our consumers, can get access to Welsh produce that’s from resilient, nature-rich and sustainable farms. It also gives growers access to more support in areas of sustainability, from our business.
Finally, our award entry looked at our own brands, showcasing our very own Blas y Tir. Blas y Tir has been known for bringing the highest quality, locally farmed Welsh produce to homes in Wales since 2011. More recently the brand expanded into dairy, offering Welsh shoppers 100% Welsh milk and the chance to support the Welsh economy further.
For us, this award win represents not only all the work that has gone on to get to this point, but it also represents the determination that we share with our growers to continue to support agribusiness in Wales.
Speaking of the win, Huw Thomas CEO shares:
“Our roots are set deep in the Welsh countryside. We have been committed to truly making farm-to-fork possible for Welsh produce for decades. Farming and food production is all about partnerships and building resilience together, and I’m incredibly proud of the work our teams do to make that happen. But this award also represents the innovation that sits on top of that foundation of delivery. We continuously look forward to responsibly driving scale that has meaningful impact for Wales and its food and drink sector.”