Recruitment and retention remain among the key challenges facing the food and drink manufacturing sector. Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Terry Fennell of FDQ, Ellen Wakelam of In the Welsh Wind Distillery and Nia Griffith of Food & Drink Skills Wales to consider the role apprenticeships, traineeships and upskilling play in recruitment and retention and whether the sector’s image is stopping talent seeing it as a viable career option.

What skills does the food and drink manufacturing sector in Wales need to nurture to continue to thrive? Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Kate Rees of Food & Drink Skills Wales, Chris Butler of Radnor Hills, and Sarah Drummond of Drop Bear to consider the main skills challenges facing the sector and opportunities to upskill the current and future workforce, whilst highlighting the emerging trends and innovative approaches by businesses in developing and advancing their employees.

Host Gemma Casey is joined by Hannah Thomas, Fareshare Cymru; Rhys Llywelyn, BIC Innovation; Neil Burchell, Food & Drink Wales Trade Development Programme; and Paul Bancroft, Peter’s Food Service, to consider the issue of food waste, opportunities around export and new markets, and how businesses can build resilience in the wake of pressures around finances, sustainability and staffing.

The Welsh food foundation sector - businesses that produce, process, manufacture and wholesale food and drink goods – hit its 2025 turnover target two years early. So what will it achieve in 2025?

Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Nick Payne, Managing Director of Brains Brewery; Alison Lea-Wilson, Deputy Chair of the Food & Drink Wales Industry Board; and Manon Llwyd Rowlands, Director for Service Delivery in Food and Drink, Mentera, to consider the key trends, challenges, and opportunities that will shape the sector in 2025.

Host Carwyn Jones is joined by Rhys Llywelyn, Senior Associate at BIC Innovation; Valerie Creusailor, Co-Founder of Goch & Co; and Neil Burchell, Food & Drink Wales Trade Development Programme, to discuss insights from this year's Blas Cymru conference, the significant growth of the Welsh food and drink industry, and the roles their organisations play in supporting Welsh food & drink businesses on the world stage.

Host Gemma Casey is joined by Professor David Lloyd, Chair of the Food & Drink Wales Industry Board and Director of the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University; Dr. Rhian Hayward MBE, CEO of AberInnovation; and Andrew Martin, Head of Food, Drink and Agri-tech at AMRC Cymru.

The Welsh ‘food foundation’ sector - businesses that produce, process, manufacture and wholesale food and drink goods - turned over £9.3 billion in 2023 – surpassing a target set for it by Welsh Government two years early. The guests discuss the importance of the triple helix approach of industry, academia and government in achieving success, as well as support mechanisms including the Food & Drink Wales Cluster Network and Food Innovation Wales.

In our inaugural episode of Food and Drink Wales, Business News Wales editor Gemma Casey examines the outlook for Wales' food and drink sector. The discussion covers the impact of recent geopolitical events and economic challenges, and highlights the importance of government support in fostering industry growth and stability. Expert guests include Linda Grant (Managing Director of BIC Innovation), Harry Cobbold (Public Affairs Manager of the Food and Drink Federation), and Ffion Moseley (Chartered Accountant at Castell Howell Foods).

Food and Drink Wales is a dedicated monthly series specifically focused on topics that matter to food and drink producers and suppliers in Wales. With a focus on innovation and opportunity, each month we're poised to explore and uncover the issues that matter to Wales’ Food and Drink sector.