A one-day workshop will discuss opportunities for British food producers and growers to become leaders in plant-based product development.

Taking place at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington campus, the course will examine how the industry can harness the trend of vegetarianism and veganism.

Nine speakers will discuss the effects the trend is having and explore what farmers and food producers can do to keep up with, and benefit from, consumer demand.

In January 2019, Mintel reported that the UK became the leading country for the development of vegan food products – a position previously held by Germany.

One in six food products launched in the UK during 2018 had a vegan or no animal ingredients claim. This has doubled from just 8% in 2015.

The rise has caused concern amongst food producers, and the farmers who supply them, about how British agriculture can keep up, and whether strategies to import more produce are sustainable.

This one-day workshop, entitled ‘Capturing a Growing Market – Developing exciting new products for consumers choosing a plant-based diet’ is aimed at anyone who wants to hear from industry experts about how to face the challenges, and reap the benefits, of providing more plant-based products to consumers.

It is an opportunity to meet, share ideas and discuss how British farmers, food producers and retailers can prepare for even more dramatic changes in consumer choice.

The workshop is being run by the Agri-food Training Partnership (AFTP) and will take place on September 12.

It will feature a variety of presentations from industry speakers, including Dr. Muyiwa Akintoye, head of Research and Development at Quorn Foods and Carol Wagstaff, AFTP director and professor of Crop Quality for Health at the University of Reading.

Tickets are £50 and are available from on the AFTP website.