The One Show

BBC1’s The One Show features North Somerset’s The Food WorksSW

YouTube food star Hasan Semay (centre) with the team at The Food WorksSW

The Food WorksSW, the South West’s only dedicated food and drink innovation centre, was recently the star of a special feature produced by Yeti Television for BBC1’s The One Show.

The BBC’s popular national evening programme ran a report on the centre and its staff which was presented by Young Masterchef judge and YouTube food star Hasan Semay (Big Has), who travelled to the not-for-profit centre in Weston-super-Mare to meet some of the producers who rely on its facilities, and to find out more about its specialist kitchens and the technical experts who help food, drink and hospitality businesses to grow and innovate.

Hasan Semey (Big Has) and Alli Briaris of Drinks Kitchen

During filming Big Has interviewed Birmingham-based chocolatiers and Dragons’ Den winners Russell & Atwell, who regularly use the centre to experiment with flavours and produce micro batches of their fresh chocolates, and spoke to Alli Briaris of non-alcoholic aperitif brand The Drinks Kitchen, who says the centre has been instrumental to the growth of her business.  North Somerset vegan cheese producer Ellie Brown was also featured.  Her company Kinda Co has grown so much since she first used Food WorksSW that she is now based in one of the centre’s 12 purpose-built food grade production units.

Simon Gregory, Director at The Food WorksSW said, “We’re extremely proud of our incredible staff and centre and are so delighted that The One Show showed to a national audience all that we do at Food Works to help food and drink businesses. I hope it inspires other businesses to discover us.”

Since opening in Weston-super-Mare in 2020, the centre has supported 300 businesses, helping them to develop, diversify and grow their product and menu offerings, and aims to help many more in the coming years through enhanced facilities and resources. 

It has also recently announced its first ever partnership opportunity that will give businesses the chance to support both existing and emerging food and drink brands, and become an integral part of the country’s food, drink and hospitality scene.  To find out more about its partnership opportunities, please contact Simon Gregory, Director: simon@foodworks-sw.co.uk. 

Visit foodworks-sw.co.uk, or to stay up-to-date follow @foodworks_sw on Instagram, Facebook and X. A range of case studies can be found on the website and on The Food WorksSW YouTube.