Develop and grow your business with help from the Food Innovation Network

The Food Innovation Network provides free access to information targeted to help you develop your business.

The agri-food sector, which includes agriculture, manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing and catering, is a major contributor to the UK economy. Last year the sector was valued at £110bn, or 6.6% of national Gross Value Added and provided 13.2% of national employment.

Innovation, supported by enabling research and development (R&D), has an important role to play in ensuring that the UK maintains a world-leading food and farming sector post-Brexit. The UK has strong record in pushing the boundaries of food production, but developing a new product or otherwise improving a food business, for example by accessing the latest advances in manufacturing, can be difficult. UK universities, institutes and research organisations have the expertise and resources to help. But how does a business – especially a small company – find out where to go?

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Helping food & drink businesses innovate and grow

The Food Innovation Network (FIN) was launched by Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andrea Leadsom, in October 2016 to give small and medium-sized businesses greater access to our world-leading technology and science, helping them innovate and grow. FIN’s primary objective is to tackle the issues which are currently impeding innovation, productivity and growth in UK‚Äôs agri-food and drink businesses. The FIN will join-up and improve access to the right information, research, skills, expertise and business support mechanisms. Ultimately it is intended that the FIN will help the sector to increase its competitiveness and profitability, thereby contributing to the government‚Äôs long term plan for food and farming ‚Äì i.e. to make the UK one of the world‚Äôs leading food nations.

Become a Food Innovation Network member

Why not join FIN and benefit from:

• Facilitation of peer-to-peer collaboration and sharing experiences/good practice
• Access to expertise, skills, tools, latest research & case studies
• Calendar of key industry events and workshops
• Source of ideas, inspiration and support for securing private and public investment.

You can find out more about Food Innovation in the UK with KTN’s agri-food landscape and timeline tools.

The Food Innovation Network is coordinated by KTN – further information please contact Simon Baty, Knowledge Transfer Manager, Agri-Food.