Food Innovation Centre Enhances Support for Small Producers

A regional food and drink centre has significantly expanded its support for small producers through a new partnership and an auditing qualification. The Food WorksSW, located in Weston-super-Mare, has teamed up with One Scientific Laboratory based in Avonmouth, enhancing its technical assistance for local businesses.

This collaboration includes the appointment of Beth Winters as an official auditor for the Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA) certification, a nationally recognised food safety scheme designed for small producers. Winters, who serves as the Technical Manager at The Food WorksSW, expressed enthusiasm about her new role, stating, “I’m thrilled to be joining the SALSA team. This new role aligns perfectly with my ongoing work at The Food WorksSW supporting food businesses with practical, realistic advice and auditing expertise.”

The partnership with One Scientific Laboratory will offer accredited microbiological and chemical testing for food, drink, and environmental samples. This initiative aims to provide producers with essential technical guidance and troubleshooting support in food safety compliance.

Dominic Long, General Manager of One Scientific, highlighted the importance of this collaboration, saying, “I am delighted to support The Food WorksSW in their mission to help food producers across the South West and beyond. Through this collaboration, clients will gain access to expert advice and support, underpinned by the gold-standard testing and service that One Scientific is proud to provide.”

The new offerings from The Food WorksSW include services such as process validation, sampling plan development, and shelf-life testing. Simon Gregory, Director at The Food WorksSW, noted, “Working alongside the team at One Scientific gives us the ability to offer a truly joined-up approach to laboratory testing. It means our clients can access high-quality analytical services with the added benefit of practical support, turning data into decisions, and helping businesses grow with confidence.”

Operated by the not-for-profit Future Food Partnership and supported by North Somerset Council, The Food WorksSW caters to UK food and drink businesses of all sizes. Its facilities include five development kitchens available for hire, technical support services, and on-site business units, all aimed at fostering growth and innovation among producers.

For further details on the centre’s services, interested parties can visit their official website.