Aspiring food entrepreneurs get tips to grow their businesses

Partners involved in an EU-funded project to support food entrepreneurs across Europe gathered at the University of Bedfordshire to find out more about the scheme.

Aspiring entrepreneurs in farming, academics and students involved in the future of European farming and short food supply chains attended the Creating Entrepreneurs in Food (CEF) Roadshow at the Luton campus.

A new training course for food entrepreneurs was presented at the event, which has been developed to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in the agricultural food sector. The course is designed to provide those involved in the short food supply chain with the knowledge and work-based skills needed to develop their food ideas into viable businesses.

Lukasz Karmowski, a beef farmer from Poland who attended the event, said: “I am here because I am interested in how to market my product directly to the customer, and through this project I hope to improve my income, build better relationships with customers and add value to my product.”

Experts from Bedfordshire, the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA), the National Federation of Young Farmers, successful European food entrepreneurs and Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce also spoke at the event.

Prof Yanqing Duan, project leader for the BMRI, said: “It was very exciting to have everyone involved in this project in one place to share ideas and learning that we can use to improve the outcomes for budding entrepreneurs involved in the project. I am looking forward to seeing this project move forward and make a difference to those looking to expand their businesses through entrepreneurship in short food supply chain.”

About Creating Entrepreneurs in Food (CEF):

• The Creating Entrepreneurs in Food aims to build food innovation and entrepreneurship-focused rural communities and economies across Europe. The University’s Business and Management Research Institute (BMRI) will work in partnership with the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) in Ireland, the European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA) in Belgium and the Polish Beef Association in Poland.