Yorkshire Forward helps NPD

Appetizing Innovation, a three-year project funded by Yorkshire Forward, has launched a new initiative designed to help food and drink companies improve their products and packaging.

Seminars and workshops will be run and special reports issued as part of the initiative. It will also organise innovation surgeries and run a new packaging materials resource centre.

Led by the Food Processing Knowledge Transfer Network (FPKTN), the project draws on the experience of a consortium of four partners working alongside FPKTN. These are Sheffield Hallam University's Food Innovation unit, Leeds Metropolitan University, the Regional Food Group and Design Futures, a packaging innovation consultancy. It will focus its efforts on providing assistance to firms in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.

"Some companies are too small to be able to employ innovation specialists in-house and this will help them with focused projects," says FPKTN regional manager Ian Blakemore. "We also know that many larger companies look for specialist research and development staff to supplement their innovation teams."