Cardiff's Farmers Markets Shortlisted for UK's Organic Market
Cardiff's Farmers Markets Shortlisted for UK's Organic Market
Cardiff Farmers Markets are finalists at the BOOM (Best of Organic Market) Awards 2025 – the only organic awards in the UK, celebrating excellence in organic and recognising quality and success in the organic sector.
With their original Riverside Market launching in 1998, Cardiff Farmers Markets have grown to become some of the best-known farmers' markets in the U.K. They are widely recognised as key food attractions in the Welsh capital for local residents and visitors alike, with the success of the original Riverside Market enabling them to branch out into a weekly Saturday market in Roath, and a weekly Friday market in Rhiwbina.
Now up against the best that the organic market has to offer, the markets faced a rigorous judging process by a professional panel of industry experts. The BOOM Awards, run by leading organic certifier Soil Association Certification in partnership with headline sponsor Ocado, honour the brands, organisations and people behind the UK's organic industry.
'We're absolutely thrilled to be named a finalist,' said Carol Adams, General Manager of Cardiff Farmers Markets. 'This reflects the dedication of our local growers, market team, and partners working together to make organic food more accessible for people across Cardiff.'
Over the last year, as part of the UK-wide Bridging the Gap scheme, Cardiff Farmers Markets launched The Planet Card – a collaboration between Cardiff Farmers Markets, Food Cardiff, local organic growers, and community members. Bridging the Gap is coordinated by the food and farming charity Sustain, which is testing scalable solutions to food inequality.
The Planet Card holds a value of up to £11 per week – enabling holders to switch their normal weekly shop for fruit and vegetables to organically produced versions, without being left out of pocket. Shoppers are able to use the card at a choice of organic fruit and vegetable stalls at the Roath or Riverside markets, every weekend.
The initiative is helping to ensure that high-quality, sustainable and organic fruit & veg is within reach for more people, and is contributing to a fairer, more resilient local food system in Cardiff. Cardiff University is also supporting the project through research and evaluation, to better understand its impact and contribute to policy change.
Soil Association Certification Commercial and Marketing Director, Georgia Phillips said:
'Demand is growing for organic as more people are looking for products that are better for them and the environment, so we are delighted to see Cardiff Farmers Markets named as a finalist.'
The finalists are being announced at a time when the UK's organic market has shown exceptional growth (significantly outperforming non-organic), growing 7.3% in 2024. Total sales of £3.7bn are double what they were just 10 years ago (2014 – £1.86bn), according to Soil Association Certification's 2025 Organic Market Report.
The BOOM Award winners will be announced at the BOOM Awards ceremony on Thursday, 10th July 2025 at Paintworks, Bristol (home of the Soil Association). You can view the full list of BOOM Awards finalists at: www.soilassociation.org/certification/events/boom-awards/boom-awards-finalists/.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Brains Brewery calls on Meta to restore Facebook page
Brains Brewery, which is renowned for its beers, lost access to its Facebook page in January after a hacking incident led to all administrators being removed. The account in question has been active for over 15 years and has over 34,000 followers. A spokesperson for the company said: "Our Facebook page is one of our most important tools for staying connected with customers, marketing new products, and sharing our story. "Being locked out for this long is genuinely damaging." Despite numerous attempts to contact Meta and regain access, the page remains inaccessible. They explained: "Each time, the case is closed without resolution. "It's incredibly frustrating and genuinely damaging to our brand and business." The company says it has submitted multiple forms of ID to prove its legitimacy and even pays for Meta's premium business verification service. The spokesperson said: "I've spoken to call centre agents on 18 separate occasions and submitted all necessary proof of identity, both for Brains as a business and myself as Head of Brains. "We've sat for hours on chats, waiting in queues, chasing email threads that go nowhere." Further explaining, they added: "I've even tried reaching Meta's PR team, but nothing. "Technically, they haven't taken any action at all." The issue is particularly urgent now as Brains prepares for a major brand refresh, a relaunch that the brewery sees as vital to its growth after recent challenges. The spokesperson explained: "This rebrand is a comeback moment. "We've had huge support from our followers and community. "Losing access to our largest communications channel at a time like this is devastating." While Brains has retained control of its Instagram account, it only reaches around 4,000 followers, a fraction of the Facebook page's audience. Despite selling their pub estate in 2020, the company remains committed to producing its beloved beers and engaging the fans who have stood by them. The brewery is now publicly urging Meta to act, saying: "We didn't want to go public, but we've run out of options. "We're not asking for anything unreasonable. "We're simply asking Meta to help a legitimate, historic business regain access to its own account, one we've invested in and built for over 15 years." Brains Brewery is encouraging customers and supporters to help amplify its message in hopes that Meta will finally take notice and restore access. They said: "We're a proud Welsh institution with over 140 years of heritage, we never expected to be ignored like this." The brewery's Facebook page, @BrainsBrewery, remains publicly visible but is inactive. Brains continues to engage with customers via other social media platforms but says being locked out of their Facebook account is a major setback at a critical time. Despite attempts, Meta has yet to respond with regards to the matter.
