SFDF welcomes Scottish Government's commitment to supporting business growth
6 September 2016
SFDF welcomes Scottish Government's commitment to supporting business growth
David Thomson, CEO of the Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF) – the voice of Scotland’s food and drink manufacturers, said: “It was fantastic to see Scottish food and drink given such prominence in the Scottish Government’s programme.
“The Scottish Government's Programme for Government released today has lots of innovative ideas to support Scottish businesses alongside plans for an Obesity Strategy, a Good Food Nation Bill, and a Circular Economy and Zero Waste Bill.
“We are committed to working with Government and other partners on these initiatives and delivering sustainable growth for our economy, strengthening our skills base and investing in innovation.
“We are delighted that the vital contribution of our sector continues to be recognised, with food manufacturing identified as a key growth sector in Scotland. In fact, Scottish Government data show that the food manufacturing sector grew at twice the rate of the UK average, increasing by 43% in Scotland compared to 21% in the UK from 2008-2014[1]. The latest data also show that the sector has increased productivity by almost 6%.”
More information
For more information, please contact Kirsty Ritchie on 0131 222 8040 / kirsty.ritchie@sfdf.org.uk.
Notes to editors
- Scottish Government website: ‘Record turnover for food & drink’, 4 Sept 2016
- The Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF), is a division of FDF and the voice of the Scottish food and drink manufacturing industry – Scotland's largest manufacturing sector.
- Comprised of 891 businesses, 97% of which are SMEs, the Scottish food and drink manufacturing industry provides 36,000 high quality jobs and is responsible for 14.2% of all Scottish manufacturing output.
- Scottish Government website: A Plan For Scotland: The Scottish Government’s Programme for Scotland 2016-17
- SFDF’s Parliamentary Reception will take place on 14 September 2016 at 6-8pm. The event will celebrate the breadth of innovation in the Scottish food and drink manufacturing industry and highlight how successful innovation can help the industry to grow and flourish into the future. If journalists are interested in coming along, please email Kirsty.ritchie@sfdf.org.uk. SFDF’s CEO will be available for interviews at the event, please also let Kirsty know if you are interested in this.
