Latest from Medway Food Innovation Centre
The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) is proud to announce that Valerie Pondaven was named a finalist for Knowledge Exchange Professional of the Year at the prestigious PraxisAuril Knowledge Exchange Awards 2024, held in Bristol.
Stepping into Macknade’s bustling food hall last week, an air of excitement filled the room as 20 visionary food startups prepared to pitch their products. These entrepreneurs, participants in the Growing Kent & Medway Food Accelerator programme, have come a long way from initial ideas to this pivotal moment, guided by Programme Lead Valerie Pondaven from the Natural Resources Institute (NRI).
We are excited to announce a groundbreaking partnership between Dr. Parag Acharya, Senior Fellow in Food Innovation at the Natural Resources Institute/Growing Kent & Medway, and Imperial College London's Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein.
NRI’s Food Accelerator Programme showcased its rising stars and new entrants - all of whom are developing plant-based food and drink products – at the three-day food and drink festival, held in the gardens of historic Rochester Castle.
On Tuesday 24 January 2023, Rehman Chishti, MP for Gillingham and Rainham and Cllr Jan Aldous, The Worshipful The Mayor of Medway, joined Professor Jane Harrington, Vice Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, to declare open the brand-new food innovation centre at the Medway campus in Chatham.
NRI’s first Food Accelerator programme has begun and is speeding away from the starting grid. The initiative, which gives practical advice to new start-ups has welcomed its first intake of entrepreneurs, all of whom are developing plant-based food and drink ideas. Many of them started production in their own kitchens at home, but now want to experiment with increasing scale, tweaking the recipe or exploring how to pitch to retailers.
Food choices impact human and planetary health. The negative environmental impacts of the food system, increasing food insecurity and the prevalence of unhealthy diets are driving policymakers, scientists, companies and consumers to demand sustainable solutions.
Livestock emit 14.5% of global greenhouse gases (GHGs), including methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). In response to the urgent need for a reduction in emissions and a transition to more sustainable diets, the uptake of livestock-free, alternative plant and algae proteins can play a key role.
Oliver Doubleday, Chair of East Malling Trust, said: “Funding for research and innovation to support the horticultural industry has been at the heart of the Trust’s work for more than a century.