What about Food & Beverages?

There has never been a better time to join the food and drink sector. This is an industry that evolves continuously, reflecting changes in lifestyles and constant consumer demand for new choices.

Food and drink production makes up the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, accounting for almost 15% of the UK’s total manufacturing in 2005. In 2004, spending on food and drink came to nearly £152.6 billion, representing a staggering 21.0% of UK national consumer's expenditure.

The UK food and drink manufacturing industry also contributes to the global food industry, and is the fourth largest in the world. Many of our food and drink companies have operations in other countries around the world, producing a wide range of products under many well-known brand names.

The future of this UK industry is looking very bright.

Typical Activities

Embracing global sourcing, international ingredients, new technologies and processes has resulted in one of the most dynamic industry sectors in the UK. Duties for those employed in the industry could include:

• Developing manufacturing processes and equipment, including quality control;
• Working on newly discovered ingredients to invent new recipes and ideas;
• Maintaining quality assurance and food safety regulations;
• Applying scientific knowledge to food and beverage production, i.e. biochemical processing.
  

Getting in

Qualifications for the food and beverage sector cover a wide range of operations as well as food hygiene and food safety.

Those qualifications developed using the National Occupational Standards, such as NVQs, are based on industry requirements and are ideal for staff development in the workplace. NVQs within this industry include for example food and drink manufacture or food safety. 

There are also a number of food and drink related courses are taught by universities, which produce about 65,000 graduate and postgraduate students each year. Nutrition, biochemistry and engineering are among the subjects relevant to a graduate career in the industry.

Businesses in this sector require workforces that are highly skilled, responsive and flexible in order to react more effectively to a changing and demanding market. It is an industry that is dynamic, fast paced and ready to give you promotion quickly.

Typical Employers

The food and drink manufacturing industry has an annual turnover of over £70 billion, employing 470,000 people across the UK. The big players in this industry include:

• Bacardi-Martini
• Bass Brewing
• Coca Cola
• Mars
• Sara Lee Corp
• Unilever
• Universal Foods

More reading

SEMTA (Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance)

IMPROVE  - The Food and Drink Sector Skills Council