£10m boost for food and drink industry

MORE than £10 million is to be invested in Scotland's food and drink sector.

The Scottish Universities Industry Innovation Network for Food and Drink, a partnership of 17 universities and the food and drink industries, is designed to help meet research and industry innovation needs.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is to make 2.64m available over five years.

In total, 10.58m of cash and in-kind investment will be given to the project.

Academics will work with businesses and trade sectors on "knowledge exchange" projects in areas including food science, supply chain development, waste management, packaging design and marketing. It is led by the University of Aberdeen, the University of Abertay Dundee and Heriot-Watt University, together with Interface, the agency that connects businesses to academic expertise..

Trade associations, such as Scotland Food and Drink, and companies providing 4.84m of cash and in-kind support.

The SFC said Scotland's food and drink industry is a key sector of its economy, which generates more than 9.5 billion a year and employs more than 360,000 people.