East Midlands Accelerator
The East Midlands Accelerator is led by East Midlands Chamber and operates across seven local authority areas in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire after the region’s leading business representation group successfully bid for £5.36m of the Government’s new £220m fund. The CRF is the forerunner to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will eventually replace EU structural funds that help to deliver local business support and skills development programmes.
The East Midlands Accelerator, which will be delivered in conjunction with local authorities, universities and other business support services in the region, includes a Race to Zero-Carbon Accelerator, Digital Transformation Accelerator, Start-Up to Scale-Up Accelerator, Kickstart Accelerator and Financial Accelerator.
Project partners include universities and organisations such as The Food and Drink Forum, Nottingham Business Venture, B-Global, Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire, and Leicester Startups CIC.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-community-renewal-fund-prospectus
Supporting growth in food and drink
How we can help food and drink businesses
As the lead partner for food and drink, we can assist businesses and individuals across two themes: ‘Start-Up to Scale-Up – for food and drink manufacturers’ and ‘Race to Zero Accelerator – for food and drink manufacturers’.
Individuals and SME businesses must be in the following supported areas:
- Nottinghamshire County Council covering Bassetlaw, Mansfield, and Newark & Sherwood
- Derbyshire County Council covering Derbyshire Dales and the High Peak
- Nottingham City Council
- Leicester City Council
Start Up to Scale Up
This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
The project is aimed at food and drink manufacturing businesses, including individuals who are about to start a business through to established businesses that require the support to innovate.
The project will help you by:
- Reviewing your business plans covering a range of key subject areas, including food safety, product development, innovation, decarbonisation, production and premises.
- Identifying actions and support to enable you to start and scale-up your business.
- Access to NPD and Innovation support through our one-day conference.
- Preparation for the SALSA Accreditation.
- An opportunity to take part in practical, cross-sector food masterclasses at the School of Artisan Food.
- Access to grants and vouchers to support safeguarding and the creation of jobs.
- Access to our NPD and innovation staff within our test kitchens at Food WorksSW.
- Providing established and growing business access to Start-up and Growth Vouchers that provide up to £2,000 (inc VAT) towards consultancy advice to help your business.
- Access to Capital and Revenue Grants that can provide an 80% intervention rate of up to £8,000 (inc VAT) towards a range of eligible expenditures, including capital equipment.
The Race to Zero Carbon Accelerator
This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
This project is aimed at established SME businesses looking to improve or benefit from the sustainability and low carbon agenda, including:
- Businesses seeking growth benefits through the production and marketing of more sustainable products and packaging.
- Businesses looking to improve operational efficiencies, through more efficient production line equipment, premises and supply-chain, as well as reducing waste and energy use.
The project will help you by:
- Reviewing your sustainability across the following areas
- Environmental management
- Leadership and Workforce; Operations and Innovation
- Marketing Strategy, Product Offering, and Communications
- Supply Chain Logistics and Distribution - One-to-one on-site review of premises, processes, and production to identify actions and provide direct and practical support.
- Identifying opportunities for partner support.
- Providing insight and knowledge through our events program:
- 21st June 2022 - Decarbonisation Event - Providing established and growing business access to Start-up and Growth Vouchers that provide up to £2,000 (inc VAT) towards consultancy advice to help your business.
- Access to Capital and Revenue Grants that can provide an 80% intervention rate of up to £8,000 (inc VAT) towards a range of eligible expenditures, including capital equipment.
Links to Support Available
Providing insight and knowledge through our events program:
17th May 2022 - NPD & Innovation Event - Find out more >
Practical Workshops May/June 2022 include:
22nd April 2022 - Dairy Workshop - Find out more >
23rd May 2022 - Focaccia Masterclass - Find out more >
24th May 2022 - Hand Raise Pie Masterclass - Find out more >
SALSA Peer Network
Providing an opportunity to join a group of likeminded individuals and businesses through our SALSA Peer Networking program - Find out more >
SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) is a standard often required to sell products beyond your local area and into independent retail. Achieving the standard demonstrates to your future customers that you have a robust and effective food safety management system in place and shows you exceed the minimum food safety standards expected by enforcement authorities and is super appropriate for smaller food producers and suppliers.
Grants and Vouchers
Access to grants and vouchers to support safeguarding and the creation of jobs:
- Start-up Vouchers that provide up to £2,000 (inc VAT) towards consultancy advice to start up your business.
- Growth Vouchers that provide up to £2,000 (inc VAT) towards consultancy advice to grow your business.
- Capital and Revenue Grants of up to £8,000 (inc VAT) to support your plans for growth and job creation.
If you are interested in applying for any of these, please complete the action plan template (click here to view a copy) and return to enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk.
Development Kitchen Support
Providing access to specialist Development Kitchen support at Food WorksSW (Feb to June 2022). This support will enable you to spend 2/3 days in either the dairy, bakery, general development, or bottling kitchen at Food WorksSW with our NPD and Innovation manager, Zoe Plant, who will support you with the formulation of recipes, development of specifications, costing out products and the practical development of your products.
If you are interested in applying for this opportunity, click here to complete the action plan template to access the development kitchen support growth voucher.
Support to enable you to develop your decarbonisation plans
If your organisation could benefit from spending time with our specialist team to enable you to develop a decarbonisation plan, please email enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk to arrange your first appointment.
Alternatively, please register your interest by booking one of the following appointments. The dates provided are based on location, but please note that multiple time slots are available (on a first come first serve basis). Please follow the links below to find out more.
- Leicester City - Find out more >
- Nottingham City - Find out more >
- Derbyshire Dales and High Peak - Find out more >
- Bassetlaw, Mansfield, Newark & Sherwood - Find out more >
Race to Zero Decarbonisation Event
21st June 2022 - Click the link below to attend our decarbonisation event, providing you with the inspiration, knowledge, and understanding of how to decarbonise your food and drink production site - Find out more >
Contact Us
To discuss how the East Midlands Accelerator can support your food and drink business, please contact Trudi Waldram using the contact details below.