Member Article

Food manufacturer praises rural enterprise centre for keeping jobs locally

The founder of a yogurt and dessert manufacturing business whose products are sold in Tesco and ASDA has praised a rural enterprise centre for enabling her business to grow.

Lynne King says she would never have been able to continue to grow her fledgling Daffodil Foods brand, which has created employment for ten people, without the resources of Canolfan Fenter Congl Meinciau, at Botwnnog, Pwllheli.

A former commercial director in a dairy business, Lynne started her business in 2011 from the walk-in wardrobe at her home in Morfa Nefyn.

When Daffodil Foods outgrew that space, Lynne was able to keep the business local, by taking space at Congl Meinciau

Daffodil Foods produces cultured dairy products, yogurts and desserts under its own brand and for supermarkets’ own brands. A major selling point is the Welsh provenance of the foods.

Today, Daffodil products are stocked in national pub chains and all of the hospitals in Wales, as well as with Morrisons and Ocado.

Canolfan Fenter Congl Meinciau is owned and run by charitable housing association Grŵp Cynefin.

In addition to providing high-quality homes, Grŵp Cynefin’s mission is to create sustainable communities. In the case of Congl Meinciau, this means supporting the creation of home-grown enterprises and employment for local people, in addition to building 12 homes for local people on the site.

Lynne said: “I was desperate for more space. My only other option was to relocate Daffodil Foods to Pwllheli and to take space above a shop, which was not what I wanted.

“Congl Meinciau is a lovely modern building in a quiet location. It’s got superfast broadband and you can park free.”

Opened in 2011, the centre boasts meeting and training rooms and hot-desking facilities. It also has a café, which is shortly to reopen following a change in ownership.

Daffodil Foods is one of 27 different companies to have been based at the centre since it opened in 2011. During that time more than 40 workers have been employed by the companies based there, including three Grŵp Cynefin tenants who live locally.

Centre manager Darren Morley said: “Grŵp Cynefin is about more than just housing. We’re interested in creating sustainable communities, and we’re so pleased that Congl Meinciau has given Lynne the facilities to expand without moving away.”

The praise comes as Grŵp Cynefin prepares to mark Rural Housing Week, which runs from 23 January and showcases housing associations’ innovative solutions for supporting rural communities.

As part of the week, Grŵp Cynefin will launch the newly-completed show home on its new affordable housing development, Stâd Cornwall in Mynytho. Local people and prospective purchasers will be able to tour the property on Friday 27 January.

Visit: www.conglmeinciau.org.uk or www.grwpcynefin.org for further information.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .