Gower Salt Marsh Lamb has joined the ranks of Champagne, Parma Ham and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies by being awarded protected food name status by the European Commission.

The Gower Salt Marsh Lamb name is further protected by the European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which is one of three special European Protected Food Name (PFN) designations.

In August 2021, Gower Salt Marsh Lamb was the first new product to be awarded UK Geographical Indication status within the new UK GI scheme, which was established following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

It was then decided that they would pursue the European protection, to further help sales and International recognition. It is now the first new UK Geographical Indication product to be awarded European protection.

Only legitimate Gower Salt Marsh Lamb can now be sold with both the European PFN and UKGI logo, guaranteeing its produce comes from lambs which were born and reared on the North Gower coastline in Wales. Lamb producers can demonstrate that their meat’s characteristics are influenced by their exclusive area of production.

Under the EU’s protected food name scheme certain food and drink products receive Europe-wide legal protection against imitation and misuse.

The application for PDO status was made to the European Commission by Defra on behalf of Gower Salt Marsh Lamb. Achieving European PDO status is an extensive and complicated procedure, and Gower Salt Marsh Lamb has been helped through the process by the Welsh Government.

Dan and Will Pritchard run the Gower Salt Marsh lamb family farm on the picturesque Gower Peninsula. Speaking about their fantastic achievement, Dan said: “Everyone at Gower Salt Marsh Lamb is delighted that we have been awarded EU GI status recently. It shows that our products are of true origin and of a high standard.

“We’re exceptionally proud of what we produce and it is fantastic that it is being recognised and celebrated.”

Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs, North Wales and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths, said: “I’d like to congratulate Gower Salt Marsh Lamb for this tremendous achievement. This gives it further International recognition and prestige, and rightly so. Customers will know they are buying an excellent Welsh product and I’d like to thank all those involved in bringing this about.

“Wales has some of the best produce in the world, and it’s great to see Gower Salt Marsh Lamb ranked alongside Champagne and Parma Ham.”