Government-funded training offers practical and technical advice to wannabe business owners, from developing new products to food safety management
Image: Zero2Five
A food industry centre’s autumn workshops are offering support to independent food and drinks businesses in Wales, following reports that Welsh small businesses are less likely to seek external assistance than elsewhere in the UK.
Zero2Five, based at Cardiff Metropolitan University, delivers training as part of the Welsh-government funded Project Helix, which offers help to Welsh food and drink manufacturers to develop their businesses through practical and technical support.
Throughout October, November and December, Zero2Five is hosting a series of fully funded sessions to support upcoming Welsh businesses, on topics including product development, food safety certification and key considerations for startup food and drink manufacturers.
This follows research from the Longitudinal Small Business Survey (LSBS) in 2023, which found that 78% of small and medium enterprise (SME) employers in Wales used some form of external finance.
The survey also reported Welsh SME employers were less likely (22%) than SME employers in Scotland (29%) and England (26%) to have sought external information and advice.
Ed Gilbert, Zero2Five’s marketing officer, said: “Project Helix support can help make the leap to starting a new food and drink manufacturing business less daunting.”
The support offered through this programme is responsive to the needs of the food and drink industry, he added, and is continually evaluated and assessed based on legislative changes, market trends and direct feedback.
Cancha Mojo, a Cardiff-based startup which produces traditional mojo sauces, successfully launched to market following support delivered by Zero2Five. The business sells products at Cardiff farmers’ markets, with upcoming plans to be stocked by local delicatessens.
Carmen Roberts, the owner, said: “For me as a startup it’s been invaluable because I’ve got no food industry background at all.”
“I couldn’t have done it by myself,” she added. “It’s a whole new world.”