ONE is developing the detailed business model and supporting funding case for the development of a Bio-therapeutic Hub for Innovation in Aberdeen, as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal. This project aims to capitalise on opportunities to grow the region’s life sciences sector and is being developed with industry, the city’s universities and research institutes, Scottish Enterprise and NHS Grampian.

The life sciences sector is an important part of the region’s economy with more than 2,500 people employed within its companies and research base, making an annual contribution of £160m GVA. The north east accounts for more than one fifth of employment in Scottish life sciences research and development and Aberdeen has one of the highest concentrations of life scientists in the UK outside of Cambridge.

ONE has recruited to its executive team, with Peter Cook joining as director of food, drink and agriculture in spring 2016 and Jackie Doyle leading ONE’s oil and gas activity. Both bring extensive experience within the sectors to their new posts.

Peter and Jackie will work with the respective sector chairs and boards, ONE’s chief executive Jennifer Craw, and its main economic leadership board. This will include developing projects and partnerships across the private and public sectors, leveraging co-investment opportunities and leading their own teams to deliver activity.

Positive progress is being made to secure a sustainable future for north-east dairy producers with potential investors identified for the development of a new specialist processing plant in the region.

The outcome of the dairy initiative, jointly supported by Opportunity North East and Aberdeenshire Council, was reported to dairy producers from across the region on Thursday (8 December) evening at a meeting at the Thainstone Centre.

The second stage of the dairy study has seen a prospectus selling the north-east dairy opportunity prepared and widely promoted in the UK and internationally.  Three serious investment prospects have emerged from this work.

Private sector economic development body Opportunity North East (ONE) has launched a growth programme for ambitious food and drink businesses across north-east Scotland, in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council.

The initiative aims to equip businesses with the skills and knowledge to achieve their growth potential through the development of new products, new markets and new retail and food service listings to increase turnover and create new jobs.

An Aberdeenshire farm has been announced as Scotland’s new pig monitor farm in an initiative jointly supported by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and Opportunity North East (ONE).

Mill of Carden Farm near Inverurie, owned by Patrick Stephen, has a commercial herd of 530 sows housed on straw.

The farm currently employs four members of staff, including farm manager Wayne Ducker, and runs JSR females with a Danbred terminal sire.

Opportunity North East (ONE), the private sector led and funded economic development company for the region, today (21 November 2016) welcomed the formalisation of the £250 million Aberdeen City Region Deal (CRD).

ONE said the CRD will play a catalytic role in maximising the North Sea oil and gas opportunity and enabling other key industries to grow as part of the region’s economic renaissance.

Private sector economic development body Opportunity North East (ONE) will invest up to £5 million by the end of 2020 in projects to grow the important food, drink and agriculture sector in north east Scotland.

ONE intends to build on the sector’s significant strengths through a combination of projects and initiatives addressing business growth; innovation; supply chain integration; market development and skills. ONE will co-fund its work with private and public partners, including Aberdeenshire Council, Scotland Food & Drink and Scottish Enterprise, to maximise investment into the sector’s future.

The North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards launch today (Wednesday 9 November), celebrating excellence and innovation in the region’s significant food and drink sector.

Delivered in partnership by Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeenshire Council, the awards are free to enter, and are open to all food and drink producers based in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.

Nearly 60 representatives from north east businesses attended a Dining Club event on board NorthLink Ferries’ MV Hjaltland vessel in Aberdeen on Friday (30 September) to learn about how the ferry operator has put local produce at the forefront of its onboard offering.

Further work to develop new commercial opportunities for the north-east dairy farming sector is to be carried out, after extensive consultation with milk producers, buyers and processors identified a number of potential investments.