Cwm Farm Charcuterie in the Swansea Valley is celebrating being shortlisted in Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’s ‘Put Your Best Sausage Forward 2021’ competition, with their cheese and chilli traffic light sausages having been selected as amongst the very best bangers in Wales.

Multi award-winning Cwm Farm in Ystradynglais, owned and run by Ruth Davies, specialises in charcuterie and smoked products.

Ruth said: “We are really delighted to have our sausages shortlisted as amongst the best sausages in Wales this year. My husband and I have been farming here since 2010, and we started with just two Gloucester Old Spot pigs.

“Our top priority is ensuring that all our pigs are raised in a sustainable and kind way. We always keep our animals outside so they are able to roam freely to forage and eat in the woodland, in as natural environment for them as possible. We definitely think giving our pigs this healthy, happy life helps with the overall flavour of our products too.

“As you can tell with our cheese and chilli traffic light sausages, we don’t do ‘traditional’ here! The colours of the sausage represent Wales in what has been such a strange year. Red, yellow and green symbolise ‘let’s go’, which is what we all need right now.

“I love to innovate and develop new products all the time – from salami crisps to biltong - and I’m always thinking about what new products we can create next. I absolutely love my job and honestly what excites me the most is the customer enjoying feeling that passion, enjoying the taste and coming back for more.”

Also shortlisted in the Put Your Best Sausage Forward 2021 competition is Red Valley Farm in Carmarthen with their Wild Boar and Apple Sausages, and Daniel Morris Butchers in Mold and Denbigh, with their Denbigh Plum Chutney and Ginger Beer Sausages.

The winner of the competition will be announced on the brand new Porc Blasus website and social media channels in the next month, following judging by rugby player and sausage enthusiast Scott Quinnell and Hybu Cig Cymru representative Elwen Roberts.

The winner will automatically qualify for the UK and Ireland Champion of Champions Sausage competition, which will take place at the virtual Butcher Shop of the Year 2021 Awards in February 2022.

Philippa Gill, Brand Marketing Executive at Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, said: “Picking a shortlist of just three sausages is always a difficult but hugely enjoyable task, and this year was no exception thanks to our fantastic Porc Blasus family of producers. We had lots of great entries to choose from, from producers from right across Wales – so a massive thank you to everyone who took part.

“We’ll be profiling the shortlisted entrants, and announcing the winner, in special films shared via our new Porc Blasus website and social media channels in the coming weeks so follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to find out more.”