News / bristol business
Minister for exports pays a visit to Bristol businesses
Minister for exports, Andrew Bowie, took a trip to Bristol to visit two businesses to discuss their future export plans.
Bowie popped into Lye Cross Farm, home to multi-award-winning cheesemakers who have been making Cheddar since 1952.
Lye Cross Farm, located on Lye Cross Road in Redhill, sells its cheeses in over 40 countries and has a turnover of £12m – with 40 per cent of that being export.
The business has received support from the department for international trade which the owners discussed with Bowie, including its access to the internationalisation fund, the UK tradeshow programme, the export support service and UK export finance.
Good Morning South West! ???????
Absolutely brilliant meeting at @LyeCrossFarm to hear about their exporting success (and try their incredible cheese) which they now sell their cheese in over 40 countries around the world! ??
Made in Somerset, sold to the world! ?? pic.twitter.com/qWmCliyI6i
— Andrew Bowie MP (@AndrewBowie_MP) November 29, 2022
The people behind Lye Cross Farm, which is owned by Alvis Bros, and Bowie discussed challenges faced by their business and how the department for international trade can further support them going forwards.
Bowie, who is MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, also visited the headquarters of Caleño Drinks on Bath Road in Arnos Vale.
The business produces distilled non-alcoholic spirits and cocktails, and it exports its products to 12 international markets.
The past year has been a successful one for the company as Caleño Drinks’s export channel grew by 1,607 per cent, making it the fastest growing channel within the non-alcoholic drinks business.
Bowie talked to Ellie Webb, who founded the business, about her future export plans and ambitions to explore markets in the Middle East and Australia.
Along with the support given to Caleño Drinks by the department for international trade and how it can help provide further support.
?Enjoying a delicious *non alcoholic* cocktail with Ellie, founder of @Calenodrinks non-alcoholic drinks in Bristol this lunchtime.
? Inspiring hearing about the company’s export journey and future export plans.
We want to export even more with GREAT British companies. ??? pic.twitter.com/80CrUbdb3O
— Andrew Bowie MP (@AndrewBowie_MP) November 29, 2022
The department for international trade’s free trade agenda is supporting jobs and economic growth across the South West, with exports supporting 430,000 full-time jobs in the region in 2016.
In 2020, the South West exported £31.2bn worth of goods and services.
Minister for exports, Andrew Bowie, said: “The South West exported over £31bn worth of goods in 2020. Businesses across the region are doing fantastic work creating innovative products made in the UK sold to the world, supporting jobs and economic growth.
“It was a pleasure to meet with Lye Cross Farm and Caleño Drinks to see how through new trade deals and removal of market access barriers, we’re helping more businesses boost their exports and take advantage of exciting new opportunities across the globe.”
Read next:
- If I Knew Then: Ellie Webb
- Bedminster trainee plasterer paving way for women in the industry
- People spending less on Bristol city centre businesses
- Business owner with hopes to teach people with disabilities how to sew
Main photo: Department for International Trade
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