Member Article

Taste North East launch boosts regions food and drinks industry

Restaurateurs, producers and bar owners in the region are celebrating the launch of Taste North East Limited, a new organisation to promote the regions food and drink sector.

Taste North East Limited was formed by merging Taste NE, The North East Food and Drink Group and Northumbria Larder, and now hopes to offer support to businesses at every level of the North East food and drink sector.

Previously ONE North East funded many of these initiatives, but the new organisation will be self-sustained by its members. If businesses decide to join Taste North East, they will be given access to advice on a rage of issues, including training, compliance and marketing, as well as advice on routes to market.

Taste North East will bring together the strengths of Northumbrian Larder and Taste North East, and its chairman Henry Roberts is now calling for all business in the sector, including accommodation providers, retailers and restaurants to come together to promote the region.

The new chairman of Taste North East, Henry Roberts, expressed his delight at the opportunities the new organisation will provide. He is now calling for all business in the sector, including accommodation providers, retailers and restaurants to come together to promote the region.

He said: “If a business grows, makes, sells, prepares or serves food and drink then they are eligible to become Taste North East Limited members. And by joining, businesses will become a part of the North East’s only food and drink network.

Prior to its amalgamation with the region’s other food organisations, it is estimated that in 2010 Taste North East generated around £3.7 million of extra business for the sector.

Outgoing Taste North East chair Sir Donald Curry said: ““I am delighted that this new group will take that success forward and continue to help put this region on the map, as food and drink is of fundamental importance to the economy of our region, local job creation and plays a huge part in driving the tourism agenda.”

It is now hoped that the organisation will raise standards across the board, and establish the North East food and drink sector as one of the best in the UK.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .