Discerning diners in the Far East will soon be tucking in to premium Welsh Beef following the first shipment of Celtic Pride Welsh Beef from Cross Hands to Singapore.

The Celtic Pride Premium Beef Scheme was launched in 2003 by Gwendraeth Valley-based Castell Howell and has grown to become Wales' leading independent beef brand to the catering sector.

The scheme is a partnership including The Welsh Livestock Company, Wynnstay Group and Castell Howell Foods, with beef from its network of Welsh farms processed at Castell Howells’ £5m state-of-the-art Celtica Foods butchery in Cross Hands Food Park.

Working with catering butcher and exporter, Direct Meats in Colchester, and processing partner Celtica Foods at Cross Hands, prime cuts from between 10 and 20 cattle per month will be forwarded to top restaurants in Singapore through distributors ADirect.

Celtic Pride premium beef scheme manager, Gareth Evans said: “We are encouraged that premium Welsh Beef can supply a premium market in Singapore.

“Our bespoke procurement and further processing service ensures that cattle meet the high standards for this export market.

“Direct Meats in Colchester have been developing overseas sales for a number of years and we are proud to feature in their portfolio of quality beef. We will continue to focus on this market and look forward to increasing the volume of cattle supplied.”

The first customers to enjoy the Celtic Pride Welsh Beef will be at two restaurants; CUT by Wolfgang Puck and Bread Street Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay, which are both at the exclusive Marina Bay Sands resort.

The menus will highlight the Welsh provenance of the beef as well as its attributes of being grass fed and the high welfare standards of production.

“This is a great start to the year for Celtic Pride, they have selected certain breeds for this market including Welsh Black, Hereford, Angus, Highland, and Dexter,” said Martin Blackwell, managing director of Direct Meats.

“We have worked closely with Castell Howell, and Cross Hands abattoir Cig Calon Cymru, to ensure that the cutting plants are registered with the Singapore Agri-food & Veterinary Authority, and this first shipment is the realisation of all those efforts.”