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larger agri-food infographic Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited

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growth infographic Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited

Agri-food

The Norfolk & Suffolk region leads the UK in the agricultural technology sector. Businesses, research and support extends from plant biotechnology and food and drink production to agricultural machinery, inputs and expertise.

Our scientists are working at the leading edge of new discoveries and technologies, in areas such as precision farming, animal health, crop disease control and prevention, and food in human health. They are exploiting the latest knowledge in gene editing, AI, data science, robotics and marine science to bringing these into commercial applications.

Some of the largest food and drink providers have chosen Norfolk and Suffolk for production facilities across a wide range of products including sugar, sauces, flavourings, snacks, peas, meats, seafood, petfood, malt, beer and cider, as well as ingredients, packaging and refrigeration. Through the Port of Felixstowe, we are well placed for efficient international supply chains.

Agriculture is changing fast and our companies are helping. Our region is home to innovators in farm machinery, harvesting, drones, animal health, fertilisers, seed and crop management.

The sector is supported by world-class research institutions on the Norwich Research Park, including the John Innes Centre, Earlham Institute, The Sainsbury Laboratory and Quadram Institute.

Specialist expertise is spread all over the region. The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) in Lowestoft, Suffolk is the UK’s most diverse centre for applied marine and freshwater science and research, providing innovative solutions for the aquatic environment, biodiversity and food security.

Animal health firms are clustered in and around Newmarket, Suffolk while several large pharmaceutical companies are in Haverhill, taking advantage of links to the Cambridge life sciences cluster.

Investment and business opportunity

Major commercial opportunities are available at the Food Enterprise Park, near Norwich. A large scale area of 46 acres of development land, located in a food enterprise zone with planning permission for food related business, has plots of 5,000 to 500,000 sq ft. For more details about this opportunity and other agri-food developments, contact us on info@norfolksuffolkunlimited.co.uk.

Condimentum

Securing significant capital investment into a state-of-the-art mustard and mint milling facility at the Norfolk Food Enterprise Park, Condimentum will secure the 150-year-old supply chain and maximise the added value of processing for local growers. A unique consortium of mustard and mint growers, the business has secured a 10-year supply agreement with Unilever. The new facility will supply milled mustard flour and blended mint for Colman’s condiments and pack its mustard powder into various packs in the range. Unilever will continue to source mustard and mint from growers in the local area, as it has done for more than five generations.

Dave Martin, CEO, said: “The team at Condimentum are delighted to have engaged with the New Anglia LEP in our exciting business plan to deliver a state-of-the-art milling and food ingredient manufacturing facility in Norwich. It will ensure the retention of the famous Colman’s brand in the Norfolk region. “The Condimentum business was built by the growers and we are very proud of our unique trading history and association with the brand. The new facility will be the only one of its kind in Europe and will result in the creation of jobs in the local area and will provide the opportunity for the growers to build a business of which the region can be proud.”

Crop Systems

Crop Systems, based at Happisburgh in North Norfolk, is an industry-leading innovator in modern crop storage. Its WarmStor product is a revolutionary low-energy system for the automatic conditioning of potatoes for the packing industry. It uses air source heat pumps to bring cold stored potatoes up to the required temperature for packing and rapid cooling of new potatoes. The business also produces SmartStor, a system that manages the atmosphere in potato stores with total remote control and management. TaperStor and PosiStor are innovative potato storage facilities which maximise airflow and store conditions to keep the potatoes better, longer. Recently awarded £57,000 by the LEADER EU rural funding programme, Crop Systems has been able to build new office facilities, enabling it to take on three new staff and grow the business.Managing director Ray Andrews said: “As a small business grows, it often needs help to maximise the windows of opportunity. Crop Systems is seeing turnover increase year on year. The Leeder grant funding combined with a very forward-thinking HSBC bank manager has allowed us to take on more orders with the result of employing additional staff. We are currently in exciting times and need to be more positive in increasing food security in the UK, and CSL is here to help.”

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Muntons

Suffolk company Muntons is a leading global player in the supply of malts, malt extracts, flour and flakes to many well-known names in the food and drinks industry, and exports about half of its production. It also produces an impressive range of beer, wine and cider-making kits which are also sold globally. The progressive company has invested heavily in product development and innovation and the results have been incredible. Such as ‘malti-choc’, an eco-friendly way to replace 20% cocoa in a chocolate muffin, while making it even tastier. Liquid malt, when added, can also make spaghetti bolognese meatier and cheese biscuits cheesier, Muntons discovered.Practical sustainability is at the heart of everything Muntons does. Liquid waste from its ingredients business at its Stowmarket headquarters is treated at a £5.4 million anaerobic digestion plant. The process will produce a fertiliser substitute for spreading on local farms, cutting out the 3,000 tanker movements a year currently required to take sludge from the site – saving around 340 tonnes in CO2 emissions from the lorries. In addition, treating waste streams from malt extract production at the plant produces up to 25% of the firm’s base load electricity. Andy Janes, Corporate Marketing Manager, said: “Our malt is made entirely from locally grown cereals such as barley and wheat bringing benefits to a vast range of products from chocolate confectionery to breakfast cereals, beer and malt whisky. Seeing continued growing demand for our products, all made from natural ingredients, is very satisfying, setting the tone for a strong future.”

Sector support

The sector is brought together by Agri-TechE, an independent, member-led organisation that facilitates knowledge transfer in agriculture and horticulture, and involves innovative farmers, food producers and processors, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs.

Meanwhile our Agri-food Tech Sector Skills Plan aims to provide more than 7,000 new workers by 2024. In Suffolk the Orwell Food Enterprise Zone and the Stowmarket Enterprise Park offer advantageous locations for companies in the sector, as does the Easton Food Enterprise Zone in Norfolk.

The Norfolk and Suffolk Agri-food Industry Council provides strategic leadership for the sector in the region and you can view its membership here. It produces a regular newsletter with updates about the latest developments in the region's industry and you can read the latest one here.

Other sectors

Together, Norfolk & Suffolk has internationally recognised specialisations in these three sectors. Our region is home to major global companies, leading edge R&D, expert talent pools and supportive networks.