Tesco Team visit South Caernarfon’s Chwilog Creamery

South Caernarfon Creameries, Wales’ leading farmer-owned dairy co-operative recently welcomed three key members of staff from major retailer Tesco to their site.

L-R Kay Legge, Mark Grant, Enfys Fox

The Creamery has been trading with Tesco for a number of years and was delighted to welcome the regional team for a site visit and discussions about potential new business.

Mark Grant, Senior Buying Manager for Wales & West Midlands, Enfys Fox, Local Sourcing Marketing Manager for Wales & West Midlands and Kay Legge, Regional Technical Manager Wales & West Midlands toured the Creamery to see the production and packing methods and also had the opportunity to see the own-brand Tesco Welsh butter being made. South Caernarfon Creameries invested £250,000 in a traditional butter churn to ensure that their Welsh butter is as authentically made as possible and have been supplying Tesco with this traditional salted Welsh butter for the past 18 months.

“We were obviously very pleased that three of the Tesco team took time out of their very busy schedule and travelled all of the way to see us” said Lynne King, Commercial Director at South Caernarfon Creameries. “The visit was extremely useful for both sides. As well as seeing their own brand products being made, it enabled us to highlight the authenticity and provenance of our Dragon range which they stock and which is obviously of paramount importance to major retailers such as Tesco. It also prompted a lively discussion about new products and as a result we are delighted that a good number of additional products will be listed in Welsh Tesco’s later in the year.”

Tesco has five regional buying offices, in Scotland, Wales, North & East of England, South of England and Northern Ireland. Each dedicated local food team works closely with suppliers to offer customers the best in locally celebrated food and drink. The teams offer support to smaller producers to help grow their businesses, offering technical advice or sharing valuable customer insight.

South Caernarfon’s Dragon butter is also a True Taste of Wales award winner. Tesco has been announced as a headline sponsor of the Wales the True Taste Food & Drink Awards this year.