Project HELIX, a programme funded by the Welsh Government in order to provide technical support to food producers in Wales, has had an economic impact of £676 million since it was founded in 2016 according to a new report. The project has been a cornerstone of the Welsh Government’s strategy to support the food and drink industry over the past decade, providing support to businesses with things like ensuring food safety, small provider and consumer confidence and access to markets.
The 2024-25 Project HELIX report not only looks back at the year until March 2025 but also at the project in its entirety.
Project Helix’s support has allowed Pembrokeshire Gold to broaden their produce portfolio. Quoted in the report, Harry Thomas, Co-owner of Pembrokeshire Gold said:
“Working with the Food Centre Wales team has been a huge help in developing our product range. Their expertise in new product development gave us the knowledge and belief to turn our cold pressed rapeseed oil into something more – and something we’re really proud of. Knowing they are always there at the end of the phone gives us the confidence to develop new products and expand into being Wales’s go-to sustainable oil.”
Following support by Project HELIX, Llanfairpwll Distillery have managed to remove waste from the production chain by providing what’s left after the production chain to local beef farmers, Snowdonia Wagyu.
Robert Laming, owner of Llanfairpwll Distillery:
“The Food Technology Centre helped us to develop the HACCP plan and other associated procedures for the co-product, which allowed us to register as a feed business operator. The requirements around animal feed were new to me so having the support and knowledge from the Food Technology Centre was invaluable to us.”
“They also provided support with nutritional analysis of the product so that the farmers could ensure their livestock get a balanced diet. This work has enabled us to manufacture our rum with zero waste, which helps to reduce pollution and preserve resources whilst saving money for both the farmer and us.”
Sioned Pritchard, owner and founder of Snowdonia Wagyu said:
“At Snowdonia Wagyu, we are always looking for ways to enhance the quality of our beef while supporting sustainability and innovation. The opportunity to incorporate the pot ale co-product from Llanfairpwll’s rum distillation into our cattle’s feed has been a game-changer for us. This collaboration has not only benefited our cattle and our business but also supports the wider community by helping to reduce waste and promote sustainable practices.”
Among other lifetime programme outputs listed by the report are the following:
- 930 businesses supported
- 2,079 individuals supported
- 2,943 number of training days
- 558 new business start-ups
- 2,696 new food and drink products
- 1,446 new markets accessed
- 897 new jobs created
- 10,355 jobs safeguarded
- 288 third party certifications
You can read the report in full by following this link.
