Pioneering Innovation Network will Push Boundaries of British Food Production

25 Oct 2016 --- Revolutionizing food production in Britain just got easier - with a new Government-backed innovation network aimed at ambitious entrepreneurs looking to launch new products.

From prolonging shelf life to protein development, UK food and drink firms can tap into new technologies and expert advice at the touch of a button, via the new Food Innovation Network (FIN). Unveiling the network yesterday (Oct 24), Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom, talked about “unparalleled access” to first-class facilities like test kitchens and laboratories.

Entrepreneurs and startups can use these facilities to kick start their food production businesses and get new products off the ground. Through an online portal, businesses will be able to access 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.

“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,” says Leadsom.

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

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), is working with York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Enterprise Partnership and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) with the Knowledge Transfer Network as the coordinator and to take the project forward.

“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,” says Simon Baty, FIN Co-ordinator from the Knowledge Transfer Network.

FIN is the latest initiative from the UK government’s Great British Food Campaign which was introduced earlier this year to celebrate the country’s world-class food industry and culture, drive growth, create more jobs in the sector and cement Britain’s reputation as a “great food nation”.