Lanarkshire understands food. Food and Drink form Lanarkshire's third largest export, worth around £151 million each year. All sorts of premium fare originate in the region, from farmers, artisan producers and large-scale manufacturers.
Family businesses like Tunnock's and Barrs have grown to greatness in Lanarkshire while global giants like Coca-Cola and the distiller William Grant choose the area as a base. Collectively Lanarkshire's Food and Drinks Industry represents a community of over 100 businesses, employing around 7,200 people - 15% of the Scottish total in this sector.
In addition to a workforce skilled in food production, Lanarkshire offers this sector superb logistical and distribution facilities. A strong local packaging industry has developed to support Lanarkshire's Food and Drink sector and, to complete the offering, the area also offers custom built food production premises at Motherwell Food Park. New Product Development activities are particularly notable within Lanarkshire's Food & Drink community.
Key Facts
- Lanarkshire is home to a number of companies who have developed a range of health enhancing products around low fat, low salt, increased uptake of Omega 3 and other functional foods. The innovation lies not only in the products themselves, but the processes and packaging involved in preparing the foodstuffs.
- As demand for luxury products grows, Lanarkshire is well represented in this area with manufacturers of confectionary, bakery goods, fish, seafood and red meat all supplying the national and international market.
- Lanarkshire is long established as nurturing the food and drink sector, with a considerable number of family-owned businesses, now in their 3rd or 4th generation of management. A number are also based in rural Lanarkshire, with local communities playing a key role in their growth.
