Innovation
The Innovation Team aims to provide specialist food technology exploration and development of tailored innovation projects for the Food Industry.
The team identifies key drivers for change, develops new product concepts in line with market opportunities and reports on new & emerging technologies, which can be supported through funded programmes.
Our technologists offer an innovation pathway of support providing entrepreneurs and established businesses with a framework to embrace innovation and commercialisation of new ideas. We support you to develop product concepts, processing methods and controls, as well as opportunities for commercial manufacturing. Innovation at Loughry is not only about new product development, it is also about continually evaluating new and existing manufacturing processes and production technologies as well as assessing packaging performance.
Collaboration and Funded Programmes:
Knowledge Transfer Partnership
CAFRE link with Invest NI, bring together businesses, research bodies and recent graduates to work on mutually beneficial company-based projects.
Innovation Boost
CAFRE in collaboration with InterTradeIreland’s all-island technology transfer programme, can help to bolster your business’s bottom line and get ahead of the competition
Innovation Vouchers
CAFRE delivered over 370 technical support projects funded by Invest NI Innovation Vouchers.
Co-Innovate
CAFRE link with the Co-Innovate Programme that aims to support SMEs and micro-businesses in Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland, and Western Scotland.
Food Enterprise Development Programme
A programme which allows companies to manufacture and sell their products produced in the Food Technology Centre.
Food Facilities
Loughry Campus has a wide range of facilities which are used by students and agri-food businesses.
Key contact:
Deborah Whinnery
Senior Technologist (Food)
Deborah.Whinnery@daera-ni.gov.uk