Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK. Already responsible for 18% of the country's total output by value, the industry has been tasked by government and the Food and Drink Federation with achieving 20% growth in productivity by 2020. This has increased pressure on businesses to deliver greater efficiencies in production, waste reduction and saving energy.

We have experts across many fields, ranging from process control, novel food processing techniques, robotics, automation to nutrition and sustainability to help food and drink manufacturers to tackle specific business challenges in key areas.

Productive

Increasing productivity in food and drink manufacture is a key global challenge facing the sector to ensure the UK stays at the forefront of the industry. Productivity can be achieved through technical advances in processes, equipment or systems, either through a structured approach to continuous improvement of the utilisation of automation and robotics.

Resilient

Smarter and innovative food systems can help address today's global energy and environmental challenges. More controlled and optimised use of resources will support sustainable, equitable and eco-friendly food production, which will ensure food security.

Connected

In order to meet increasingly specific consumer requirements, the food and drink manufacturing industry has the opportunity to become more agile and efficient through the advent of the Internet of Things and increasingly intelligent monitoring systems. The Centre is working with advanced monitoring and control techniques and applying these to minimise the impact on final product quality caused by raw material variability.

Healthy

Advances in food engineering research has the ability to deliver better quality of life through new products and processes, in particular by reducing salt, fat and sugar in consumers' diets. This is achieved through the application of cutting edge techniques such as micro-structuring of food and multi-phase processing.