Pies, pasties and savoury products from Swansea are taking their place on Spanish supermarket shelves following a deal between award-winning Welsh bakers Lewis Pies Ltd and one of Europe’s leading supermarket chains, Carrefour.
The deal was struck following a lead provided by Food from Britain in Madrid, and the True Taste Award-winning company’s subsequent attendance at the Alimentaria International food and drink exhibition in Barcelona in March 2008.
Lewis Pies was among a group of Welsh food and drink producers who exhibited at the event under the Welsh Assembly Government’s International Business Wales (IBW) and True Taste banner.
Carrefour has ordered nine products for its ‘bake off’ range including sausage rolls, lamb oggies (a lamb and vegetable pastie) and Cornish pasties.
Said Lewis’ Company Secretary, Pat Lewis, “We are thrilled to be going into Carrefour, we already export to customers in southern Spain and Lanzarotte through Euro Foods, but after attending Alimentaria we have picked up contracts in Malaga, Majorca and Tenerife.
“We are now looking to develop our market in the Canary Islands and the Balearics.”
She added, “We are absolutely delighted with the way Alimentaria opened so many doors for us, we even had interest from Peru. Apparently our Cornish pasty is very much like a product they enjoy in South America but cannot re-produce.
“We have had tremendous support from the Welsh Assembly Government; financially, with branding and packaging, and with workshops, there has been so much information. We have also worked with the Food Centre Wales at Horeb.”
Lewis Pies was founded in Swansea in 1936 and remains a family-run business.
Now operating from a purpose-built unit on Swansea West Business Park - which is currently being extended - the company employs specialist bakers, confectioners and butchers, makes its own pastry and prepares its own meat, with fresh vegetables sourced from a local supplier.
“Having our own bakers we can develop products very quickly, they know how to handle ingredients for bespoke products,” said Pat Lewis.
Lewis’ products are sold across the UK as well as in Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Ireland, and recently samples were sent to Dubai.
For further information about products please contact:
Lewis Pies Limited
Units 3-6 Abergelly Road
Swansea West Business Park
Fforestfach
Swansea
SA5 4DY
Contact: Pat Lewis
Tel: 01792 579908
Fax: 01792 584500
Website: www.lewispies.co.uk
