CPI has received £2 million investment from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority to create a new food grade capability at the Wilton Centre based in Redcar, Tees Valley, that will help companies to develop new and improved food ingredients.

CPI is extending its current industrial biotechnology capabilities in Wilton, establishing new cutting-edge food-grade laboratories with FSSC22000 certification. The upgraded laboratories and technical development areas will enable CPI to support businesses with a full spectrum of food innovation projects. Innovative companies will have access to experts and facilities for cellular agriculture, cultured meat, host-strain characterisation, and microbial fermentation, fully supported by downstream processing. Companies can also access CPI’s support in ingredient formulation and sustainable packaging.

Increasing global demands for food, along with growing health, sustainability, environmental and animal welfare concerns are driving emerging trends in the food, feed, and nutraceutical markets. A recent study in Nature Food revealed that food production is responsible for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Of these emissions, 57% were related to the production of animal-based foods – making global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods twice those from plant-based sources.

Across global and interconnected food supply chains factors like climate change, COVID-19 and the economic downturn have had a significant and lasting impact, felt through effects like produce shortages and price increases. Now, concerns over the rising cost of food, supply chain vulnerability and increasing carbon emissions from our food systems are top of the agenda for both industry and policymakers.

CPI is facing these challenges head-on, offering the support required to enable organisations to bring innovative and forward-thinking solutions to market, envisioning a future food system that is highly resilient, localised, and sustainable, with a low carbon impact.

Supporting the UK Government’s target of reaching Net Zero by 2050, the manufacture of alternative proteins will help to reduce the environmental impacts of the food industry by up to 45%, whilst providing nutritionally valuable food that supports food security for the growing global population. However, to keep up with ever-changing consumer demands and drive innovation across the novel food supply chain, specialised facilities, technical expertise and advanced capabilities are needed.

Kris Wadrop, General Manager at CPI, said: “This is another significant step forward for CPI and the Tees Valley to position the region as the centre of biomanufacturing in the UK. Using these new facilities CPI will support several companies from within the UK and overseas, helping to introduce real changes to our food system that will reduce its environmental footprint. It is our objective that some of these companies relocate to the Tees Valley, creating new jobs and prosperity for the local community.”

Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, added: “I’m delighted to have been able to provide funding for such an innovative and game-changing programme that once again firmly puts our region on the world map in biomanufacturing. Investment in the cleaner, safer and healthier technologies of the future is of paramount importance as our region lead’s the UKs ambition of being Net Zero by 2050.

“Funding of our research centres, labs and manufacturing space will help create high-quality, highly-skilled and well-paid jobs for people across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool for years to come.