Food and drink is by far the biggest sector in UK manufacturing. From small local producers to global brands, the country has a brilliant track record as an innovator, exporter and world-beater in products from Scotch whisky to chocolate and cheese.
The UK wine and spirit industry is made up of whiskies (other than Scotch), gin and spirits distillers, brewers and winemakers, and they have an enviable reputation worldwide, doing much to add lustre to Brand UK.
Forty-seven million bottles of gin worth £1.2bn were served up last year in the UK. That’s enough, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, to make 1.32 billion G&Ts. Gin has never been more popular and varied, and innovative manufacturer G&J Distillers is making the most of this trend. Maddy White reports.
Fancy a G&T? Probably. Gin has certainly been having a moment for some time, as it continues to lead growth within the spirit market globally. Maddy White visited two contrasting distilleries across the UK to learn the secret behind the now favoured spirit.
Located opposite the Olympic Stadium in London’s east end is Britain’s oldest original salmon curer, H. Forman & Son. The Manufacturer went to Stratford to taste and learn how to best produce smoked salmon.
In the first half of 2018 food and drink exports hit a record £10.7bn, this figure up 5% for the same period last year. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has called for more export support in order to continue this success.
Ahead of the return of the nation's favourite show, The Great British Bake Off, and as food and drink exports reached a record high earlier this year, TM looks at businesses who are utilising 4IR technologies in the food and drink industry.
Food and drink exports hit a record high of £10.6bn in the first half of 2018 - up by 4% compared to the previous year, according to newly published government figures.
