As CEO of AberInnovation, I often reflect on the key challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the food and drink sector in Wales.
While the industry has made significant strides in recent years, there are pressing priorities that we must address to ensure continued growth and success. At the forefront of my mind is the critical issue of attracting talent to the sector, a challenge that, if addressed correctly, could unlock a wealth of potential for businesses and individuals alike.
The food and drink sector in Wales offers an abundance of rewarding careers across the entire supply chain, from production to innovation and everything in between. Yet, despite the availability of these fantastic jobs, we continue to struggle to attract enough people into the sector. This brings us to a key priority: skills development. Are we equipping our young people with the right skills to seamlessly enter the industry? Are we doing enough in schools, further education, and higher education to ensure that students understand the exciting career opportunities available within food and drink? I believe this is an area where we need to focus more attention.
Equally important is the need to make the sector more appealing to the next generation. We need to showcase the diverse and dynamic nature of food and drink careers, and emphasise that this is an industry where innovation, sustainability, and growth are central to its future. There’s a clear opportunity here to align the sector with the career aspirations of young people and demonstrate that working in food and drink is not just a job, but a meaningful and fulfilling career path.
Another major priority is productivity. We have excellent businesses in Wales, creating outstanding products that are recognised for their quality and provenance. However, to compete on a global scale, we need to accelerate the growth of these businesses. Increasing productivity across the sector is essential for driving economic growth, and it is a challenge that we must meet head-on. Whether it’s improving access to modern facilities, overcoming barriers to scaling operations, or investing in cutting-edge equipment, there is no doubt that unlocking productivity will lead to significant gains for the industry as a whole.
Of course, there are practical challenges that we cannot ignore. Energy costs and overheads, for instance, remain a concern for many businesses, especially as they begin to rise again after a brief dip. In tandem with this, we’re seeing retailers reducing the range of products they carry in order to focus on volume and margin – a trend that puts additional pressure on producers. These are immediate issues that the industry must navigate, and finding ways to mitigate these impacts will be vital for the sector’s resilience.
The continued success and vibrancy of the food and drink sector in Wales hinges on us meeting a few critical priorities: attracting and nurturing talent, increasing productivity, and managing external pressures like rising costs and retail dynamics. By focusing on these areas, we can create a more robust, competitive, and even more sustainable industry that will continue to drive economic growth for Wales.
Through collaboration, innovation, and strategic investment, I am confident that the sector can rise to these challenges and further flourish in the years to come
