Food and drink innovation centre The Food WorksSW has launched an exciting competition offering food and drink producers, hospitality businesses or start-ups across the United Kingdom the chance to win a unique prize worth over £3,000.
Based in the heart of the Weston-super-Mare Enterprise Area, the centre, which is the only one of its kind in the south west, is offering five days' free use of a state-of-the-art development kitchen, each of which contains specialist equipment tailored to five key areas within the industry - bakery, dairy, drinks, commercial and trial.
The centre's New Product Development and Innovation Manager, Zoe Plant, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the lucky winner to scale-up production, introduce new lines or develop a new concept, produce short runs, reformulate a product with expert help, pilot product improvements or simply trial the use of commercial and state-of-the-art equipment.”
On top of this, the lucky prize winner will receive up to two days of new product development support from the experienced on-site team and one year's business membership. Membership benefits include four hours of technical support and discounted rates on hiring the facilities.
The esteemed judging panel will consist of the President of the Guild of Food Writers and author of the cookbook 'Two's Company: Simple' Orlando Murrin, journalist Martin Hesp, and the centre's New Product Development and Innovation Manager, Zoe Plant.
Andrew Collinson, Director of Operations at The Food and Drink Forum, which operates the facility on behalf of North Somerset Council, said: “This competition offers a fantastic opportunity for a food and drink business to win up to one week in one of our state-of-the-art development kitchens.
“These include standard catering equipment as well as specialist kit for bakery, dairy, ready meals and drinks development. Built to food-grade standard and meeting the latest environmental health legislation, these facilities allow businesses of any size – from start-ups to large enterprises – to scale up production, introduce new lines, produce short runs, and pilot product improvements. I'd urge anyone interested to enter.”
