Food and drink: a priority sector

Yorkshire & Humber is the food and drink capital of the UK—the country’s largest food-producing region. We’re home to more than 15,000 companies (the largest concentration in the UK), including some of the world’s biggest and best companies. We also have one of the largest concentrations of universities in Europe, and globally acclaimed research networks.

Our region is a centre for seafood processing (the Humber is responsible for a massive 60% of the UK’s fish processing output). It produces almost a third of the UK’s beer. Our ethnic food cluster is growing at a rate of 15% a year—and our speciality foods cluster is growing at around 35% (national growth is around 4%).

Thanks to our competitive cost base and labour pool, Yorkshire & Humber is the chosen base of numerous major buyers: Morrisons, Asda, Nisa, Aldi and Costcutter all have their purchasing departments here.

Yorkshire Forward’s support programmes

Support is available to assist businesses in the following key areas:

• Seafood: The Yorkshire & Humber Seafood Group (Y&HSG) develops and implements strategies to maximise economic activity within the sector, improve company competitiveness and promote Yorkshire and Humber as a centre of fish industry excellence. In collaboration with the Regional Food Group, Y&HSG has created the Food Innovation for Seafood (FINS) programme to support new product development for seafood in the region. The Humber Seafood Institute provides innovative solutions to the seafood industry through a state-of-the-art building incorporating high quality laboratory space, product development kitchens and office space with specialist advice and support on product and process innovation and cold chain development.
• Workspace: Malmo Food Park comprises 10 food grade standard units of varying sizes together with recipe development kitchens to assist food-based companies develop new products for market.

• Provenance: the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire & Humber has a team of experts who offer a wide range of activities to support food and drink businesses and increase their competitiveness. deliciouslyorkshire is England’s most distinctive food and drink brand, supported by sustainable regional value chains through the region’s farexchange scheme. To find out more, contact the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire & Humber
• Meet the Buyer: The Regional Food Group organises the annual ‘Meet the Buyer’ event, which recently generated £1.7m of new business for attendees. SME producers get just 15 minutes to impress elusive yet highly influential supermarket and food-service buyers in face-to-face meetings before moving on. Around 100 companies attend to meet about 50 buyers 
• Packaging & product innovation: We’re driving product and packaging innovation through a programme called Appetizing Innovation, run by a consortium, the Food Processing Faraday Partnership. (Other consortium members include the Regional Food Group, Sheffield Hallam University, Leeds Metropolitan University, and Design Futures specifically for packaging.) The key aims of this programme are to:
  • Identify and engage with companies on innovation issues
  • Provide demonstrations of innovations
  • Provide forums and knowledge-transfer opportunities for companies interested in innovation
  • To create a national/international resource centre on food and drink innovation
  • Deliver packaging ‘surgeries’ for companies with packaging needs.
• Supply chain: An organisation called Farexchange, co-funded with the RDPE, is helping to improve the understanding of farm-to-shop supply chains. Specifically, it will:
  • Develop new and improved communications between, and along, the links in the supply chain
  • Identify new markets and new opportunities for farmers and food companies
  • Develop innovative structures, contracts and partnerships to enable the links in the chain to work more effectively
  • Improve efficiency and reduce waste, through vertical collaboration up and down the supply chain (such as reducing transaction costs, out-of-specification material, and packaging).
  • Encourage farmers and growers to collaborate, so that they can access new opportunities within new and existing markets
  • Improve the skills of those engaged in the food and farming sectors, including business management, marketing and supply-chain logistics, leading to business improvement
  • Over the life of the project, develop and commercialise linkages to ensure sustainability of the networks formed.

• Export: The Regional Food Group for Yorkshire & Humber can assist your company maximise its opportunities to export by providing a clear understanding of global drivers, eating habits and key growth categories. Contact the Regional Food Group to access tailored export support. For further tailored support and overseas contacts, contact UK Trade and Investment

• Skills: For unique and innovative online learning programmes and tailored support packages, contact the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire & Humber

• Processes: Europe’s first Centre for Food Robotics and Automation will critically evaluate your processes, with a free automation audit and unbiased expert advice to help reduce costs and increase efficiency. 

How are we performing on behalf of this sector?

In 2005-06, we exceeded all our targets and

• Created 497 new jobs in food and drink
• Safeguarded 427 jobs
• Created 41 new businesses
• Supported 765 existing businesses
• Provided 443 learning opportunities.

Opportunities we’re currently pursuing

• The expanding international food and drink market
• Emergence of new food and drink sectors
• The healthy living agenda
• Greater consumer interest in food and drink provenance
• Opportunities for efficiency gains and competitive advantage through environmental good practice
• Collaborative working within a partner network
• Reducing the industry's skills shortage
• Building competitive advantage for our food and drink businesses.