Mike Hedges welcomes new European collaborative
project launched to help small and medium sized food and drink companies
innovate in the healthy food sector.
Speaking from his Swansea East Constituency,
Mike Hedges AM said… This is the sort of new fund which we need to support our
small to medium firms; these are the backbone of the agro-food economy and
could be a real growth sector for Wales with the right support. I urge companies
to watch for details of the application processes.’
Small and medium sized Welsh food and drink businesses are set to benefit from a €1.2 million international project, funded through the Interreg Atlantic Area programme, to help broaden their knowledge and capacity to supply the increased demand for innovative healthy food.
The Atlantic Healthy Food EcoSystem (AFHES)
project, co-funded by the Welsh Government and delivered by BIC Innovation in
Wales, brings together partners from France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and
Northern Ireland, including the regions of Galicia, Brittany and the Basque
Country.
The programme aims to improve the competitiveness
of Welsh food and drink companies within the Atlantic Area region by giving
them the skills and networking opportunities they need to develop new products
and access new markets, including through training, mentoring and coaching
support.
The network of companies and organisations
across the new international partnership will also share knowledge, expertise
and best practice to address key market requirements.
Lesley Griffiths, the Minister for Environment,
Energy and Rural Affairs, said:
The last few years have seen a growing demand
for innovative healthy food. We want to help small and medium sized
businesses to tap into these new opportunities and this new international cross
border project will help do just that.
This EU funded programme, supported by Welsh Government, will help increase the competitiveness of our SMEs and drive sales in this emerging sector, whilst strengthening our international engagement with key regions in Europe, which are so important at this time.
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