Development of innovative Devon food processing centre to tackle food waste gets UWE Bristol support

UWE Bristol is supporting the development of a new innovative food processing centre in Devon that aims to transform food waste management and support farmers in greater food sustainability.

Following a successful £1.5m grant from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) secured by Devon-based social enterprise Food in Community CIC, the not-for-profit processing centre at the South Devon Food Hub near Totnes will open in early 2026.

As part of DEFRA’s ‘Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate’ initiative, the funding is ring fenced for initial set up costs. Project Beetroot aspires to become a blueprint for the future of sustainable management of surplus produce from farms across the South West.

As well as fighting food waste, the centre will focus on food security to develop a working, replicable model of how food supplies can be increased for times of acute shortage and offer hands-on training in food production and industry-relevant skills to individuals who might face barriers entering the workforce.

Two UWE Bristol colleges are collaborating with Food in Community to advise on meeting rigorous environmental and sustainability standards in the development of the food processing centre.

Dr Kyle Alves, Senior Lecturer of Information Systems and Operations Management from the College of Business and Law, will design the operational activities to process food received by the facility. 

Dr Alves is contributing to the layout and design of the facility to ensure efficient use of the space. He will also be designing operational processes and related training materials required for replicating the installation in future locations around the UK.

Meanwhile, Dr Jason Matthews, Programme Lead for Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing from the College of Arts, Technology and the Environment, is supporting the engineering project development, including equipment selection, technical installation guidance, and energy capture for increased sustainability. He is also advising on innovations in new technology that will further enhance positive environmental impact, such as utilising sources of renewable energy.

Dr Kyle Alves said: “We have the chance to do several really great things with this project. We can help bring food that would have gone to waste back into the community. We can develop skills and self-reliance in the community to build resilience into local food systems. Best of all, we can do this with a goal of increased sustainability in reduced energy consumption. Dr Matthews and I are both very proud to contribute and support the impressive work that Food in Community is doing to make a difference.”

David Marston, Co-Founder and Director of Food in Community, adds: “We are delighted to have this input from UWE Bristol to help us ensure that the ring-fenced funding is used most effectively to meet both our immediate operational requirements as well as our aspirational, longer term environmental and social objectives.”