Lincolnshire seafood industry receives £500k boost

The National Centre for Food Manufacturing at the University of Lincoln has helped secure part of the £220m Growth Renewal Fund in an effort to position Grimsby as the global centre for seafood innovation and education.

Grimsby and the surrounding area will benefit from the funding through the development of programmes to grow the local seafood industry with improved skills, technology and innovation.

Developing skills​

Professor Valerie Braybrooks, dean of National Centre for Food Marketing, said the centre would work to help businesses innovate and develop the skills needed to address challenges such as the need to adopt digital technologies, reduce their carbon footprint and develop new innovative processes and products.

“Grimsby is a globally important seafood processing centre employing over 5,500 people directly and 10,000 across the supply chain,” ​Braybrooks added.

“It is crucially important that Grimsby’s businesses are able to retain their competitiveness in the face of growing international competition and help ensure Greater Lincolnshire Agrifood sector’s reputation as the UK Food Valley, a world-leading centre for food trade.”​

Eligible businesses ​

Eligible businesses can apply to receive an innovation and support package, along with an average of 12 hours one-to-one business support. Seafood businesses also have the opportunity to receive a grant of £3,000 to £9,999 to support activities that improve productivity and efficiency.

The National Centre for Food Manufacturing is an industry-leading educational centre based in the heart of Lincolnshire’s fenlands, offering flexible courses to help people advance within the food sector.

Meanwhile, in December, Scottish seafood businesses were set to benefit from a £100,000 scheme to help upskill and train employees​​ to support industry growth.

Launched by Seafood Scotland – with funding from the National Transition Training Fund and Skills Development Scotland (SDS)– the ‘Business Improvement Programme’​​  provided bespoke training packages to companies, catered to their needs.