Scottish Rural Affairs Minister visits food & drink founders

Founders and tenants at ONE SeedPod met Scottish Government Rural Affairs Minister Jim Fairlie MSP when he returned to ONE SeedPod – Scotland’s food and drink innovation hub, last week.

From food-safe manufacturing kitchens and product development facilities to specialist technical support and an entrepreneurial community, the conversations focused on how the right environment helps ambitious businesses move faster.

It was a pleasure to introduce the Minister to:

• Joe Lane and Gillian Lane, Vanilla Labs
• Kim Cameron, Bothy Trading
• Stephanie Friend and Scott Bell, Kinnaird Kitchen
• Joanna Davies, Canny Mushrooms

Founders shared their own growth journey and highlighted how collaboration across the north east is creating opportunities for food and drink businesses to innovate, scale and contribute to economic diversification.

Chair of ONE SeedPod David Kilshaw OBE was on hand to host, saying:

"It was great to show the Minister the progress made at ONE SeedPod since he last visited almost a year ago.

"He was able to hear first hand why producers are choosing to base themselves here in the north east, capitalising on the technical and development expertise, food safe kitchens and supportive ecosystem at ONE SeedPod."

Ministerial visits give decision makers the opportunity to hear directly from the founders creating jobs, developing new products and strengthening one of Scotland's most important industries.

Thank you Jim Fairlie for taking time to come and visit and the founders who shared their stories.