Pupils from schools across Wales have been taking part in the Tasty Careers Schools Challenge, a competition that challenges pupils to design food products and dishes that are healthy, sustainable, and commercially viable.
The Tasty Careers Schools Challenge is a National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD) Wales initiative in partnership with the Welsh Government funded Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme and Careers Wales. Supporters of this year’s Schools Challenge include Castell Howell Foods, Leprino Foods, Kepak, Dunbia and hospitality group Seren.
The finals took place on March 5 at Conwy Business Centre and March 12 at Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli. Teams of pupils battled it out, pitching their final products including a sheep milkshake, crempog with pureed parsnip, welsh rarebit bites, a strawberry oat snack bar, a pudding designed to look like Welsh mountains, a super smoothie and a ‘Welshake’ health drink.
Denbigh High School in the North won with their product,‘Muffin’ Around’ – a selection of red pepper and spinach muffins, impressing the judges with concept, taste and sustainability. Whilst Ysgol Bro Gwaun won with their product, ‘Mac & Caws’ – a macaroni pasta dish with a meat and vegetarian option.
The competition has been running since 2018, with finals taking place in North and South Wales. Previous winners have completed the briefs so successfully that their products have gone on to be professionally produced and sold. This year’s competition required pupils to create a new healthy, sustainable product for a food and drink manufacturer.
Tasty Careers 2025 attracted the highest number of entrants since it started in 2018, with over 1200 pupils from schools across Wales taking part. The North Wales finalists were Alun School, Denbigh High School, Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Rhyl High School, Ysgol Friars, Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni, Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Ysgol Eifionydd and Ysgol Bro Idris. And the South Wales finalists were Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Ysgol Bro Teifi, Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, Ysgol Bro Dinefwr, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin, Penyrheol Comprehensive School, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Maes Y Gwendraeth, Ysgol Glan y Môr School, Ysgol Coedcae School, Ysgol Bryngwyn School and St John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School.
Teleri Owen, teacher at Denbigh High School, said:
“The competition has given the pupils an insight to the food industry, they had thoroughly enjoyed working with each other in a different scenario to the classroom. They developed their organisation, planning, numeracy and creativity skills as well as using some of the equipment that is normally only available to GCSE pupils. I enjoyed experimenting with ingredients with the pupils.”
Louise Cairns, CEO for NSAFD/Tasty Careers, said:
“Congratulations to Denbigh High School and Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their outstanding performance in this year’s Tasty Careers Schools Challenge. The judges were highly impressed with all the entrants but their creation really stood out for sustainability, commercial viability – and of course, taste. We hope that participating in this competition will inspire some pupils to consider a career in Wales’ outstanding food and drink sector.”
Kate Rees, Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales Programme Manager, added:
“It’s been inspiring to witness the ingenuity of the students at the Tasty Careers Challenge. They are undoubtedly our future foodies, and this initiative is a significant asset in cultivating talent for the industry. The future of Welsh Food & Drink is in good hands!”
John Edwards, a business engagement adviser at Careers Wales, said:
“Tasty Careers is a fantastic event that encourages pupils to develop their creativity, team building and organisation skills, learn more about the food and drink sector in Wales and produce final products that they are proud of. The challenge also broadens their aspirations and encourages them to think about their futures.”
Aled Evans, a business engagement adviser at Careers Wales, said:
“Tasty Careers is a fantastic event that encourages pupils to develop their creativity, team building and organisation skills, learn more about the food and drink sector in Wales and produce final products that they are proud of. The challenge also broadens their aspirations and encourages them to think about their futures.”
For more information on Tasty Careers, head to https://tastycareers.org.uk/.
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Tasty Careers from the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink is designed as a game changer – bringing together industry career information and live industry vacancies all in one place and making them instantly accessible to the smartphone generation. Through the Tasty Careers industry recruitment programme and website https://tastycareers.org.uk/we are the first port of call for young people seeking industry job opportunities and the very best study choices to help them into industry careers.
- For more information about Food & Drink Wales and the support available for food & drink businesses, please go to Food and Drink Wales – Growing together | Business Wales
- For more information about the Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales programme, please go to wales
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