A NEW not-for-profit membership group has been created to support businesses in the region’s food industry.

Taste North East Limited is the result of a merger of Taste NE, the One North East-funded regional project to improve the food and drink sector, with Northumbria Larder, which looks after local food and drink producers.

The new body will cover businesses ranging from artisan food producers through to hotels and retailers and will provide support from initial start-up enterprises through to expanding companies, with training, compliance, marketing and routes to market assistance.

And rather than relying on public funding to survive, Taste North East is charging for membership so that it is self-sustaining.

Taste North East Limited chairman Henry Roberts said: “In establishing Taste North East Limited we have cherry-picked the core strengths from Northumbria Larder and Taste North East.

“A key feature of this new food and drink organisation is that membership and support is open to all businesses working within the food and drink sector, including accommodation providers, retailers and restaurants.

“If a business grows, makes, sells, prepares or serves food and drink then they are eligible to become Taste North East Limited members. And by joining, businesses will become a part of the North East’s only food and drink network.”

Outgoing Taste North East chair Sir Donald Curry said that Taste NE had helped to generate an additional £3.7m of business for the sector in the last year alone.

He added: “I am delighted that this new group will take that success forward and continue to help put this region on the map, as food and drink is of fundamental importance to the economy of our region, local job creation and plays a huge part in driving the tourism agenda.”

The new group will have three levels of membership – bronze, gold and silver – with prices starting at £75 for membership.