Created by North Somerset Council and operated by the Future Food Partnership, a not-for-private-profit Community Interest Company, The Food WorksSW provides start-ups, established companies and hospitality businesses with the experience and equipment they need to grow and innovate.
Located in Weston-super-Mare, under half an hour from Bristol, the centre is the only one in the South West. For many businesses, it's not only a vital and exciting place but also a crucial stepping stone in their business evolution.
Since opening back in 2020, the centre has supported 300 businesses, helping them develop, diversify and grow their product and menu offerings, and aims to help many more in the coming years through enhanced facilities and resources.
Said Simon Gregory, Operations Director of The Food WorksSW: “We're clearly very delighted to be opening up the opportunity for businesses of all kinds to become a Food WorksSW partner.
"Partnering with us brings a massive host of benefits from reaching new customers to free use of our facilities, plus being a CSR force for good. Your company will also have a profile on-site and you'll be contributing to the continuing growth of this one of a kind food and drink innovation centre in the South West."
What would this entail for you and your enterprise? Simon explains: “We're looking to hear from companies who are committed to supporting food and drink producers who use Food WorksSW to expand their business, develop new products, get together in the meeting rooms or navigate food regulations.
"With partners, we can invest in our centre and continue offering businesses the very best equipment, kitchens, expert advice and inspiration.”
The Food WorksSW features five specialist development kitchens with state-of-the-art equipment, 12 food grade business units, in-house technical experts, a business lounge and coffee shop (open to all businesses), meeting room and conference facilities and hosts multiple industry training and seminar events throughout the year.
The development kitchens are available for flexible short-term contract hire for food and drink businesses of all sizes, along with the meeting room and conference facilities.
Technical support packages are also available at the centre and are carefully designed to help businesses navigate their way through a range of food disciplines – from new product development and quality assurance hygiene to food safety and efficiency.
For more information about Food WorksSW, visit foodworks-sw.co.uk, or follow @foodworks_sw on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
To learn more about The Food WorksSW partnership opportunities, you can get in touch with Simon at simon@foodworks-sw.co.uk.