Food Entrepreneur Learning Model

Supporting food and drink businesses with start up and development.

The project is designed to help new and existing food and drink businesses to grow and develop by offering creative business solutions through training, mentoring, sharing ideas and experiences with other likeminded business people.

Organisation:

Completion Date: 10/05/2004

Location

Leicester and Leicestershire

Project Description

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This project is designed to respond to some of the outcomes of the two recent LSEP funded projects ‘Developing Leicester as a Centre for Ethnic Food Manufacturing for the UK and Europe’ and 'Leicester Food Park’ which investigated the opportunities and commitment by Leicester food companies for growth and which through three consultation events with food businesses, further telephone and questionnaire consultation, formed a strategy for growth for Leicester Food and Drink manufacturing companies.

The project is also based on the outcomes of various emda funded initiatives in the area, including The Food and Drink Forum ‘Innovation and Technology Brokerage Project’ and ‘LSC funded Leicester Food Manufacturing Skills Gap Survey’, ‘emda funded Skills for Ethnic Food Businesses’ in association with the Forum’s SBS Phoenix funded programme ‘Enterprise in Food’, a successful food and drink specific business start up programme which has been running in Nottinghamshire for the last 3 years. www.enterpriseinfood.co.uk

The project aims are two fold:-

• Grow the food and drink sector in Leicester and Leicestershire.
• To increase the uptake of technology, innovation and training in new, established and inward investment businesses of the sector.

This will be achieved by setting up a vibrant and effective sector specific network of businesses, providing support, guidance, inspiration and best practice to businesses regardless of their size and complexity. Previous research has shown that companies require a range of different types of support relative to different stages of their growth and this project responds to this offering a totally innovative and bespoke support mechanism based on customer need as well as industry expertise.

One of the unique features of this project is that it will establish a ‘network chain’ where businesses can access support tailored to their exact needs dependant on their size and development issues but where businesses who enter the chain at different levels can bring their experiences, issues and ideas to other businesses along the chain. This interaction will form working partnerships, mentoring and commercial opportunity for all network members. This will be achieved with the input of sector specialists employed by the Food and Drink Forum. The Business Coach will be responsible for bringing to the companies appropriate and high quality training and industry knowledge in response to the companies needs.

Outcomes

• 38 Job Creations – Number of jobs created or safeguarded.
• 9 Business Creations – Number of new businesses created and demonstrating growth after 12 months or businesses attracted to the region.
• 20 Businesses Supported – Number of businesses supported to improve their performance.
• 2 businesses within the region engaged in new collaborations with the knowledge base (knowledge base/business collaboration).
• 40 individuals assisted in their development as a result of RDA programmes.
• 2 graduates newly employed in small businesses.
• 2 new social enterprise start-ups demonstrating growth after 12 months.
• 2 ethnic minority majority owned or managed businesses created and demonstrating growth after 12 months.
• 2 female majority owned or managed businesses created and demonstrating growth after 12 months.
• 5 businesses assisted with management/leadership skills needs.
• 40 businesses assisted to make better use of ICT including trading on-line

Project Contacts

Project manager:
Maria Calen
Business Development Coach (Leicestershire)
Tel: 0115 975 8810
Fax: 0115 975 8811
E-mail: mcalen@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk
Website: www.foodcampus.com

LSEP contact:
Name Niloofar Sarkari
E-mail: niloofars@lsep.co.uk
Website: www.lsep.co.uk