Food and Drink Agency Wales Board (FDWIB) has set out a strategy to boost the growth of its beverage industry over the coming years.

The report ‘Growing the Drinks Industry in Wales Strategy’  celebrates the work of drinks companies across Wales to date and sets out future challenges and opportunities. It also aims to tackle skill shortages by engaging with the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink, which will provide technical training for Welsh brewers.

According to FDWIB, spirits, cider, low alcohol and alcohol-free beer are some of the key areas of growth across the Welsh drinks sector. Other key areas that the strategy will focus on include access to energy, changing consumption patterns, reversing the decline of pubs and traditional on-trade outlets, and  regulatory issues such as sugar tax, minimum pricing on alcohol and consumer attitudes towards plastic.

The new strategy was unveiled at an event held by the Welsh Drinks Cluster, WFDWIB and Welsh Government to celebrate the collective work of drinks companies across Wales.

As FDWIB passes the mid-point of its action plan, it is looking to refresh its activities in order to ensure it remain relevant and flexible enough to respond to new challenges and opportunities in what is constantly evolving landscape.

The food and drink industry is considered a ‘rising star’ in the Welsh economy; the Welsh government wants to increase sales by 30% to £7bn by 2020.