Ambitious plans have been unveiled to help North East food and drink producers explore and exploit new markets and bring much needed funding into the sector.
The newly launched Food and Drink North East (FaDNE) group is working to build the region’s reputation as a foodie destination with heritage, sustainability, innovation and community at its heart.
Among the organisation’s goals is to attract funding to better represent the North East’s growing food and drink sector, as well as drive economic growth.
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Around 825,000 people currently work in the region’s food and drink businesses, yet it only contributes 1.8% Gross Added Value (GVA) to the regional economy – one of the lowest in the country.
The overall objective of the FaDNE is to help raise the GVA to 10% by 2025 through job creation, investment in skills and training, shortening supply chains so that more value is retained within the local economy for ‘home grown’ produce’, and helping companies to market their produce.
The Community Interest Company is the brainchild of Chris Jewitt, North East-based food and drink specialist at the Department for International Trade.
Other well-known North East industry names involved include business development consultant Ian Pilkington, DTI adviser John Jenkinson, Infinite Design Consultants managing director Des Kennedy, Scaleup Partner at RTC North Laura Foster and Food Nation founder Jamie Sadler.
Around 300 North East food and drink producers and suppliers have already signed up to be part of the initiative, which covers Teesside, County Durham, Tyneside, Wearside and Northumberland.
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Ms Foster said plans are now under way to secure both national and regional funding to drive the volunteer led group forward, as it embarks on a five-year strategy to grow the region’s food and drink from the grassroots up. She said: “The reason FaDNE has come into being is because the region’s food and drink sector is being left behind. GVA in the sector in Yorkshire accounts for 12%.
"Whilst other regions have flourished the feeling is that the North East’s food and drink sector has been overlooked for too long. But as a group, the FaDNE believes the region has something truly unique to offer and worth shouting about.
“With the upsurge in craft food and drink producers and premium brands, as well as organic, Fairtrade and free from, we believe the time is right for like-minded people to come together, to engage, to share knowledge, to focus our efforts, and to get the word out.”
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The group has already played a crucial role in hosting a day-long tour to Tyneside by the Defra team leading the National Food Strategy.
The Government’s first in-depth review of the 海角视频 food system in 75 years, it is being led by Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of the Leon Restaurants and the Sustainable Restaurant Association, and lead non-executive board member of Defra.
Mr Dimbleby and his team visited the Greggs’ headquarters, where regional food partnerships discussed the role of corporates in tackling issues around food sustainability; The Grainger Market – recently named Britain’s favourite; Newcastle West End Foodbank, which is one of the biggest in the 海角视频; and North Shields Fish Quay, which will celebrate its 800th anniversary in 2025.
The day also included an event to celebrate the quality and diversity of the region’s food and drink.
Commenting on the tour, Mr Dimbleby said: “This is the kind of collaboration and innovation we need to see replicated more widely as we build sustainable food systems that fit for the future.”