A taste of York

Of those, 35 per cent are in the food-and- The manufacturing sector in York and North Yorkshire employs some 35,000 people, making up ten per cent of all jobs.

drink sector, according to an economic assessment carried out by York, North Yorkshire and East Riding local enterprise partnership in 2010.

More than 12,000 people are employed in food and drink in North Yorkshire, at big players such as Nestlé, which employs 1,700 people in York, and McCain, which employs about 1,000 people in Scarborough, as well as with many artisan producers spread right across the region.

Agricultural employment in the sub-region is estimated to account for a further 20,000 jobs.

York has a strong heritage in the confectionery industry, with the Rowntree family having left its mark on the city through far more than just a chocolate factory. While other confectioners, such as Terry’s of York, pulled manufacturing out of the city, York is still a major confectionery base for Nestlé.

The global company has made York the home to its £7 million product technology centre, its main global research and development centre for confectionery, engaged in activities from materials science and chemistry, engineering of production equipment to marketing, and tasting by locally recruited chocolate tasters.

The National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacture, one of the sector’s main training bodies, which also undertakes research about issues affecting the industry, is also based at York Science Park.

Independent producers are strong in North Yorkshire, from makers of preserves or confectionery to butchers. Independent breweries thrive in the region’s real ale scene, with 19 new breweries opening in Yorkshire in the last year, making a total of 123.

New breweries around the York area include Pocklington’s Brass Castle Brewery, Barkston at Barkston Ash, Conquest in Whitby, Hop Studio in Elvington, Scarborough Brewery and Treboom at Shipton-by-Beningbrough.