Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) is looking forward to two full and festive days in Llanelwedd for the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

The stand will be in the usual South Glamorgan Exhibition Hall location, and will be a platform for crowd-pleasing cookery and butchery demonstrations, launches and announcements.

The key issues facing the red meat sector will also be highlighted and discussed, and the latest market intelligence and insight shared with stakeholders.

To open the Winter Fair in style, the HCC Breakfast will be held in the Hafod a Hendre Pavilion, featuring addresses by Welsh Government Director for Rural Affairs, Gian Marco Currado and HCC Chair Catherine Smith.

Following the breakfast, stakeholders and Winter Fair visitors are encouraged to visit the HCC stand for some wonderful winter recipe ideas, expertly prepared and demonstrated by HCC Consumer Executive Elwen Roberts. During the day, she will be joined by author, broadcaster and food writer Lowri Haf Cooke, who will talk about her new book, ‘Amser Nadolig’ which includes a Christmasy blend of recipes and memories.

HCC’s latest educational resources, including animations which explain the journey from farm to fork, will be on display and discussed by video voice-over and TV presenter Mari Lovgreen.

In addition to HCC’s resources, educational materials produced by the Food & Drink Skills Wales Programme will be launched. ‘Food Futures’ is a resource to empower young people to explore the vast opportunities in the food and drink industry. The event will feature author and Food Technology teacher Lloyd Henry, who developed the comprehensive career guide which outlines various career paths, including some within HCC.

Brand new recipes and products will be sampled, such as salt cured PGI Welsh Beef, carefully developed by Trailheads.

On Tuesday, the winner of HCC’s annual sausage competition will be announced. With two categories to reveal – traditional and festive – and plenty of samples on offer, this is sure to draw in the crowds!

In partnership with Cambrian Training, festive butchery sessions are also included in the programme which aim to inspire Christmas menus and showcase the sheer skill of butchery in a session delivered by HCC’s Meat Minds member Craig Holly.

HCC’s annual publication, ‘Little Book of Meat Facts’ will be available to pick-up on the stand, and farmers will be sought to participate in HCC part-funded projects that look to develop breeding strategies that reduce greenhouse gases, and another on grassland management. Both will help the industry to provide evidence of the sustainability of red meat in Wales.

HCC’s Events Executive, Medi Jones-Jackson said: “The Winter Fair is one of the highlights of the HCC calendar and we very much look forward to showcasing quality red meat products from Wales, and to collaborating with industry partners and stakeholders across the two-day event.”