INVESTMENT is helping to future-proof Cornwall’s agri-food sector.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme is supporting the development of new food and drink products, strengthening local supply chains and contributing to long-term UK food security.

The scheme, managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, is forecast to support 738 local enterprises to adopt new or improved products and services.

Among those are several high-profile Cornish food and drink businesses, who are bringing new products to market and expanding their manufacturing capability in Cornwall.

Good Growth investment has enabled St Ewe Free Range Eggs to develop a new production facility at the company’s headquarters in Grampound Road.

The facility will allow shell eggs to be processed into liquid egg products, improving food safety, increasing efficiency and reducing waste.

Waste egg shells generated through the process will be repurposed as a soil enhancer, supporting a more circular approach within Cornwall’s agri-food system.

Origin Coffee is also being supported to develop a new line of speciality cold brew coffee and coffee capsules, responding to growing demand for high-quality, convenient coffee products.

Investment is enabling Origin to bring production in-house and expand their operations by opening a Cold Brew Brewery near Stithians, supporting business growth while retaining value within Cornwall.

Rodda’s is investing in a brand-new, purpose-built cottage cheese facility, which is currently under construction alongside its existing site in Scorrier.

The project represents a significant expansion of the company’s dairy manufacturing capability and will help meet growing UK demand for high-quality British dairy products, strengthening domestic food production. It will also create 10 skilled jobs.

Buttermilk, the award-winning Bodmin-based confectionary producer, has completed a 420 square metre expansion of its production factory.

This has doubled capacity and created new jobs while meeting growing demand for plant-based products in the UK and overseas.

The project also included energy-efficient measures such as solar panels and heat recovery, supporting a more sustainable approach to food manufacturing.

The Good Growth Programme has also supported the wider agri-food sector through the Great Cornish Food team, which works with new and established businesses to showcase, sustain and evolve Cornwall’s food and drink industry.

This includes easy-access small grants to help businesses scale up, innovate and reach new markets, and a programme of skills and education delivered through the Great Cornish Food Academy to encourage young entrants into the industry and address skills shortages.

The project has directly invested £115,000 in 29 businesses to help them overcome various hurdles and provided non-financial support to nearly 30 businesses and over 70 individuals, including one-to-one mentoring for business owners.

It has also assisted 59 volunteers working in community food schemes across Cornwall with training and has helped create a new Level 3 apprenticeship in engineering for food manufacturing at Truro & Penwith College.

A series of careers events in secondary schools across Cornwall has also opened the eyes of young people to the career opportunities in food, drink, farming and fishing.