Written by Rachel Martin
A food distribution company’s decision to champion Welsh beef with the launch of a new range of products has paved the way for a beef farm to increase stock numbers.
The deal will see Harlech Foodservice stock steaks, roasting joints, diced beef and minced beef produced under the Brongain Farm brand.
The 680ac Brongain Farm, in Llanfechain in Powys, is owned by the Pickstock family who have recently completed all the necessary Welsh Government audits to qualify for European Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) accreditation for their Welsh beef.
Expansion
Securing PGI status will give the Brongain Farm brand greater prominence and provides consumers with greater confidence about its provenance.
As a result, the Pickstocks are aiming to increase the size of their Aberdeen Angus herd from 800 to 1,000 cattle.
As demand grows, Brongain Farm will also buy livestock from other approved farms which meet its high environmental, sustainability and welfare standards.
Flagship brand
Gareth Evans, national account manager of the beef processing parent company Pickstock Telford, said: “Pickstock and Harlech Foodservice are leading the way to help support the Welsh beef industry.
“Brongain Farm will be the flagship brand with Harlech Foodservice going forward.
“Pickstock Telford has recently achieved its Welsh PGI status and looks forward to growing the partnership with Harlech by supplying top quality prime Welsh beef.
“Our procurement team are on farms daily, interacting with farmers to improve the quality of the meat coming through and ensuring they meet our environmental, sustainability and welfare standards.”
Farm manager Rowan Pickstock added: “The provenance and traceability of our brilliant Welsh beef is absolutely key in coming together to promote it.
“We’re also providing a boost for the rural economy through the partners who supply us.
“When people enjoy the beef in a pub or a hotel or wherever, they can be safe in the knowledge that it is been bred and reared locally down the road and people buy into that.
“It’s becoming increasingly important for people to know where their food comes from, to have that confidence that it has been sourced locally.
“People want to know it’s not travelled hundreds or thousands of miles from Europe or South America. From the sustainability point of view, this is the best option out there for consumers.”
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