Conwy,North Wales - Bodnant Welsh Food Centre gets slap on wrist for 'incorrect' Welsh gammon label

The ham joint from Bodnant Welsh Food Centre which came from Belgium

• 27 FEB 2016
• BY OWEN HUGHES

Trading standards have issued the award winning Conwy Valley centre with written guidance after the error

An award winning farm shop has received a slap on the wrist from trading standards after officers confirmed they had “incorrectly” labelled their gammon as being of Welsh origin.

The £6m Bodnant Welsh Food Centre was forced to apologise to Conwy resident Sandra Birch last month after she found the “Welsh” gammon she was hoping to enjoy over Christmas turned out to be from Belgium.

It saw trading standards officers from Conwy council launch an investigation into the matter at the Conwy Valley centre.

Now they have concluded that probe, and issued written advice to Bodnant.

A council spokeswoman said: “Officers have completed their investigation into the circumstances of the case.

READ: Bodnant Welsh Food Centre hopes to sell Welsh-reared gammon after Belgian meat row

“The country of origin on the label was incorrect, it should have read ‘Belgium’.

“However, the gammon was cured in Wales and as such it can be described as a ‘Welsh Cured’ Gammon Joint.

“The food business operator (Bodnant Welsh Foods) contacted the department for advice and officers visited the premises on 7th January 2016.

“We can confirm that the label on the product had already been amended prior to our visit to give the correct Country of Origin.

“Trading Standards have issued written advice to Bodnant Welsh Foods and have their assurance that they have taken all appropriate steps.”

Newly appointed Bodnant Welsh Food Centre operations director Conrad Jones said: “We would like to apologise to our customers, and regret that on this occasion we fell below the high standards that we set ourselves and that our customers can expect.

Conrad Jones from Mold is the operations director of Bodnant Welsh Food Centre in the Conwy Valley

“As quickly as we could, we contacted Conwy Council for advice and we have taken all appropriate steps to make sure this will not happen again.

“We are fully committed to promoting Welsh produce at Bodnant Welsh Food and all our fresh lamb, beef and pork is sourced directly from Wales, much of it from local farmers.

“Having been appointed recently, I would like to assure our customers that we will continue to work with Welsh suppliers in future.

“We also have some exciting new developments in the pipeline and we will be able to provide more details about them soon.”

see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/bodnant-welsh-food-centre-gets-10957194