Popty Cae Groes - Cae Groes Bakery
02 Feb, 2009
The product reached the finals of the True Taste Awards 2008 thanks to its outstanding flavour and texture. The naked barley was developed in north Wales as part of the Objective One funded Menterra project aimed at helping farmers in the region to diversify - with support from Bangor University, Gwynedd Council, and BIC Innovation - who provided commercial development support.
Popty Cae Groes has been baking bread and cakes from its premises in Llanllechid on the outskirts of Bethesda for more than 100 years, and has collected UK-wide Guild of Fine Foods ‘Great Taste’ gold awards for its mince pies and bara brith.
“We spent a year perfecting the flavour of our new barley bread, and are now delighted with its rustic taste and texture,” explains Marian Williams, director of the family-run bakery.
“BIC Innovation support has been invaluable in helping us to bring a speciality bread to market, and slotting the new line into our current production processes,” she adds. “Niche products are an important aspect of the bakery’s profitability, and we now feel in a position to introduce further lines.”
Richard Elmitt of BIC Innovation, MAS Wales delivery partner in north Wales, says:
“This is a prime example of a multi-partner approach that has led to the development of a product that will provide maximum benefit to the local economy. Ultimately the naked barley crop will be grown, milled processed, baked and sold from north Wales - with a supply chain that’s entirely located within a 15-mile radius.”
Popty Cae Groes sells its bread and cakes to supermarkets and selected outlets throughout the UK.
“Our new loaf has generated a great deal of interest,” confirms Mrs. Williams. “The response has encouraged us to look at developing our speciality bread lines further, and we are currently experimenting with a soda bread made with local buttermilk, and a multi-seed and barley mix.”