Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) serves up the ingredients to inspire firms to innovate

Businesses linked to the food and drink sector in the East Midlands are being invited to an event that aims to encourage the introduction of new ideas, new products and new ways of working in the industry.

The iThrive event is being run by the Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network), which stimulates innovation in the sector.

Strategic advisor and business book author Max McKeown will be the key speaker at the free event, which takes place on September 21st at the National Space Centre, Leicester, from 8.30am to 12.30pm.

He will present an interactive workshop that will provide food for thought on ways of creating an innovation culture within a business – aiming to stimulate creativity and arm companies with the courage and know-how to weigh up decision-making and risk-taking in order to innovate.

“The iThrive 2011: Creating an Innovation Culture event provides food and drink business owners and managing directors with the chance to take a step back from day-to-day business operations, and explore ways of creating a cultural change towards innovation,” said Richard Worrall, Food and Drink iNet director.

“Max McKeown is a strategic advisor for some of the most admired companies in the world, and will, I am sure, provide much food for thought to delegates who attend the event.”

The Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is one of four regional iNets developed to link academic and private sector expertise and knowledge with local food and drink business innovation needs.

It aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

For more information about the event, which is aimed at those working in food and drink manufacturing and across the food and drink supply chain in the East Midlands, email enquiries@foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

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