Minister sings praises of region's food producers

FROM melt-in-your-mouth beef to sublimely sweet fudge, the great and good of Yorkshire's food industry were out in force to show off their wares to the Minister for Yorkshire and Humber Rosie Winterton MP, who was meeting winners of the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber's deliciouslyorkshire awards 2009/10.

Among those honoured were the Fodder store on Harrogate's Great Yorkshire showground and the Little Valley Brewery at Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

The Minister paid tribute to the strong contribution Yorkshire's food industry makes to the regional economy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Minister said: "Yorkshire and Humber is home to some of the world's best-known food companies and most passionate small enterprises with more than 1,100 food and drink producers employing around 55,000 people and with a combined turnover in excess of 8bn.

"I am very proud to meet such a prestigious group of producers, ranging from established to fledgling businesses, and representing many different food sectors.

"These companies truly reflect the food production expertise and variation which we have with abundance in the region."

Jonathan Knight, chief executive of the Regional Food Group said: "With supermarkets increasingly stocking regional products and more consumers saying they want to buy local and know where their food comes from, regional food is on the rise."