SFDF: Food and Drink SMEs Reformulate for Health and Growth

10 Feb 2014 --- Small and gradual changes to recipes are creating a win-win for customers and food producers in Scotland, the Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF) has said.

As a series of practical reformulation workshops drew to a close this week, offered free under SFDF's Scottish Government (Health) funded Reformulation Programme, the organisation has set out how customers' health and companies' bottom lines could benefit from product reformulation. At the events, small and medium sized producers from across Scotland were given practical guidance by Chris Peace, SFDF's Technical Manager, who was supported by speakers from Food Standards Agency Scotland, Scotland's Rural College and the Food & Health Innovation Service.

Cameron Skinner, owner of T&R Skinner, a family butchers based in Stirlingshire, who have taken 25% of the salt in their premium sausage range under the SFDF Programme, also presented at the event. He said: “Working with the SFDF Reformulation Programme has enabled us to make sure that our products continue to appeal to the modern, food educated and health conscious consumer base that we supply.”

Dr Colette Backwell, Director at SFDF, the voice of manufacturers in Scotland, said: “Many of the UK's largest manufacturers have reformulated to great effect in recent years, making progress in areas such as salt and saturated fat reduction and the elimination of artificial trans fats. But this tool is not just the reserve of the larger players, with 37 SME producers having reformulated their products for health under the SFDF Reformulation Programme. I hope that their achievements will inspire others.”

Chris Peace, Industry Technical Manager at the Scottish Food and Drink Federation, who presented at the event, said: “The producers who spoke at these workshops about what they have achieved working with the SFDF Reformulation Programme really brought this work to life. By telling other food and drink SMEs about their own reformulation journeys, they have helped them to appreciate that positive recipe changes can be achieved without being resource intensive or losing customers. In fact, reformulation can give producers a real competitive edge in today's marketplace.”

Michael Matheson MSP, Minister for Public Health, Scottish Government: “I am encouraged to see the progress being made across the food industry, and especially pleased to support small businesses in Scotland, through the Scottish Government funded SFDF Reformulation Programme. We are committed to improving Scotland's public health, and supporting people to eat a healthy, balanced diet is a key part of that. I'd like to encourage more businesses to get involved with reformulation work and help to make a real difference to the country's health.”