Export Seminar

Wild Water Group hosted their first Food Consolidator Export Seminar at the Glamorgan County Cricket Club yesterday , bringing together an interesting mix of Welsh Food and Drink Sector representatives to network and share industry experiences regarding their international trade aspirations and initiatives.

In attendance were delegates from the Welsh Government, South Wales Chamber of Commerce, the Food and Drink Federation, Cardiff International Airport and well as local food producers and wholesalers within the Welsh Food and Drink sector.

The Seminar consisted of a series of presentations and a Q&A session hosted by a panel from Wild Water Group, GAC Group/GSL (Dubai) and Calon Wen, covering a range of topics related to local and international cold store chain logistics.

Wild Water Group had the opportunity to highlight the companies UK expansion strategy, focusing on their recent alliance agreement with international freight logistics specialists, GAC Group, who have an extensive global multimodal network and longstanding relationships with major airline and ocean carriers.

GSL, part of the Al Shirawi Group, illustrated their significant Middle Eastern presence with a talk on their logistics infrastructure and integrated supply chain solutions provision.

Calon Wen, one of Wales’ leading organic dairy farmer brands, presented a case study of their recent export project to Doha via Cardiff International Airport with Qatar Airways.

Interesting facts about the Welsh Food & Drink sector:
(Courtesy : Welsh Government International strategy document consultation review)

- The value of Welsh food and drink exports in 2018 was £539m, up 2% (£10m) compared to 2017.
- The value of food and drink exports in Wales has increased by 32% since 2014.
- The value of Welsh food and drink exports to non-EU countries increased by £25m in 2018.
- £145m of exports went to non-EU countries in 2018.
- Welsh food and drink exports to the EU fell by £14m in 2018.
- £395m of Welsh food and drink exports went to the European Union in 2018.
- Exports to EU countries represent 73% of all Welsh food and drink exports.
- The food and farming priority sector was worth £6.8bn in 2018, close to meeting the turnover target of £7bn early before 2020.

Due to the success of the seminar , Wild Water Group plans to hold another one in the first quarter of 2010 and welcome any companies who are currently exporting or have intentions of launching internationally to join the event.