West of England Food and Drink Support Initiative
Are you a food or drink business or setting one up and based in the West of England – Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire?
Do you need advice and help with a technical issue, developing a new product or looking at food certification schemes?
If yes to these then funded support is available to new and existing food and drink businesses funded by the West of England Councils, West of England Combined Authority and North Somerset Council and being provided by the Future Food Partnership CIC through Food WorksSW.
The West of England Food and Drink Support Scheme (WoEFDSI) is open to food producers, manufacturers, hospitality and food service businesses based in the area to help with technical and food development challenges faced by the businesses.
The support can be delivered remotely or onsite depending on your business needs.
Wider business advice will be accessible through linked partner organisations for anything beyond food specific matters, including start up advice.
Businesses based in the Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire areas are eligible.
The interactive map includes the areas covered by the scheme.
This scheme is open to start ups, micro and small and medium sized enterprises.
If you would like to know more or discuss your ideas and support needs first, please contact the team on enquiries@foodworks-sw.co.uk or call us on 01934 287710.
To register your interest or apply to take part please click here.
Support available
Food safety plans for HACCP
Shelf life advice
Nutritional and labelling advice
Equipment and process layout advice
Costing reviews
Recipe development and reformulation
Product scale up
Technical and product development support, including:
Kitchen and product development support for proof of concept:
Up to 2 days kitchen and product development support to develop a product from an idea that is safe to consume.
Various kitchen locations will be available across the West of England.
Hands on support from our team while developing your products.
Sector specific events and workshops
Various topics will be online or in person to maximise networking and information opportunities.
A particular area that will be covered will be preparing for and meeting buyers.
Food Certification Support
Help and guidance to set up suitable systems to meet certification requirements.
SALSA (Safe And Local Supplier Approval) this certification will help you to get listings in larger wholesalers and retailers.
Support we have given
Technical support
HACCP audit, traceability audit and full gap analysis of the food safety systems for a local beverage manufacture. To help prepare them for their SALSA audit scheduled for mid-February.
Facility and HACCP audit, with follow up recommendations to comply with the BRC standard. On-going work on supporting them with compliance, with the aim for them to achieve BRC certification.
Supporting a local Coffee House with the introduction of Safer Food Better Business principles, parallel to the start of them preparing food in house.
New Product Development support
Working with Chilli Sauce Business in Bristol to change there packaging to a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective option.
Helping another sauce producer in Bristol to increase the shelf life of their product.
Supporting a Non-alcoholic drinks producer in Weston-super-Mare to develop and increase production of there tonic.
Helping a North Somerset business to develop new products specifically for customers with bowl issues like Crohn's Disease.
Upcoming events
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How to Start a Food or Drink Business
Date: 25.03.2025
09:30 12:00
A step-by-step guide on how to make your entrepreneurial dreams become reality.
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Food Safety and HACCP
Date: 25.03.2025
The Technical Team from Food Works SW will guide you through how to conduct a hazard analysis and risk assessment. Validation, sampling, monitoring of CCPs and much more!
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What is New product development?
Date: 01.04.25
Join Zoe Plant from Food Works SW to guide you through the processes of developing a food or drink product for sale in the UK.