As a "real food" business we simply want our customers to choose us for the flavour of our food and the friendly service we offer. 

But above all our brand must mean fantastic taste to our customers."



Jo and Jonathan headed home to the UK in 1995 after nearly a decade spent in Southern Africa, where Jonathan worked for Barclays Bank and then as a financial controller overseeing various operations and Jo was a primary school teacher. After journeying home overland as far as Kenya with their baby daughter Hetta, their thoughts turned to their beloved Wales.

Jo grew up in Cardiff and then Llanbedr near Crickhowell in a beautiful 16th century Welsh Long House, until her family moved to Kent in 1968 when she was six.

"We always came back to Penyrheol for the holidays with horses, dogs, cats, guinea pigs and any friends mad enough to join us – pre the M25! We used to spend endless hours damming streams, walking, riding and picnicing in the mountains whatever the weather."

Jonathan, a Scot, met Jo at Edinburgh University in 1981 quickly grew to love the house in Llanbedr. They even honeymooned there.

"It became our dearest wish to make Penyrheol home. With Jonathan's business expertise and my previous rag trade experience as well, we came back from Botswana and searched in earnest for ideas to make it happen."

Our destiny was sealed on the banks of the River Tay in Perthshire where Jonathan’s parents lived, following a chance encounter between Jonathan and a Ghillie, who told Jonathan of a smokery for sale locally; when Jonathan came back home and told us about it, we all howled with laughter ( with many a reference to fishwives!) knowing nothing about the food industry whatsoever. However we looked into it, it seemed a perfect business for a couple of genuine food lovers to get involved with. After months of research and a brief apprenticeship at a friend's smokery in Kent, a blueprint for Black Mountains Smokery quickly emerged.

We considered converting the listed barn at Penyrheol but quickly realised that this was not one of our more practical ideas! One of the biggest challenges to setting up the business was finding the right location - one where we could affordably make a food safe environment and one with access for passing trade and deliveries. We finally chose to set up shop in the Elvicta Estate in nearby Crickhowell.

The doors of Black Mountains Smokery opened in February 1996 and that's when the real process of building a business began but with fantastic local support from both wholesale and retail customers, it started to come together. From frighteningly small beginnings, (£289 in our first month!), 14 years on, we have a healthy turnover, servicing both the local community and a very loyal, ever increasing customer base further a field.

The Carthews – Jonathan, Jo, Hetta (16) and even Hugh (13) - are often to be seen at food festivals and fairs working, "En famille".

In addition to the family we have two hardworking and loyal employees. Darren has been with us since Hugh was born in 1996. We also handpick an enthusiastic bunch of seasonal helpers at Christmas to help us through those mad few weeks; and of course, Hetta and Hugh join the gang, once term ends, to oversea collections from the shop.  It's a case of all hands on deck!

We try to find time to revisit favourite childhood picnic places and to savor the wildness and beauty of this wonderful area. Hetta and Hugh, aside from all competitive sport involving a stick & ball, like nothing better than to ride in the mountains with Jo; and Jonathan, a keen fisherman and shot is happiest out with his perfect black laboradors on riverbank or mountainside.
 

“One of the most difficult things about balancing a hectic working and family life in such an astounding place is just to remember to “Stop and Stare,” and appreciate our luck!”