GREAT NEWS FOR NORTH EAST FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR
(January 2006)

The North East food and drink market received a great boost at the year's end with the news that One NorthEast, the regional development agency, has committed over £1 million to the development of this important sector.

ONE has awarded the funds to the North East Regional Food Group, Northumbria Larder, which was set up in 2002 with support from One NorthEast, the Countryside Agency, Defra and Food from Britain.

Under the new arrangements agreed projects and programmes will help the food and drink sector become more sustainable. Steps will be taken to increase consumer and producer confidence by improving the diversity, quality and range of food available and offering specialist assistance and guidance to regional businesses.

Northumbria Larder was set up to encourage collaboration between producers, suppliers and retailers from the Borders to Tees Valley to raise the standards of locally-produced food and enhance the reputation of the region's distinctive food and drink products. It has a board of dedicated volunteers from the ranks of its membership, plus representatives from One NorthEast and Government Office North East. It currently has a membership of 64 small and medium-sized food and drink businesses.

In announcing the new arrangements, Pat Ritchie, director of strategy and development at ONE, said: "Food and Drink is an identified priority sector for the region and One NorthEast is committed to strategic investment for the benefit of the whole sector, of which quality regional food is the key element. Food and drink businesses already value the work of Northumbria Larder but this funding will continue to build on that and ensure more and more businesses have support available to them, and more and more consumers and retailers recognise the brand and the benefits that come with its association."

The regional development agency has approved the funding which will take the group forward to March 2007, during which time the aim is to successfully re-brand Northumbria Larder so it is easily recognisable as the Regional Food and Drink Producers' Group in the region as well as one of the leading regional food and drink groups in the UK. Specialists will be recruited to provide the new range of services to regional producers and consumers.

The role of Northumbria Larder will be to stimulate market demand and consumer awareness through an events programme, ensure quality Farmers' Markets' collaboration and coordination, provide specialist brokerage of business support, further develop a logistics/distribution solution, ensure effective networking and advice between other Food and Drink projects within the region, benefit the health and tourism markets, and develop a new brand that interfaces with the Regional Food brand for the North East.

Sandy Duncan, Head of Business Development at Northumbria Larder, said "We are delighted that One NorthEast has supported and shown its commitment to the food and drink sector in the region by awarding this funding. We are committed to the development of this sector, particularly with respect to the food supply chain, distribution, innovation, promotion and integration of support which will assist all those involved in the Food and Drink sector to benefit their businesses."

She added that Northumbria Larder had recently assisted 20 food producers with HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) training, a system of food safety management which becomes a legal requirement from January 2006. "We are committed to the standards required for food production," she said. "We have also attended and helped organise a number of consumer and trade events during 2005 and continue to facilitate the supply of regional products into independent and multiple stores, giving an increased income generated for regional food sold in the North East alone, in excess of £1 million."

Frances Rowe, rural and environment manager at One NorthEast, added: "This is excellent news for rural businesses as Northumbria Larder will have a key role in assisting such businesses to diversify and develop, giving consumers access to a more diverse choice of fresh local and regional healthy food and drink.

"A successful North East Regional Food Group will also bring vast benefits to the tourism sector giving us yet another reason to shout about what we have on offer in North East England, allowing us to promote local produce and develop a distinct image for the region through its quality foods."