Scottish food report welcomed
Scotland’s food secretary Richard Lochhead has welcomed the publication of an industry led report setting out the actions required to enable the country’s food and drink sector to continue to grow and prosper over the coming years.
The report – Building on Success: Deepening Collaboration, Food and Drink in Scotland – was commissioned by the Scottish government last year and sets out more than 30 recommendations for action across key themes.
Lochhead says, “Scotland’s food and drink industry has enjoyed unprecedented economic success over the past few years, smashing its own ambitious growth and export targets and greatly enhancing the country’s reputation as being a land of food and drink, both at home and on the international stage.
“This has been borne from excellent partnership working across the industry and public sector, but neither can stand still and become complacent – we must stay ahead of the game and one step in front of our competitors. That is why I commissioned this report – I wanted to see the actions we need to take, collectively, to build on our remarkable success and make Scotland the best country in the world to run a food and drink business.”
The recommendations set out in the report include:
- Initial proposals to address the supply chain imbalance, recognising the need for closer alignment between producers and other parts of the supply chain
- The need to enhance the approach to innovation, with a greater focus on product development in line with market insights
- The implementation of a new industry wide skills development plan to improve the industry’s workforce planning and enhance its reputation as a career choice
- Proposal for greater operational alignment across the industry and with the public sector
- Identifying the options on how Scotland can compete on the international stage through greater promotion and marketing.
