British food unit set to boost exports
A new Great British Food Unit has been established to turbo charge UK food exports and support industry growth plants, like its target of increasing manufactured food exports to £6 billion (€7.8bn) by 2020, according to UK environment secretary Elizabeth Truss.
The launch will back industry targets to further boost exports and support British companies such as Taylors of Harrogate and Nestlé exporting overseas, potentially generating an additional 5,000 jobs in food and drink manufacturing.
The long term ambition of the new unit is to match France and Germany, which both currently export more than double the UK in terms of the value of food and drink. For the first time it will bring together experts in the exports and investment from the Department of Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and across government to help even more businesses sell their world class produce around the globe.
The UK already has an international reputation for excellence and as a place to invest in, Truss notes. The unit will support further Foreign District Investment (FDI) into the food industry which stood at a record £60 billion (€77.9bn) in 2014, nearly a third of all FDI assets in UK manufacturing.
Truss, explains, “We produce more new food products each year than France and Germany combined. From Weetabix to Yeo Valley yogurt, I want to see more of the great British breakfast enjoyed around the world. Through the creation of the new Great British Food Unit, companies large and small will now find it easier to export overseas and receive foreign investment.
Commenting on the launch, Ash Amirahmadi, head of milk and member services at Arla, says, “The launch of the Great British Food Unit is warmly welcomed by Arla. While times have been tough for British farmers recently, we are confident that there are significant opportunities for dairy globally. There are early signs that demand is rising again in Asia and other markets.
“Exporting is a fundamental part of our business and will become increasingly so over time. Over 300 million litres of Arla’s British farmer owner’s milk, or 10% of our UK milk production, is processed into products that are exported. Moreover, we have experienced a five fold increase in the level of our export business in the last three years.
“As the UK’s largest dairy cooperative, which produces 25% of British milk, we are committed to working with Government to achieve the best outcomes for our farmer owners and the UK dairy sector more widely, particularly on exports and supply chain best practice.”
