Gwynedd wine merchants toast the power of AI and record sales

The husband and wife team of Dylan and Llinos Rowlands launched Gwin Dylanwad, based in Dolgellau, in 2014 as a follow up to their successful restaurant in the town, and a decade later they are going from strength to strength.

They revealed the secrets of their success at a social media masterclass organised as part of the pioneering Dyfodol Digidol (Digital Future) a Gwynedd Council Project.

The project has received funding from the Gwynedd Shared Prosperity Fund and is available free of charge to any businesses based in the county.

Companies that sign up get three one-to-one mentoring sessions from a digital expert and will be able to choose from 30 different training workshops which will be mainly online.

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The aim is to help companies grow and prosper in Gwynedd, creating employment and help to halt the tide of rural depopulation with young people having to move away to find work.

The scheme is building on the success of a similar project, working with firms in the hospitality, food and drink industries, which helped inspire Gwin Dylanwad but the new version has been expanded to companies working in all sectors.

Llinos, a former teacher, said: “Just running a wine merchant’s in Dolgellau would not be a feasible business model but because we supply restaurants, cafes and hotels across North and Mid Wales it works.

“We have always used the internet as a marketing tool which has enabled us to reach a much wider clientele but since working with Lafan we have expanded our online sales through using social media.

“We have a presence on Facebook, X - formerly Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and even TikTok and the guidance we’ve received from the project has been invaluable.

“Our January sales were up 16 per cent on last year and every month since has shown an increase.

“Because we import our own wines, a lot of them from Europe, if someone has had one of our bottles and enjoyed it in a restaurant then they can find it on our website.

“We have a strong presence on social media and we have learned that if you try and sell your goods there you won’t get far but if you concentrate on brand recognition then that works and will drive people to your website.

“We write a blog and that is quite a challenge but AI is a big help – I visited a Canadian vineyard last year and asked AI to write five paragraphs on Canadian ice wine and I added my input and it worked very well.

“It’s also important to train your staff. We send ours on vineyard visits and it does cost but when you listen to them talking to our customers about wine they really do pay for themselves.

“We are on a journey and I’m happy to help people but we’re also looking for help ourselves and that’s where the project has made a big difference.  The mentors know what it’s like to run a small business and that’s important to us.”

They hosted the event at their well-stocked café and wine shop on Porth Marchnad, in Dolgellau, where as well as Llinos and Dylan, Gwin Dylanwad employs three full-time and three part-time staff.

Customers can visit the shop for coffee and cake and taste their range of wines from around the world while Dylan also hosts a regular wine slot on S4C’s Prynhawn Da afternoon show.

Lafan consultant Jamie Hughes, an expert in developing brands and in the use of digital technology for business, said: "We look forward to supporting businesses to grow digitally, closing the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

“E-marketing has the ability to transform the fortunes of a business and selling online can open up new markets and increase the customer base.

“Harnessing the power of the digital platforms can really boost a business in a rural area like Gwynedd.

“Llinos and Dylan are a real inspiration to budding entrepreneurs in rural areas like this.”