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Project to create tidal stream turbine blades in Wales
The Welsh Government has backed the project in a bid to revolutionise the tidal energy industry. The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru, based in Broughton, has teamed up with Menter Mon and the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult's Welsh team for this initiative. Their goal is to improve the efficiency and durability of tidal energy blades. This project is one of five in Wales which received a share of £1 million from the Welsh Government's VInnovate programme, intended to encourage innovative collaborations across industrial regions in Europe. The project also has the involvement of two Galician firms—marine renewable energy infrastructure manufacturer Magallanes Renovables and research organisation D3 Applied Technologies. Andy Silcox, interim chief technology officer at the AMRC, said: "Wales is already recognised as a trailblazer in the establishment of tidal energy sites, and a hub for cutting-edge marine energy research, contributing its extensive knowledge and experience. "This collaboration between AMRC Cymru, the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Menter Mon will create a strategic partnership among the regions of Wales and Galicia, bringing together a unique blend of expertise and innovation in the field of renewable energy. "Supporting the design and development of the newest tidal turbine blades, the project will lay the groundwork for a lasting collaboration, driving future innovations and projects in renewable energy to contribute to a more sustainable energy landscape." More projects from Wales received funding in the 2024 VInnovate funding tranche than any other region. Rebecca Evans, cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning, said: "Wales' research and development sector is internationally renowned, with academia, industry and government working together to deliver big leaps in renewable energy innovation in particular. "This culture of innovation has been championed and guided by our Wales Innovates strategy, laying the foundations for a green and prosperous future for Wales driven by collaborative innovation and new technologies that can have a real and lasting positive impact on every part of our society."
South Wales Argus
3 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Cardiff among UK's top cities for co-working spaces
The Welsh capital now accounts for 32 per cent of the coworking spaces in the country, as highlighted in the Q1 2025 State of the Coworking Industry Report by CoworkingCafe. This makes Cardiff the only city in Wales to feature in the top 15 coworking markets in the UK. The report, which gives an overview of the flexible office market across the UK and Ireland, shows Cardiff is tied with Liverpool for eighth place, boasting 38 coworking spaces. In Wales, there are now 119 coworking spaces in total. The report also provides insights into the cost of using these shared workspaces. In Cardiff, the median monthly subscription price for a dedicated desk is £250, which is above the Welsh median of £200. However, the cost of open workspaces in Cardiff is below the Welsh median, standing at £179 per month. Cardiff also offers the lowest virtual office subscription in the UK at just £25 a month. For those needing a meeting room, the median price in Cardiff is £25 per hour. Nationally, the UK and Ireland's combined inventory reached 4,090 coworking spaces in the first quarter of 2025. The UK hosts 3,829 spaces, with 3,335 in England, 291 in Scotland, 119 in Wales, and 84 in Northern Ireland. Greater London leads the way with 1,145 locations, followed by Manchester with 93, Glasgow with 67, and Birmingham with 63.
