Sarah Louise Fairburn, LEP Vice Chair, Chair of the LEP Food Board, UK Food Valley Lead, and CEO & Founder of IMP & MAKER, shares her thoughts on what 2021 has meant for the food industry in her blog.
Following another rollercoaster year for the food and drink industry, I’d like to start by thanking all our incredible food businesses who have gone above and beyond again this year, and who are right now busier than ever ensuring that Great British families and friends can enjoy and share the finest locally produced food and drink this Christmas.
Since 2011, we have used our collaborative strength to deliver innovative projects and programmes including the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone, Bishop Burton Riseholme College, and the Agri-Food Centre of Excellence. We are creating high-value jobs which draw in new talent to develop the skills for the future, and help people to benefit from the emerging job creation and planned investment through our universities, centres of excellence, and through the Greater Lincolnshire Skills Capital Programme too.
But the highlight for me this year, was to launch the UK Food Valley to over 250 delegates and industry leads at the Lincolnshire Showground last month. Here in Lincolnshire we have an international reputation for growing and processing super high-quality food, and we’re home to one of the largest concentrations of agriculture, food manufacturing, storage and distribution in Europe, with an incredible focus and infrastructure in technology and innovation, and it was my job to sell this fantastic opportunity!
The facts and figures told their own story. Not only do we grow 30% of the nation's vegetables, we produce 18% of all poultry, with our total agricultural output alone in 2019 topping a whopping £2bn; a massive 11% of England’s total agri-food output.
Since 2016 there has been over £2.25bn investment in the food chain in Lincolnshire, creating over 7,000 jobs.
But our UK Food Valley programme is not just about food businesses either. It brings together the food and drink industry with valuable supply chains, tech suppliers, local and national government and academia with strong links to industry. The opportunities bring together marketeers, brand experts, photographers, ecommerce and digital businesses as well as solicitors, and linguists to name but a few! We are also eager to connect more with our health sector as the correlation with diet and health outcomes is undeniably significant. We understand the importance of cross-fertilisation and are driving a holistic approach to supporting a wider agenda from manufacturing to skills, logistics to low carbon, and from health and diet to tourism.
On a personal note, I also launched my new business venture this year and was very proud to sponsor a celebrity book launch last month launching our luxury Christmas Cocktail Hamper range at legendary London Soho private members club, Blacks.
What we're creating together here in Greater Lincolnshire is something that is nationally and internationally significant. Thanks to everyone who has supported me personally and professionally this year and for being part of the journey. I’d like to end by wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and prosperous and sustainable New Year.
Sarah Louise Fairburn
xxx
Read Sarah Louise’s full blog in the UK Food Valley Christmas Bulletin out soon!
