A VIP brunch event bringing together about 100 guests has explored the potential of food production in Lincolnshire with its UK Food Valley initiative – a project by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP to position the Greater Lincolnshire food sector as a Top 10 Global Food Cluster.
The event, staged by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Team Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire County Council, brought together a number of expert speakers who briefed guests on various aspects of food production in our area, from investment opportunities to sustainability.
Speakers included LEP Food Board Chair Sarah Louise Fairburn, Mark Suthern from the UK Food Valley, Councillor Colin Davie from Lincolnshire County Council and the LEP Board, Mark Willcox from Branston Potatoes, Simon Dwyer from the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance, and Carrie Davie from Bridge Farm in Spalding.
Alison Hands, Chief Executive of the Lincolnshire Co-op, said: “I’ve really been impressed. I think the opportunities are fantastic and the scale of the operation is just amazing.
“The UK Food Valley bringing that strategy, support, help and connectivity really creates a power, and when you work together that’s where there’s real benefit. Working in a co-operative that’s exactly what were about, so there are real synergies there for me.”
Simon Dwyer from the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance said: “The UK Food Valley has a strong message, and it resonates with people whether in the agricultural world or the seafood world. If everyone is together, teamed up and joined up, it will motivate people, businesses and investors to come into the area, which is really key.
“Events like this one give us the opportunity to talk about the jewels in the crown that we have in the UK Food Valley and about the jobs and opportunities around decarbonisation and net zero. We just need to continually beat the drum!”
Shona Hatton from Influence Landscape Planning And Design, who is working on the landscaping of the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ), said: “It’s really exciting to see the extent of developments that are happening and to hear all the interesting things that people are saying in terms of employment in an area that we know very well and in a landscape that we love and really want to promote.”
Carrie Davie from Bridge Farm in Spalding said: “The UK Food Valley is hugely important. It brings so many jobs and so much innovation, and it highlights Lincolnshire across the UK.
“You only have to look around the room to see the number of people here today. When collectively industries work together it adds value, and I think the UKFV will go from strength to strength.”
It supports growth and encourages inward investment by promoting the scale, diversity and importance of the food sector to the area, and by supporting existing food sector companies and new investors.
