Yorkshire and the Humber food and drink export sales totalled £1.14bn in 2017

Yorkshire and the Humber food and drink export sales rose by 11% in 2017 compared to the previous 12 months, the latest HMRC figures show.

Food and drink exports from the region increased to £1.14bn in the year to December 2017.

The HMRC figures showed that the best sellers overseas included meat (£157m), dairy/eggs (£73m) and beverages (£58m).

One Yorkshire business that’s experienced this growth is Northern Monk Brew Co. The business has exported to 22 different countries, including Norway, Iceland, New Zealand and Japan, in just four years of operation.

Exporting has helped the firm double its turnover each year, with Northern Monk Brew Co expecting to hit a revenue of £4m in 2018.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for International Trade (DIT) have been supporting food and drink businesses in the region as part of Food is GREAT campaign.

The campaign is the UK Government’s cross department initiative to showcase UK food and drink overseas and to help firms to export.

As part of Defra and DIT’s support, in 2017 the government departments took a number of Yorkshire and the Humber based companies to markets around the world on trade missions, including the Food and Hotel China (FHC) show in Shanghai and Gulfood in Dubai.

Mark Robson, regional director at the Department for International Trade in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “These latest figures back up the first-hand experience of the many companies in Yorkshire and the Humber that are already feeling the benefits of increased global trade and finding success in overseas markets.

“We want firms to export their products and take advantage of the support available through DIT. We have 29 International Trade Advisers in Yorkshire and the Humber that can help businesses navigate the exporting process.”