Project HELIX

Project HELIX supports food and drink businesses of all sizes in Wales, ensuring they have access to world-leading thinking and support.

CHALLENGES IN THE FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR

Wales is a mainly rural country which presents challenges to the food and drink sector, including a lack of skilled workers, poor infrastructure, and poverty. Inflationary pressures caused by rising energy costs, the pandemic, and Brexit have further added to the challenges faced by the Welsh food and drink sector. This sector is dominated by micro-businesses and Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises who need to become more innovative to produce affordable products.

TRIPLE-HELIX METHODOLOGY

Food Innovation Wales (FIW) consistently and successfully delivers Project HELIX, which is making a real difference to the food and drink community across Wales. The triple-helix methodology - a partnership between industry, academia, and government - is at the very core of FIW's success in providing social and economic benefits. Project HELIX works to resolve technical issues and open up new opportunities for businesses, while tackling the challenges they face by providing support with innovation, strategy, and efficiency through the knowledge-transfer programme. Short-, medium-, and long-term partnerships allow organisations to fully absorb and embed this knowledge.

SUPPORTING HEALTH, SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE ECONOMY

Since its launch, Project HELIX has helped food and drink businesses to become more sustainable, create jobs, and grow their market share in Wales, the UK, and internationally. This is key to the Welsh Government's goals of creating a healthy nation, eliminating rural poverty, and making progress towards net zero. FIW also recognises the need to encourage youngsters into the industry and has been going into schools as part of STEM programmes. Reversing "brain drain" has a huge impact on the Welsh economy, housing, and community.