Welsh Grant Scheme now Live for Funding Food Accreditation

As part of the Programme for Government, Welsh Government wishes to support local food & drink producers / suppliers and make it easier for them to access public sector food supply chain opportunities by having the necessary food safety accreditation (funding food accreditation).

Welsh Government is opening a short grant scheme, administered by Menter a Busnes, to fund either SALSA or STS accreditations for Welsh SME food and drink businesses. These accreditations will enhance the competitiveness of the Welsh Food and Drink sector, particularly in terms of public sector procurement and associated supply chains.

This scheme is part of the Backing Local Firms fund, a Programme for Government commitment run by the Foundational Economy division, aimed at helping Welsh SMEs overcome the barriers they face when doing business with the public sector. By funding accreditation for Welsh firms, it is hoped we can increase the amount of Welsh food on “public plates”, shorten supply chains to reduce carbon emissions and increase the number of grounded food suppliers in Wales.

This funding is separate from but complements the HELIX programme, run by Food Innovation Wales, which offers Welsh food businesses a range of technical and commercial support in preparation for undergoing the audit – https://foodinnovation.wales/funded-support/

Eligibility

Applicants must be an existing Welsh food and drink business that is a micro, small or medium scale enterprise [Definition of SME – less than 250 employees and an annual turnover under €50 million (£42m) ] i.e. a business that is predominantly involved in the production and distribution of edible goods, and who can demonstrate their main operational presence is within Wales. Applicants principally involved in the production and distribution of alcoholic beverages are not eligible for support through this grant scheme.

To submit a bid for funding, please visit Sell2Wales to access the application form and Scheme Rules. The closing date for applications is 20th January 2022.

View more of our news articles here