A website showcasing the Isle of Man’s vibrant food and drink industry has been launched.
It has been designed to help residents, businesses and visitors discover the huge array of local producers, and to encourage consumers to purchase food and drink which is grown, reared, caught, sourced and processed on the Isle of Man.
The website will also raise awareness about the importance of provenance and traceability and its worth to the local economy, as well as support for local businesses – including a directory and details of how to apply for the Provenance Label and financial assistance.
The Isle of Man Food and Drink site has been created by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and includes event listings, industry updates and details of businesses who provide a home delivery service. Local business listings have increased from around 30 to almost 100 of our passionate producers since the directory was first introduced in 2009.
The site has been created as part of the Food Matters strategy – which aims to grow the economic contribution of Isle of Man Food and Drink from £75 million in 2015 to at least £125 million in 2025.
The ambition, as part of the strategy, is to support the already flourishing businesses and any new start-ups to continue supplying locally-produced staple and artisanal products to local shops, restaurants and hotels, and to profitably grow the export market and an increasingly collaborative food supply chain.
Geoffrey Boot MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture said: ‘The new website is an excellent resource for residents and businesses, providing the opportunity to really showcase and celebrate the quality and range of local produce available.’
‘I hope having this information so easily accessible will raise awareness of the local market and help to build on already vibrant sector.’
Producers interested in joining the directory can do so via a form on the website or by contacting food@gov.im for more information.
If you’re interested in local producers and fancy sampling some of their delicious creations, then you don’t want to miss the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival in the Villa Marina Gardens on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th September, sponsored by PokerStars and in association with Manx Radio.
