Food and Drink
Shropshire is the home of the Müller Dairy and a significant number of national award winning food and drink producers and many major food processors including ABP, Uniq and Kerry Foods.
The county has a predominance of dairy and meat processors alongside smaller, niche artisan producers - all are important to the Shropshire economy with 30% of Shropshire's manufacturing being in food and drink.
Situated in the heart of the county, Shrewsbury is the chosen location for the region’s first dedicated Food Enterprise Centre, providing specialist support to new and diversifying food and drink processors. The centre boasts 12 units of 1,500 and 3,000 sq ft, designed to meet the highest food manufacturing standards. Each unit will have a production area with a walk in chiller and ambient storage, separate goods-in/out facilities and an office with IT links.
This ambitious project has been funded by Advantage West Midlands and Shropshire Council and is managed by Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF). Karen Wright, Food and Drink Cluster Manager at AWM, said: “Businesses have been telling us there is a shortage of food-ready premises and that this is a barrier to growth. The Cluster sees Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre as a key project to develop businesses and networks and collaboration to grow the sector.”
Additionally the West Midlands Regional Food Academy is based in nearby Newport at Harper Adams University College.
HEFF, the Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre and the Regional Food Academy can offer significant support to food and drink companies considering Shropshire for their business location.
With renowned food and drink festivals attracting international visitors to the county such as Ludlow Food and Drink festival, Shrewsbury Real Ale festival and the Church Stretton Food Festival and Bishop Castle Ale Trail. Niche local producers are keeping traditional methods of production alive and a large number of farmers markets taking place across all market towns.
The BBC website reports that there are 800 pubs in Shropshire, 85 per cent of which now sell real ale. Shropshire is one of England's top real ale counties with over 14 microbreweries producing 60 or more varieties of ale.