Welsh food and drink industry gets £110 million boost

Project HELIX, an initiative developed to boost innovation and efficiency in the Welsh food and drink industry, has already had an impact of over £110 million, since its launch three years ago.

Project HELIX has created 298 jobs in the Welsh food and drink industry.

The Welsh Government and EU-funded Project HELIX is a pan-Wales strategic initiative, delivered by Food Innovation Wales.

Using state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, the scheme has provided technical support and bespoke training that’s helped develop hundreds of new products, helped businesses innovate and be more productive, improve skills and reduce waste in the supply chain.

To date Project HELIX has:

• Created 298 jobs created and safeguarded a further 1302
• Supported 156 new businesses
• Assisted 276 enterprises
• Accessed 241 new markets
• Developed 366 new products.

“The success of Project HELIX shows how collaboration between academia, industry experts, government and producers on the ground can make such a big difference,” said Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths.

Food Innovation Wales has also become a network partner of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food, Europe’s leading food innovation initiative. This will establish a dedicated EIT Food presence in Wales, linking the Welsh industry to a wider consortium of key industry players, start-ups, research centres and universities from across Europe.

“By championing innovation, efficiency and a strategic approach to business, Project HELIX has been able to make a significant impact within Wales’s food and drink sector, creating and safeguarding jobs across the country,” added Professor David Lloyd, on behalf of Food Innovation Wales.