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The prepared consumer foods (PCF) sector accounted for €2.8bn in agri food exports last year, and with the UK accounting for 60% of PCF food and drinks exports, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has opened a new PCF Centre in Teagasc Ashtown.
It is hoped that the new centre will provide a buffer from the any future Brexit fallout.
The PCF sector supports up to 20,000 jobs but is made up of mostly small companies with limited capacity for investment in research and development.
This innovation centre will allow PCF manufacturers to cost effectively develop new products
The centre benefited from €5m in last year’s budget and Minister Creed welcomed an additional €5m for the centre for Budget 2019.
The centre acquires specialist equipment and enables small PCF companies to pilot the equipment before going through the expense of buying it for themselves.
Director of Teagasc Gerry Boyle welcomed the additional funding saying “this innovation centre will allow PCF manufacturers to cost-effectively develop new products for commercialisation.”
He added that it would fill a gap in the food development pipeline and help companies realise their potential.
The capital investment will also enable the training of industry employees
Minister Creed also said the scheme would help companies and specifically provide incubation units to assist companies who were scaling up.
“The investment will underpin technological capability and capacity to enable both researchers and industry to collaborate in private and public research projects in the prepared consumer foods arena,” Minister Creed said.
“The capital investment will also enable the training of industry employees in advanced technologies.”
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