A Pembrokeshire business opened the doors of its new café on Wednesday May 24, thanks to a £40,000 loan and some innovative thinking.

Mamgu Welshcakes has been a fixture in the seaside village of Solva with its café selling traditional and modern Welshcakes.

The business started out at food fairs and markets in 2016 and is known for its innovative take on the tasty treat, producing Welshcakes in such flavours as orange and cranberry, rhubarb and custard and even El Mexicana savoury Welshcakes.

Since 2016, the company has grown to incorporate the Solva coffee shop and a bakery in Croesgoch – as well as selling direct to customers via their website.

Now, thanks to a £40,000 micro loan from the Development Bank of Wales, the business opened a new café at the Marine Centre of Excellence in Saundersfoot Harbour on Wednesday, where it can bring its range of Welsh cakes and traditional afternoon teas to even more customers.

The cafe will be open seven days a week from 9am until 4.30pm. The business is also recruiting kitchen assistants for both the Solva and Saundersfoot cafes. 

As well as helping the company to take on the additional site, the £40,000 loan has helped towards fitting it with furniture and refitting counter space.

The loan has also supported the company in setting up a new bakery in the cathedral city of St Davids, allowing it increase production of its popular line of Welsh cakes.

Becky Swift, owner of MamGu Welshcakes, said: “Our new café at Saundersfoot is still well within reach of our current premises in Solva, but it will help us get to new customers further afield.

“Some people might say expanding to a new site is a gamble, but for us, it’s a natural step to what we want to do next – and people always want cake!”

Becky added: “I’d recommend the Development Bank of Wales to any business considering expansion or further opportunities – it’s a great example of a Welsh organisation doing its best to help Welsh businesses.”

Emily Wood, Investment Executive at the Development Bank of Wales, said: “It was a pleasure to support Mamgu Welshcakes as they look at expanding to new premises.

“Small businesses like Mamgu Welshcakes contribute so much to the life and atmosphere of towns and villages throughout Wales, particularly in rural and coastal areas where they can be real drivers of tourism and local life.”

The Development Bank of Wales offers micro loans from £1,000 to up to £50,000 to help small and micro businesses in a range of areas, from start-up capital to growth finance.