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Andrew and Ruth Davies

CWM Farm, CWM Farm Charcuterie Products, Swansea

IN just five years, Andrew and Ruth Davies have created a charcuterie business which has captured the hearts of rugby players, top London chefs and even an ambassador.

The couple bought their farm just seven years ago, caring for pigs and land and holding down day jobs as a carpenter and school administrator.

The pork from their herd, which consists of mostly Saddlebacks and Gloucester Old Spots, received so much praise they searched for ways to add value to the product, eventually hitting upon the creation of salamis and cured meats.

The next 18 months were spent learning the skill and perfecting recipes. This was time well spent, because their first appearance at the Royal Welsh Show earned them a gold.

Today they have 23 golds from the Royal Welsh, a gold star from last year’s Great Taste Awards for their laverbread sausage and first place at the recent Great British Farm Produce Awards.

Learning curve

Ruth says: “We never dreamt it would be like this. We are farmers, so we have had to learn how to make it and everything which comes with it. It is a big learning curve discovering how to produce something then sell it.”

In March last year, Cwm Farm opened ‘Salami HQ’, its own specially designed processing unit in Pontardawe. The new unit includes a special drying chamber imported from Italy and demand for their products from delis, restaurants and farmers markets has been so great.

They have just invested in a second unit, meaning they can double production.