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PRODUCERS of food and drink in North East England found a new champion this week, with the launch of a body to build their industry.
The North East England Food and Drink Group has been set up to transform the region’s food and drink sector, driving the creation or safeguarding of 250 jobs and helping secure the training of 900 employees in the sector.
It will be responsible for helping businesses, raising awareness of North East England food and drink and increasing the availability of the region’s quality produce – all aimed at securing significant growth in regionally produced food and drink sales.
The new group, which has been awarded a £2m four-year contract with Regional Development Agency One North East, is led by Northumbria Larder, in partnership with North East Chamber of Commerce and Improve, the food and drinks manufacturing sector skills council.
Earlier this week at Ramside Hall, Durham, the group unveiled the brand under which it will operate – Taste North East – along with its vision and plans to an audience of stakeholders, partners and regional and local agencies.
This was the first of a series of meetings. Further presentations are planned for producers, food manufacturers, employers, advisers, consultants and the hospitality industry in the Spring.
Chairman of the North East England Food and Drink Group and of Northumbria Larder Jack Jeffery outlined to the delegates the group’s vision for food and drink in the region.
He said: “The setting up of the Food and Drink Group presents the sector in this region with an opportunity it has not had before – a four-year funding programme which allows for long term strategic planning to achieve our vision.
“Our vision seeks to deliver more sustainable rural communities, with more businesses taking their place in a highly recognised regional supply chain. It will also see increasing numbers of people coming into the region, not just for its people and places but also for its food and drink culture and restaurants offering menus full of regional produce.
“We not only see accredited regional food and drink hosts helping customers choose from a wide range of local recipes in outlets throughout the North East, but also a growing popularity and availability of our produce in the rest of the UK and overseas.’’
Improve’s chief executive officer Jack Matthews told the meeting that partnership would be vital in the Food and Drink Group achieving its stated outputs.
He added: “We are delighted to be working with the North East Chamber of Commerce and others to deliver the skills and training element of the brief which will, in turn, have the effect of raising the sector’s game and make it easier to achieve our other objectives.’’
“This vision is one of a North East England food and drinks industry where training and the passing on of learning and skills is thriving and where we have a growing number of business start-ups.
One North East’s rural and environment manager Frances Rowe said: “Local and regional food and drink are already very important players in the rural economy and in the region’s tourism offer, but we want to see their contribution to the wider food and drink sector rise by at least 50% over the next three years.
“We’ve established the North East England Food and Drink Group to drive the work needed to make that happen, and to make sure that the right support is in place for North East England to reach that challenging target.’’
Following the presentations there was a question and answer session for the panel of speakers and then delegates were given a lunch of locally sourced produce. This included beef braised in Newcastle Brown Ale, natural smoked fillet of cod poached in cream, white wine and dill and a selection of Northumbrian cheeses.
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Media: for further information contact Peter Jackson of Press Ahead on (0191) 516 6235
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