Boosting the Welsh food and drink industry
A partnership project between academics at Cardiff Metropolitan University and the Welsh food and drink industry has supported SMEs to develop their food science, technical and food safety skills, resulting in new jobs, new markets and a £103m increase in sales.
The food and drink industry is critical to the Welsh economy, generating £7 billion in 2019 alone.
The ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre (ZERO2FIVE) at Cardiff Metropolitan University has been carrying out research into the food and drink manufacturing and processing (FDMP) industry in Wales since the early 2000s. Their work has brought wide-ranging health and economic benefits to the country and contributed to Welsh Government policy on food, health, the economy, education, the environment, agriculture and tourism.
In 2009, ZERO2FIVE was awarded funding from the Welsh Government and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to run the Knowledge, Innovation and Technology Exchange (KITE) project. The project aimed to help Welsh FDMP small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop their food science and technical skills and improve their food safety compliance.
It also aimed to help the Welsh Government develop its strategic priorities for the country’s food and drink industry.
Partnership working with industry
During the KITE project, the research team worked in partnership with individuals with FDMP industry experience and Welsh food and drink SMEs, 71% of which were in areas with historically high unemployment.
Through knowledge sharing, they looked at how SMEs could:
- develop their food safety, science and technology skills
- create new jobs and safeguard existing ones
- develop new products and reformulate existing ones
- create more diverse and healthier product ranges
- increase sales
- source more local goods and services.
In particular, the research team looked at how management systems affected a company's food safety culture.
Economic impact
The KITE project resulted in:
- 290 new jobs
- 413 protected jobs
- an increase in sales of almost £103m
- 642 new products
- new export markets
- 83 food safety and retail standards accreditations
- shorter and more sustainable supply chains
- a more technically skilled workforce.
As a result of the project’s success, ZERO2FIVE received funding of £11 million for Project HELIX, which aims to build on KITE’s achievements and help the Welsh food and drink industry:
- improve the quality, integrity, safety and shelf life of their products
- develop their business skills
- access new national and international markets.
By 2019 Project HELIX had achieved an economic impact of over £110 million, a 423% return by its partners on taxpayer investment.
KITE project team
Professor David Lloyd, Professor Adrian Peters, Dr Elizabeth Redmond, Dr Debbie Clayton, Professor Louise Fielding, Professor Chris Griffiths and Leanne Ellis from ZERO2FIVE.