The Queen Opens New Food Innovation Centre

The Centre represents a £1.5 million investment by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Rural Development Fund through Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency (CREA) which will provide modern food and drink production facilities for a thriving Cumbrian business sector.

CREA and its Distinctly Cumbrian team have developed the Food Technology Centre as part of their support for local food and drink producers. “The Food Technology Centre provides facilities that bridge the gap between home kitchen and factory unit,” explains Pauline Herbert of Distinctly Cumbrian. “A couple of businesses will relocate into the centre full time while other units will be available on a more flexible basis for seasonal production or to deal with peak orders.”

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were given a guided tour of the Centre by CREA chief executive, Bob Clark and given the opportunity to talk to Jim and Amanda Hodge from The Pie Mill, Mark and Maria Whitehead from Hawkshead Relish and staff from the Village Bakery at Melmerby and Cranstons’ in Penrith who will all be working in the kitchens at the heart of the development.

Nigel Bamford of Distinctly Cumbrian is taking on the day-to-day management of the new facility. “We have had a lot of interest from local businesses and want to show our VIP guests how the Centre will soon be buzzing with a mix of local food and drink producers working alongside each other.”

CREA Chief Executive, Bob Clark has been involved in the Food Technology Centre project from the start. “This is a major investment into our thriving food and drink sector and we are delighted that the royal party is including a visit in their busy programme,” he said. “The Food Technology Centre is an important investment that will give growing businesses the opportunity to expand into new facilities, to share costs with others and to make the most of a prime location for distribution across Cumbria and beyond.”