The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership hosted the delegation which was visiting some of the region’s award-winning food producers, as well as meeting key players involved in promoting food and drink businesses across the area.
The first stop on the tour was to the new Agricultural Innovation Centre, at Harper Adams University – a project partly funded by the Marches LEP.
LEP Chairman Graham Wynn, who met the delegates for a dinner featuring local produce at Fishmore Hall, in Ludlow said: “UKTI visited both the Marches and Worcestershire to see what our amazing region has to offer in terms of food and drink. This is one of our key business sectors, with huge capacity for growth and some of that will be through the exporting of our goods overseas.
“Around 80 per cent of our land area is dedicated to agricultural and horticultural production, and it is a sector which employs more than 16,000 people.
“The delegates from UKTI told me they had seen real passion from our food and drink producers in what they do. The team was able to see how food and drink production thrives in our landscape which offers up the best local fresh produce and also see how the LEP, our local authority partners and regional Centres of Excellence and food groups and networks are supporting businesses in this sector.”
The delegation visited the Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre, meeting businesses operating out of the food manufacturing units, including Ivan Watkiss, of Coopers Sausage Rolls, after enjoying a lunch of local produce at the HEART of ENGLAND fine foods TASTE Kitchen.
The UKTI representatives also toured artisan cheesemakers Monkland Cheese Dairy, at Leominster, Hereford before a round table discussion about the food and drink sector in Herefordshire.
The second day saw the delegation meet with Hereford Enterprise Zone managing director Mark Pearce before a tour of Herefordshire company, Westons Cider.
Mr Wynn added: “The Marches is home to international food businesses including Muller Wiseman Dairy in Shropshire and Cargill Meats in Herefordshire as well as small artisan producers who supply high end department stores and ‘quality regional food’ aisles of major
supermarket chains.
“But what this visit also demonstrated was the well-established supply chain in the sector, not just in the produce but also in food packaging, materials innovation, testing and development.
“This visit ensures that the international teams working to boost UK exports are up to date on what the Marches and its businesses can offer, and I’m sure the region will reap the benefits as this sector continues to grow in our region.”
Shropshire Live is regulated by