Royal Welsh top award won by family business
North Wales dairy farmers Gareth and Falmai Roberts, who began producing yoghurt on their farm in Denbigh nearly 30 years ago, are the 2009 winners of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society’s most prestigious prize, the Sir Bryner Jones Memorial Award.
They were chosen from 12 nominees for the award from across Wales which was open this year to the farmer who has most successfully established an alternative outlet for the product of a particular farming enterprise other than selling direct through either a market or national processor.
In 1980, Mr and Mrs Roberts of Tal y Bryn Dairy, Llannefydd, decided to develop their milk round by selling home-produced yoghurt as well as milk to their customers. Falmai took a course in yoghurt making at Rease Heath College of Agriculture and Gareth broadened his creative skills by undergoing training through Clwyd Rural Enterprise at Llysfasi College in Denbighshire.
Their first yoghurt was made in stainless steel buckets and cultured in the airing cupboard in the farmhouse. Today, the buckets have been replaced by large vats and the latest technology is employed in the culturing process. The family business is run by the couple, their son Owain, and a workforce from Llanefydd village.
Sales of Llaeth y Llan yoghurt have increased year on year as the business has grown and the melt-in-the-mouth delicacy, available in 25 flavours, is widely known and enjoyed throughout Wales and the border counties.
In selecting the winners of the award the judges said in their report that all the entrants were adding value to their products and had established innovative businesses and making the final choice from so many outstanding entrants was a close and difficult decision.
“Each enterprise was like discovering a little gem, some literally tucked away in the countryside, and we felt proud of what Wales is producing,” they said.
Mr and Mrs Roberts will be presented with the Sir Bryner Jones trophy at next month’s Royal Welsh Show at Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, from July 20 to July 23.
Sir Bryner Jones was Professor of Agriculture at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and subsequently Welsh Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture. He was chairman of the RWAS Council from 1944 to 1953 and president of the society during its Golden Jubilee year in 1954.