Innovation boost for British food companies

 

More than 6,000 UK food and drink companies can now take advantage of new technologies and expert advice at the touch of a button, with the launch of the new Food Innovation Network (FIN).

From prolonging shelf life to developing new sources of protein, FIN, launched by environment secretary Andrea Leadsom today, will help businesses revolutionise the production of their food and give ambitious British entrepreneurs access to first class facilities, such as test kitchens and laboratories to help them launch new products onto the market.

Through an online portal, businesses will be able to tap into expert advice on complex issues such as intellectual property and developing new technology. A network coordinator will also be appointed to act as a ‘matchmaker’, joining up businesses with the expertise they need for any aspect of their business – from new packaging to waste management.

Leadsom says, “Our thriving food and drink sector has already helped make Britain more globally competitive through its incredible innovation.

“The UK’s food and farming sector generates over £100 billion a year and employs one in eight people, with the food manufacturing sector bigger than cars and aerospace combined.

“From extending the shelf life of our food to increasing the amount of vitamin D in our eggs, FIN will help make the sector as forward looking as possible and push the boundaries of British food production.”

Defra – alongside the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council – appointed the Knowledge Transfer Network as the coordinator to take forward the project.

Simon Baty, FIN co-ordinator from the Knowledge Transfer Network, says, “The Food Innovation Network will identify the innovation needs of agri-food businesses and connect them with research experts, so they can transform their superlative science into valuable, innovative and commercial products.”

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