Research>Global Academies>Industry hotline and toolkit to support Welsh Food and drink

Industry hotline and toolkit launched to support Welsh food and drink manufacturers during COVID-19 pandemic




In response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, colleagues at the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University found innovative ways to use their technical and commercial expertise to support Welsh food and drink manufacturers. Companies of all sizes were facing unprecedented stress on their food supply chains during the outbreak, with demand growth on their factories, workforce, and procedures. ZERO2FIVE in conjunction with the Welsh Government Food Division and Food Innovation Wales partners, developed helplines in each of the three food centres in South Wales, Mid Wales, and North Wales to connect industry with experts who were able to answer specific enquiries relating to enhanced food safety, technical issues, supply chain continuity, and emergent governmental and health guidelines.

In addition to the helpline service, Food Innovation Wales in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University’s ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, and the Food & Drink Wales Industry Board, launched a tool kit of resources for Welsh food and drink manufacturers including useful templates and links. Over 25 templates were and continue to be available which companies can use to monitor their business activities, including observation checklists, return to work questionnaires, change of use guidance, contingency planning, and factory shutdown/ restart protocols.




You can learn more about the helplines and/or contact Food Innovation Wales for help here:https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/health/zero2five/news/Pages/Food-Innovation-Wales-Helpline.aspx.

Learn more about the tool kit and access useful templates and links here:  https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/health/zero2five/news/Pages/COVID-19-Tool-kit-launched-to-support-Welsh-food-and-drink-manufacturers.aspx.

For further information contact Professor David Lloyd, Director of Food Industry Centre, dclloyd@cardiffmet.ac.uk.