This week, 16 of South Wales’ food and drink makers met Morrisons at an event in the region in an attempt to gain a place on the supermarket’s shelves.

Morrisons announced the search for local suppliers in February after research found that customers want to see more food and drink made and produced ‘just down the road’ from their communities.

More than 70 producers from across Wales applied to take part in the regional programme. The best 16 suppliers were then invited to Llanarth Village Hall in Llanarth, on Monday, where they pitched to Morrisons buyers, customers and local store colleagues.

The supermarket already stocks lots of the foods Wales is famous for, from Welsh cakes, Welsh lamb and beef to Shirgar butter, Colliers cheese and in-store baked bara brith.

Matt Trigg, Morrisons local solutions manager for Wales, said: “Wales has a long history of great, local food and the producers we’ve seen have been no exception. After seeing the quality of the food here this week, we’re keen to put even more food made in South Wales on our customers’ plates.”

Local foodmakers who attended the event in Llanarth on Monday included Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company, of Pembroke Dock and Freshwater West, who create dried seaweed flakes in a re-sealable stand up/clip strip pouch, promoting the use of seaweed as a source of flavour in every day cooking - just like traditional herbs.

The suppliers who Morrisons think have what it takes to supply its stores will now be invited to a final round at the supermarket’s head office in Bradford.