Support From Scotland Food & Drink

All members are allocated a Business Development Manager who together cover the whole of Scotland and are here to ensure you are listened to and can be plugged into any relevant support, especially during these challenging times.

In recent months we organised five network events across Scotland and met more than 60 members face-to-face to discuss current challenges. This gave us a deeper understanding of the harsh reality of running a business right now and has helped shape some of our policy responses.

We are planning more network opportunities, as well as leadership events to connect our industry more effectively.

We also fund Regional Food Groups, to support regional businesses and build networks across local areas. We encourage you to reach out to your local group to find out what they are doing and how you can work together. Many offer a way to meet and network which can be a vital source of support.

As well as sharing up-to-the-minute content via our social media channels (Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram), we produce a newsletter packed full of insights and information and links to further support. Sign up here to be added onto the mailing list.

If you are already a member and have news for us to share with others (ideally with a supporting image), send it to us at: news@foodanddrink.scot.

We are exploring other ways to connect, such as WhatsApp or LinkedIn Groups, and will update as these move forward.

Our policy work is dedicated to helping food and drink businesses in Scotland, with two key aims:

1. Understand what our members and those across the industry need to achieve responsible growth
2. Work constructively with decision makers across the food and drink landscape, including UK and Scottish Governments, to meet those needs

Recent policy work has focussed on regulation, including the Circular Economy, Deposit Return Scheme and products that are high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS). We are also engaging teams across different Scottish Government directorates, as well as the UK Government’s Scotland Office to explore how we can support responsible growth more broadly.

To see our policy work in action, click here.

Alongside our Market Development team which develops Scotland-wide opportunities including an annual “Sourcing Scotland” event, we fund 19 Regional Food Groups. These are based across Scotland and can help you find new regional markets, access business advice and make important new connections.

We also support Food Tourism Ambassadors who work to boost local food and drink in specific areas and who you can connect with to explore ways to boost your business locally and make new connections.

Our dedicated UK Market Development team is continually looking for and creating bespoke opportunities to grow your sales across the UK. This includes “meet the buyer” opportunities, trade shows, learning journeys and more. Upcoming opportunities can be found on our events calendar with more added all the time.

We coordinate the Scotland Food & Drink Export Board and are working collectively to update the latest strategy to help us take advantage of the many international opportunities for the excellent food and drink produced in Scotland. This is a priority and links to the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, recognising Scotland’s role as a “Trading Nation” as well as a land of food and drink.

To sign up for updates and find out more about exporting from Scotland, visit Scottish Development International’s website. You can sign up for direct support here.

For the latest opportunities available from the UK’s Department for International Trade, sign up here.

Not all businesses are ready to access the opportunities on offer and need extra help to prepare for the next stage of growth.

This is why we developed The Academy, a programme tailored to different stages of business growth, that you can apply for at any time. Cohorts receive expert advice and knowledge, including from other businesses, in a structured way to enhance business skills.

We offer funded support towards certification in your business, which can help access certain markets. These include SALSA and Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS).

We are helping to develop a new strategy to support the growth of Scotland’s organic sector. To be involved or receive updates on this work, contact our Organic Development Manager, Adam Forrest (adam@foodanddrink.scot) or sign up here.

Alongside our partners, we have produced a series of toolkits including ways to boost Recruitment and Retention as well as Greening Your Business which can reduce costs, reduce your environmental impact and boost your business’s credentials in key markets.

Other resources are also available on our website, including sector specific strategies for responsible growth.