6 March 2015

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6 March 2015 (National Careers Week 2-6 March 2015)

Britain's food and drink producers must ramp up efforts to attract the next generation of nutrition experts, development chefs and innovation specialists if they are to continue leading the world in developing new, exciting and healthier products.

Some of the country's most successful brands have teamed up to produce a series of behind-the-scenes short-films that aim to build awareness of the people and processes involved in creating the food and drink on sale today.

The voice of UK producers, Food and Drink Federation (FDF), has partnered with Nestlé UK & Ireland, Kellogg's, Premier Foods, Cargill, McCain Foods, apetito, Coca-Cola Great Britain, PepsiCo UK & Ireland and Birds Eye on the films launched today during National Careers Week.

Click the links below to watch the short-films

Better nutrition and taste through recipe change

Innovation in food and drink

Expanding consumer choice

The films will be screened at the food industry hub at the Big Bang Young Science & Engineers annual event (11-15 March at the NEC, Birmingham).

Jim Moseley, Interim Director General of the Food and Drink Federation, said: “Few people in the UK public are aware of the nutrition experts, development chefs and innovation specialists involved in making the food in their kitchen cupboards.

“These sector experts are constantly working to develop new products with new flavours or new ideas and using ingredients that give consumers variety and healthier options. In stark contrast to the cult of celebrity chefs, little is known of the years of development that goes into perfecting products that people continue to enjoy as part of their daily life.

“The aim of these films is for FDF to showcase the people and processes involved in modern food production. Nine of the UK's most successful companies explain their role in changing recipes for health, developing innovative new products and expanding choice for consumers. These films are just the latest initiative in FDF's award-winning careers campaign to attract a talented future workforce into this world-leading sector.”

Note to Editors:

1. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry – the UK's largest manufacturing sector.
2. Case studies in the short-film series include:

   Better nutrition and taste through recipe change

   • Kellogg's' UK & ROI Senior Nutrition Manager Alexa Hoyland explains how company nutrition experts identify fortificants to add to cereals in response to public health needs.
   • Premier Foods' Head Development Chef Anthony Warner outlines his role in evolving the heritage Bisto brand in response to changing consumer tastes and health needs.
   • Nestlé UK & Ireland Confectionery Project Manager Alison Stancliffe explains her involvement in reformulating the iconic KitKat to remove 3,800 tonnes of saturated fat (based on annual UK sales of KitKat).

   Innovation in food and drink

   • McCain Foods' Corporate Affairs Director Bill Bartlett describes the consumer insight and technical innovation behind the development of the McCain Ready Baked Jackets range.
   • Cargill UK's Application Specialist Andy Adger outlines how Cargill worked together with a leading UK confectionery manufacturer to develop a low-calorie solution for the sweets market.
   Cargill UK's Application Specialist Andy Adger outlines how Cargill worked together with a leading UK confectionery manufacturer to develop a low-calorie solution for the sweets market.
   • apetito's Director of Public Policy & External Affairs Lee Shepherd explains why the company created its award-winning Texture Modified range of meals to help people with Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

Expanding choice for consumers

• Coca-Cola Great Britain's Director Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Helen Munday explains why the company added Coca-Cola Life, which contains a third fewer calories than the original Coca-Cola, to its range of colas.
• Birds Eye's Technical Brand Manager Sarah Jarrett outlines how she partnered with development chefs to create the new Steamfresh range.
• Quaker's Senior Group Marketing Manager Duncan McKay explains how research his team carries out helped Quaker identify an opportunity to launch Oat So Simple Porridge Pots and, more recently, Oat So Simple Sachets.

This collaboration builds on food and drink businesses' efforts to attract a talented future workforce by:

• Launching the UK's first MEng Food Engineering Degree at Sheffield Hallam University
• Establishing a food industry presence at the Big Bang Young Science & Engineers annual event (11-15 March at the NEC, Birmingham)
• Supporting government initiatives such as the' See Inside Manufacturing programme, Trailblazer Apprenticeship scheme and 'Your Life' campaign
• FDF's award-winning 'Taste Success' campaign
• Collaborating to develop the new world-class National Centre of Excellence at Sheffield Hallam University. The Centre aims to support industry growth through helping the sector to improve manufacturing capability, provide engineering solutions for energy and waste efficiencies, deliver packaging innovations through leading-edge technology and skills solutions to inspire the next generation of food engineers.

For more information contact:

FDF's press office 020 7420 7118 press.office@fdf.org.uk

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