Welsh food and drink manufacturers offered support to improve sustainability
Welsh food and drink companies are being offered funded support to help improve their sustainability. Eligible companies can receive assistance with waste reduction, process efficiency/improvement, sustainable new product development and compliance with sustainable food standards through the Welsh Government and EU-backed Project HELIX.
The call for Welsh companies comes as the Welsh Government recently announced their new strategic vision for Wales’ food and drink sector, which aims to create an industry with world-leading sustainability.
ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Met University is one of three Food Innovation Wales Centres located across Wales which can offer Project HELIX funded support. ZERO2FIVE has already worked with a number of Welsh companies on sustainability projects including Castell Howell, who were supported to look at waste control in their factory.
Edward Morgan, Group CSR Manager & Training Manager, Castell Howell said: “We engaged with ZERO2FIVE on a programme to identify food production waste, from goods in to despatch. During the course of ten visits, ZERO2FIVE worked with the team at Farm Fresh to map out areas where waste could be eliminated. A food waste audit system was developed with the team, working towards implementing a zero food waste culture.”
ZERO2FIVE also worked with Tillery Valley Foods, part of Sodexo, to look at their factory waste processes.
Jean Headon, Business Improvement Manager, Tillery Valley Foods, said: “ZERO2FIVE were totally impartial and helped us to identify improvements in processes and new waste streams. The dedicated time they had to observe and collect data was invaluable and enabled the onsite management team to streamline processes and action areas of waste streams that we were not previously aware of. The waste tracking improved month on month from 20% to 60% and this visibility of where the waste was coming from has helped us reduce it going forward.”
Professor David Lloyd, Director of ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, said: “People in Wales and across the world are increasingly seeking more sustainable ways of living for themselves and future generations and it is important that the Welsh food and drink industry keeps pace. If your company is looking to improve its sustainability then we encourage you to get in touch, whether you require assistance with reducing factory waste or developing new products using waste ingredients.”
For further information about Project HELIX funded support, visit https://foodinnovation.wales/funded-support/
