Workshop focuses on food and drink innovation

17th August 2017

Food and drink businesses looking to grow through innovation are encouraged to register for a free workshop which takes place in Inverness on 31 August.

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The event will focus on the new ‘Make Innovation Happen' service which provides a single access point for all innovation support to the Scottish food and drink industry.

The service is delivered through a coalition of industry and key public sector bodies working together to drive innovation with £1.1m of funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise.

It has been proven that when businesses get the right mix of innovation support they are twice as likely to grow and three times more likely to export successfully than non-innovators.

The new initiative aims to help more of Scotland's food and drink producers to capitalise on this massive opportunity.

The day will focus on applying market intelligence to transform business performance by utilising the best data sources and responding to real consumer needs.

The workshop will provide attendees with the opportunity to meet specialists in the sector and discover how to access the Collaborative Innovation Fund which is available through the Make Innovation Happen service.

Businesses will hear from fellow producers about their innovation journey and how innovation has helped them succeed.

Elaine Jamieson, Head of Food and Drink at HIE, said: "Innovation is widely recognised as a key driver of businesses competitiveness. Innovation Insights and the Collaboration Innovation Fund empower businesses to work together to develop industry-led solutions to exploit new commercial opportunities.

"This workshop will be an opportunity for businesses to learn more about the new programmes, how to access the support available and to share ideas and discuss how they can take forward an application."

Rick Allison, Scotland Food & Drink said: "The food and drink sector is one of Scotland's best performing and innovation is critical to its continued success. It is vital that we empower Scotland’s food and drink businesses to respond to today’s consumer and market needs and to adapt to future challenges and opportunities.

“I’m looking forward to welcoming producers to this workshop and showcasing how innovative practices can help them to grow and improve their bottom line."

Register to attend the event here: https://innovationfd.eventbrite.co.uk