FoodDrinkEurope Launches ‘Small Scale, Big Impact’ Initiative for SMEs

25 Nov 2016 --- FoodDrinkEurope has launched an initiative showcasing the key role played by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to ensure their voice isn't squeezed out by louder voices in the industry. Called ‘Small scale, big impact’, the initiative will concentrate on the ambitions, challenges, preoccupations of SMEs and to ensure their needs are taken into consideration as part of a European sector policy. 

It will see representatives of SMEs present their products and share their experience with policy-makers. There will also be discussions involving European officials, SMEs and representatives of trade bodies for the food and drink industry. ‘Small scale, big impact’ will span a number of events with the fist being held by the European Economic & Social Committee.

Europe’s food and drink SMEs represent half of the sector’s turnover (49.5 percent) and almost 63 (percent) of its employment, underscoring their importance to the economy. 

“Nine in 10 food and drink companies in Europe are SMEs”, explained Mella Frewen, director general of FoodDrinkEurope. “They are present from the very North to the deepest South and represent not only tradition and know-how but also innovation and local employment. It was essential for us to seize the opportunity of the SME Week to put them in the spotlight.”

The “Small scale, big impact” project will be supported by a website which presents individual companies from various EU member states and sectors, who share their experience, challenges and successes.

FoodDrinkEurope represents the European food and drink industry, which is the largest manufacturing sector in the EU in terms of turnover and employment.