78% of yorkies will pay more for local food

In 2006, Yorkshire Forward unveiled plans to help businesses in the region’s food and drink industry to grow faster and sustain their competitive advantage. The region is the UK’s food and drink capital, with 15,000 companies employing above 60,000 people in manufacturing alone.

The agency has plans to establish Europe’s first centre of food robotics and automation, and is looking for international trade opportunities via the Targeted Export Support Scheme (TESS) supported by the European Regional Development Fund. The plans also specify new food and drink markets to exploit – such as the functional food sector, which reflects a growing consumer interest in health foods and drink. A Functional Food Forum - a joint venture between The Food Chain Centre for Industrial Collaboration, Food Technology Advisory Service and Yorkshire Forward - will provide a platform for new ideas, and generate R&D opportunities.

Yorkshire Forward also notes the growing demand from consumers to know the origins of the food and drink that they purchase. This is borne out by the popularity of farm-shops and farmers markets which are helping to connect farmers with their customers to build consumer trust. Statistics now show that 78 per cent of people will pay more for Yorkshire branded products, with 65 per cent of consumers buying local produce. The plans highlight promoting regional provenance through targeted regional branding and support. Click here to download the food and drink strategy document.