Credit: Border Union, Kelso
UK Food and Drink Expert Urges Borders Businesses to Make Voice Heard
Among the speakers at the Border Union Show’s Business Breakfast was Ian Wright, recent co-chair of the UK Government’s Food and Drink Export Council. Mr Wright was Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation from 2015 to 2013 after 14 years with Diageo, the world’s largest drinks business, and previous roles in consultancy and politics.
He said he was impressed by the engagement across a range of Borders businesses at the Show, and urged sectors to work together to make their voice heard by the new UK Government.
”I think it’s critical that we have this kind of discussion, because one of the things that bedevils the food and drinks industry is a lack of self-confidence.
Ian WrightCo-chair of the UK Government’s Food and Drink Export Council
“The businesses here in the Borders, whether they are very small, medium or large businesses, should all have confidence in who they are and what they produce because food and drink is the biggest industry in the British economy, so we are all really important to the British economy.
“But we also need a shared agenda and shared commitment to the sorts of things we want to do. Some of those are about quality, some of those are around provenance and some are about issues like net zero and nutrition, where, at the moment, there is no consensus. So that is something we need to establish.
“But areas like the Borders need to be heard and the incoming UK Government has to think long and hard about the rural economy. It’s not Labour’s natural suit, but this time around they have been elected in a lot of rural constituencies and they Have a real duty, not just to the country but to their constituents, to think about how the rural economy should be developed, how it can be developed sustainably and what the model should be for the future of it in terms of food production.
“If they can get that right this will be a huge benefit to the UK and areas like the Scottish Borders.”
Credit: Border Union, Kelso
