Surge in Activity at Food From Fife Throughout 2016
Increased activity at Food from Fife in 2016 has seen a
positive impact on local food and drink businesses working together to grow the
industry in the last 12 months.
Food from Fife is a not for profit company that was
established in 2010 to help food and tourism businesses work together
better. 2016 has been a standout year
for the network, which now has 47 members from across Fife. Members range from artisan food and drink
producers to large-scale manufacturers, chefs, hospitality businesses (large
hotels, small B&Bs and everything in between), colleges, farms shops,
cookery schools, caterers, heritage organisations, markets and food
photographers.
This broad cross-spectrum of the food and drink industry in
Fife has allowed for a variety of activity, which has included a core programme
of networking events taking place across the region. Part of the organisation's
remit is to encourage greater collaboration between hospitality businesses and
food producers so a programme of familiarisation trips has been put in place,
enabling local kitchen and front of house staff to visit their local food
producers. The first of these will take place in mid January 2017, visiting
food producers in the St Andrews area. Overall, this is part of Food from
Fife's work to drive forward food tourism in Fife and increase the amount of
local produce used across the industry.
Food from Fife has also facilitated funded trips for member
businesses to Glasgow's BBC Good Food Show, Birmingham's Food & Drink Expo
and London's Speciality Fine Food Show as part of Fife Council's Learning
Journeys Fund.
Training opportunities for businesses through Food from Fife
have included free PR workshops for members as well as a specially tailored
social media and food photography day.
The network has worked hard to promote its members hosting
press trips, working with VisitScotland and Fife Council on press stunts and a
bloggers conference and providing members with opportunities in the media. Press coverage for food and drink in Fife has
included a double-page spread in national food magazine, Olive, as well as
regular recipes from members in Scotland-wide media outlets.
Chair, John Whitehead OBE said:
“2016 has been a busy year for Food from Fife and, with the
support of funding from Fife Council as well as increased membership, we've
been able to forge ahead with a strong programme of activity. We've also grown participation in our board,
widening the range of experience. The
coming year also promises to be action-packed as we work hard to strengthen our
membership and consolidate our work to grow the food and drink and food tourism
industries in Fife. I'd like to take
this opportunity to thank our diverse members, without whom this activity would
simply not take place.”
Activity planned for 2017 includes working with the
Dunfermline and West Fife Local Tourism Association on a showcase of Fife
produce, the opportunity to fund members exhibiting at trade and consumer shows
and continuing with the programme of familiarisation trips and networking
events for members.
Food from Fife's next networking event will take place at
the St Andrews Cheese Company on 16th January.
Businesses interested in attending should contact Food from Fife's
coordinator, Martha Bryce on martha@foodfromfife.co.uk.
To find out more about Food from Fife or membership, please
contact Martha Bryce:
Tel. 07905 761 525 or visit www.foodfromfife.co.uk
/Twitter @foodfromfife / Facebook/food-from-fife
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