Skills programme drives job growth across Wales’ food and drink sector

The Welsh Government Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme is helping food and drink businesses invest in their people and build a resilient, future-ready industry.

Since its launch last year, the programme’s dedicated jobs portal, Food and Drink Jobs Wales, has listed 3,322 vacancies, accessed by more than 1,271 employers, with 629 active roles currently available.

As job-seekers consider their career paths, the platform is proving a vital gateway to opportunities across Wales’ growing food and drink sector.

To mark the programme’s continued progress, Rhiain Williams, Marketing Officer at the Welsh Government Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales, said: “Our programme is designed to help employers in the food and drink sector plan, train and grow, ensuring they have access to the skilled workforce they need to thrive.

“Through Food and Drink Jobs Wales, we’re giving businesses a direct and effective route to job seekers who are actively exploring new or different career opportunities within the industry.

“As the sector looks to build strong teams for the year ahead, we’re proud to support employers like Radnor Hills in reaching people who want to build a long-term career in Welsh food and drink.”

This positive progress is reflected at Radnor Hills, one of the UK’s leading independent soft drinks manufacturers based in Knighton, Powys.

The family-owned business produces more than 350 million drinks each year, using exceptionally pure Welsh spring water drawn directly from on-site boreholes.

Radnor Hills has been a pioneer in Tetra Pak innovation for more than a decade. In 2018, it became the first in Europe to install the 125ml Prism Pack line, a format designed specifically for young children.

Demand for its products has continued to rise, reinforced recently by a major collaboration with Disney, which launched with Stitch-themed cartons and more characters planned.

In 2025, Radnor installed a state-of-the-art, high-speed Tetra Pak line, officially opened in September. The new line increases carton capacity by 150%, producing 30,000 units per hour, and represents a significant part of the company’s multi-million-pound investment in future growth.

The technology is also more energy-efficient, less labour intensive, and produces significantly more packs per unit of energy.

The upgraded line is enabling the creation of more than 20 new skilled jobs, from line runners and forklift drivers to roles in sales and marketing.

Many existing operators have also upskilled into new positions through the company’s long-standing partnership with Tetra Pak, whose engineers deliver regular hands-on training on site.

The Welsh Government Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme has been working closely with Radnor Hills to support long-term workforce planning, training and recruitment.

As part of this collaboration, Radnor Hills is now promoting its vacancies through Food & Drink Jobs Wales, making it easier for people across Wales to access high-quality career opportunities in a fast-growing business.

Simon Knight, Managing Director of Radnor Hills, said: “Our new Tetraline is a major step forward for Radnor Hills and reflects our commitment to ongoing innovation, efficiency and growth.

“The line allows us to produce more sustainably, using less energy while increasing output to meet rising customer demand, including exciting new partnerships such as our Disney collaboration.

“As we expand, having the right skills and the right people is crucial. The support from the Food & Drink Skills Wales Programme has been invaluable, particularly in helping us reach new candidates through the Food and Drink Jobs Wales noticeboard.”

Through targeted training and development opportunities, including innovation, sustainability, leadership and digital transformation, the Food & Drink Skills Wales Programme is helping employers across Wales nurture skilled, agile teams equipped to meet the industry’s evolving needs.

The programme supports the Welsh Government’s long-term vision to strengthen the competitiveness of the food and drink industry, ensuring businesses, in particular those in processing and manufacturing, are ready to grow, innovate and thrive in the years ahead.

The Welsh Government Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme dedicated Jobs Noticeboard can be viewed at fooddrinkjobs.wales.

For more information the Welsh Government Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme, visit: fooddrinkskills.wales.