Pictured above: Jo Murphy
Three new business advisors have been appointed to help food and
drink firms in the East Midlands to develop.
The Food and Drink iNet advisors will support companies to
implement new ideas, new products and new processes with the aim of
helping them to grow their business through innovation.
The Food and Drink iNet has been supporting the sector across
the region for more than two years with a team of advisors. But
now, for the first time and following the launch of phase two of
the Food and Drink iNet, there is a dedicated advisor for each
large county in the East Midlands.
"This expansion of the Food and Drink iNet advisory team means
that we can build on the advice and support that we offer to
businesses working in the food and drink sector in the East
Midlands," said Food and Drink iNet director Andrew Butterwick. "In
the current climate, innovation is essential to ensure that the
regional food and drink industry continues to develop and remain
competitive.
"The support provided by the iNet during the first two years of
the project was welcomed by food and drink manufacturers in the
region as an original way of supporting and encouraging innovation
in the sector in the East Midlands. We intend to build on this in
the future via a number of different channels, and are delighted to
welcome additional advisors to our team."
Pictured above: Catherine Wright
Funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Food and Drink iNet
co-ordinates innovation support for businesses, universities and
individuals working in the food and drink sector in the East
Midlands. One of four iNets, it strives to develop an effective
network to encourage the collaboration of academic expertise and
knowledge, and local food and drink business innovation needs.
It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and
drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to
develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and
implement new products, markets, services and processes.
The new Food and Drink iNet advisors are Jo Murphy, who is
covering Northamptonshire, Stevie Jackson, who is supporting
businesses in Leicestershire and Rutland, and Catherine Wright, who
is covering Nottinghamshire. All have experience of business
support and the food and drink sector.
They join iNet advisors Paul Sheppard, who is responsible for
support in Derbyshire, and Rachel Linstead, who covers
Lincolnshire. Susan Tate, who previously covered Northamptonshire
and Leicestershire, has moved to become contract and project
manager at the Food and Drink iNet.
The Food and Drink iNet is managed by a consortium, led by the
Food & Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday,
Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the
University of Nottingham. It is based at Southglade Food Park,
Nottingham, with advisors covering the East Midlands region.