University of Chester unveils food research centre plan oncampus

Oct 13 2011 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

THE University of Chester has unveiled plans for its proposed North West Future Food Solutions Exchange which would make a vital contribution to the local and regional economy by supporting food and drink businesses in the North West.

The innovative new centre, planned for the University’s Main Campus, aims to be an industry-leading research and advisory hub, and would provide technological, scientific and business support to up and coming and established companies involved all the way along the food and drink chain.

It would also act as a business incubator, providing offices, conferencing, workshop and networking facilities for this highly specialised area.

The new Exchange, backed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), would help hundreds of companies, from one-man operations, to large organisations, providing access to leading research in food and drink to develop and launch new or improved products.

Professor Graham Bonwick, of the University’s ERDF Food Growth Project, said: “In spite of the recession, the North West is the country’s largest food and drink-producing region, worth about £8bn, and is also home to the UK’s highest concentration of food and drink manufacturing businesses.

“There is a real wealth of business talent in this area, and we’re seeing a whole range of organisations from across the spectrum setting up across the region – everything from craft breweries and homemade jam, to food technology, research and development companies.

“Chester is our first choice for this initiative and we believe that centre would make a vital contribution to the local economy, as well as the wider region.

“The Exchange would support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across the sector, giving them the opportunity to capitalise on new technologies and advancements so that they can reach their growth potential.

“We would be able to offer services to help them every step of the way, which could be anything from testing a product for contaminants and allergens, nutritional analysis and food labelling, or shelf life measurement, to providing information about food safety and quality assurance, lean manufacturing, and business efficiency, as well as giving them access to emerging technologies.”

The centre would offer the following services for use by SMEs:

Industry-standard facilities such as kitchens/food laboratories,

Consultation sessions with academics and industry experts,

Technology transfer sessions given by industry leaders, manufacturers and academics to showcase new processes, equipment and products,

Access to specialist research facilities or technical assistance,

Business support information and advice.