News article
19 November 2020
Dumfries and Galloway Food and Drink Forum secures food funding boost
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Dumfries and Galloway Food and Drink Forum secures food funding
boost
Dumfries and Galloway Food and Drink Forum, the regional food group that aims to
grow a
thriving food and drink network for Dumfries and Galloway, has secured funding
to champion local
produce.
The group, which is also supported by Food and Drink Federation Scotland and
Developing the
Young Workforce Dumfries and Galloway, is receiving the funding from industry
leadership body,
Scotland Food and Drink. It is part of a new national £250k fund,
supported by the Scottish
Government, to support the ongoing development of Scotland’s regional
food
groups.
Over the next 12 months, Dumfries and Galloway Food and Drink Forum aims to
strengthen and
develop food and drink businesses in the local area, delivering on strategic
projects to provide locally
available, affordable food from the region that is underpinned by the circular
economy at every step.
The South of Scotland region is home to food and drink producers of all shapes
and sizes and its
dairy, beef and seafood is highly regarded in top restaurants across the
country.
Belted Galloway
The fund will benefit 15 groups across the country by resourcing coordinator
posts and will
include match-funding from partners including local authorities. It aims to
create an active network of
regional ambassadors who work in conjunction with local authorities to promote
regional food and
drink and tourism strategies. Regional food groups, like Dumfries &
Galloway
Food and Drink
Forum, plan and deliver projects such as increasing consumption and supply of
local produce;
upskilling food and drink businesses; hosting events; improving digital
developments and e-
commerce with local companies and, crucially, developing food and drink tourism.
Ruaridh Hesketh, Chair of Dumfries & Galloway Food and Drink Forum, said:
“Covid-
19 has had a profound impact on Dumfries and Galloway’s food and drink
and
tourism
industries and we are very aware of the constant challenges faced by businesses
across the region.
Now, more than ever, it is important to support our food and drink and tourism
businesses to ensure
visitors to the region get the very best of what Dumfries and Galloway has to
offer.”
“The funding from Scotland Food & Drink will help us do just that,
driving our food
story as part of the wider South of Scotland context and building demand for
sustainable food
tourism.” Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food &
Drink, said:
“Regional food groups like Dumfries & Galloway Food and Drink Forum
have a pivotal
role to play in the successful growth and development of our country’s
food, drink and food
tourism sectors, especially in the recovery from Covid-19. “With a
combination of both long-
established groups, those which are more recently formed, and some which are
brand new,
Scotland’s diverse mix of regional food groups all have energy, ambition
and a commitment to
championing their areas. With this new funding, our aim is to build a strong
network of groups and
give them the recognition and backing they deserve.” Supporting regional
food groups is a
key pillar in Scotland Food & Drink’s UK Market Development
‘Home
Advantage’ Strategy, which aims to achieve £17bn turnover from food
and drink sales
within the UK by 2030.
The 15 regional food groups being supported by the new funding are:
- Appetite for Angus
- Arran’s Food Journey
- Ayrshire Food Network
- Bute Kitchen
- Dumfries & Galloway Food and Drink Forum
- Discover Inverclyde’s Food and Drink
- Eat Drink Hebrides
- East Lothian Food & Drink
- Food from Argyll
- Food from Fife
- Forth Valley Food & Drink Network
- North East Scotland Food & Drink Network
- Orkney Food & Drink
- Perth & Kinross Food Tourism Group
- Shetland Food & Drink
For further information on the Dumfries & Galloway Food and Drink Forum,
please contact:
sheena@eatswscotland.com
More information
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