New organisation to create £10 billion food and drink industry in Scotland

It is anticipated that the new organisation will help to create an industry worth £10 billion by 2017, and the initiative has been welcomed by Richard Lochhead, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment. The organisation, which will be known as “Scotland Food & Drink”, will bring together the many different agencies and industry groups in order to direct their resources towards a common goal. It already has the support of leading organisations including Seafish Industry Authority, Scottish Executive and Highlands and Islands Enterprise amongst others.  David Kilshaw, group managing director of Food Partners and chairman of the public and private sector working group that has been leading its development over the last 20 months, said: “For the first time ever there’s a common agenda that’s come from industry itself, and we believe this new approach is going to make our industry stronger, more profitable and sustainable in years to come.”