Sector Focus: Food and Drink

Overview

The Yorkshire and Humber food and drink sector is a diverse, dynamic one, with a mix of large, ‘big brand’ companies as well as a number of much smaller firms. The region is one of the country’s largest food and drink producers and has been showing significant, consistent growth in recent years.

Overall in the UK, the food and drink sector generates sales of £70 billion and employs approximately 500,000 people. Total food and drink exports are valued at over £10 billion and have been growing strongly in the last few years.

Key food products that are exported and are achieving strong growth include biscuits, cakes and baked goods, preserves, sauces and condiments, breakfast cereals, confectionery, cheese and tea, seafood, frozen and chilled foods.

Key overseas markets

The current major markets in order of export value are:

• Ireland
• France
• Spain
• USA
• Other EU markets

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) will offer support to food and drink exporters in all overseas markets.

Reasons to consider exporting in the food and drink sector

The UK is amongst the top food processing industries in the world and UK producers already supply product to the highest specifications to the most efficient and profitable retailers and foodservice operators in the world. The UK is also a hot-bed of innovation in food and drink, launching many more new products per year than any other European country (double the number in France for example). As such, overseas buyers are constantly looking at the UK as a source of new products and trends, and our producers are well positioned to capitalise on this.

The key global food and drink growth sectors at present – such as health-related food, private label, ethnic food, premium drinks and chilled convenience – are all areas in which the UK leads and where Yorkshire and Humber companies have the capability to supply and develop overseas market opportunities.

There also continues to be an extremely good market overseas for traditional Yorkshire products (tea, biscuits, preserves, beer and cheese etc.) due to a large and growing UK ex-pat and tourist population abroad, and growing interest from domestic consumers in foreign specialities.

Developed markets such as the USA, Canada and the EU continue to be the main recipients of UK food and drink exports, but developing markets such as the Gulf States and China are also opening up more exciting opportunities for exporters.

How we can help

UK Trade & Investment can offer help and support to companies in the food and drink sector which are wishing to target an overseas market.

Elsa Fairbanks is the UKTI regional sector specialist for this sector in the Yorkshire & Humber region. To contact Elsa, or to find out more about the support available to your business, please get in touch with an international trade adviser.

More information on the food and drink sector can be found in the sections listed below.

• Reports and publications
  These reports and publications contain useful information relating to the food and drink sector.

• Support organisations
  Here you will find details of the organisations which can help companies in the food and drink sector to expand overseas.

• Regional success stories
  Case studies of food and drink companies within the region which have taken their products or services overseas.

• Food and drink newsflashes
  Food and drink newsflashes produced by UKTI’s regional sector specialist Elsa Fairbanks.

• Regional sector specialist interview
  Interview with Elsa Fairbanks, in which she explains about the growth of the sector, which geographical markets are growing the fastest and what challenges a food and drink company may face when looking to expand overseas.

• Yorkshire helpdesk
  Free support for food & drink companies.