FOOD SYSTEM

Better Food, Better Health

We're creating a fairer food system for Kent and Medway. A system that's more productive, kinder to the environment, and delivers nutritious, affordable food for the benefit of our communities.

WHAT IS A FOOD SYSTEM?

A food system is an interconnected web of all the stages involved in producing the food we eat. It considers the external factors that affect the whole food supply chain; how growers produce their crops, how ingredients are processed and packaged, and whether we’re eating enough fibre and protein in our diets.

How we manage our food system impacts our individual well-being and the health of our planet. Political, social, economic, and environmental factors all play a role. To produce healthy, sustainable, and accessible food, we need to examine interactions across the whole system.

Local Response to a Global Challenge

Our impact on Kent and Medway's food system has national significance. We play a vital role in providing the nation with fresh produce. And as a region, we are a microcosm of issues facing communities across the UK and the world.

40%+

of British-grown fruit and vegetables are grown in

Kent and Medway.

80%+

of fresh produce imports flow through our region.

2030

Southeast England will face severe water stress from population growth and environmental pressures.

16 year

life expectancy gap exists across Kent, with significant wealth and health inequality.

Our Food System Areas

At Growing Kent & Medway, we foster collaboration, de-risk innovation, and invest in new talent and capabilities. We work with cross-disciplinary partners and our network of specialist research centres to transform our food system.

We are focused on six key areas of activity:

New Ingredients

Advancing innovation in fermentation and plant-based protein crops to create novel, sustainable, and healthy ingredients.

Sustainable Growing

Supporting profitable and productive farming to produce nutritious food that doesn’t cost the earth.

Food Processing & Manufacturing

Developing advanced food manufacturing processes and investing in innovative new product development to bring healthy, sustainable plant-based foods to market.

Efficient Supply Chains

Improving the efficiency of our food system through smarter supply chains, reduced waste, and resilient infrastructure that responds to future challenges.

Consumer Health & Nutrition

We’re nurturing the health of our communities through education, collaboration, and innovation in the food system.

Once the plastic and plant material has been removed.jpg

Circular Bioeconomy

Converting horticultural waste and by-products into valuable new resources and materials that generate new revenue streams and benefit our environment.

Join Our Ecosystem

Useful Links

Defra: A UK government food strategy for England, considering the wider UK food system
National Preparedness Commission: Just in case 7 steps to narrow the uk civil food resilience gap
The Food system Map, Prof. Tim Lang; Graphic, G Wren