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A design event organised by Gray’s School of Art is aiming to usher in the newest innovation ideas for the food sector, with a keynote speech by north-east chef Nick Nairn.

Food Futures – The Future of Culinary Experience, is a Design in Action (DiA) event led by partner organisation Robert Gordon University (RGU), which takes place from October 20 to 22 and will focus on food innovation, new technologies, food co-operatives and how techniques from the past can help future innovation.

With £20,000 of funding up for grabs, the event brings together more than 25 food producers, academics, designers and retailers to collaborate and create innovative ideas that could be brought to market.

Sue Fairburn, design lecturer at Gray’s School of Art and Research Fellow with Design in Action, said: “This Chiasma is focused on a number of issues, such as new, emerging technology that could have an impact on food - things like 3D printing.

“It will also be about looking at old solutions, things that we have eaten, drunk, cooked or grown in the past which could be revitalised and become innovative again.

“Then there is the issue of how basic cooking skills are no longer as essential as they once were. What are the new business ideas that are good for our body, soul, society and environment?”

During the Chiasma, successful applicants will form teams and pitch iterative ideas to an expert panel. Teams will work together to evolve their ideas before delivering a final pitch to be considered for funding and development by the panel.

Design in Action has allocated up to £20,000 per prototype and a range of support services for ideas generated from the event, which will be awarded by an expert funding panel six weeks after the event.

It is the third food Chiasma that has been run by DiA in as many years, with the first year seeing Beer52, a young start up monthly beer subscription service, emerge as the recipient of the funding.

Since then, the company has gone from strength to strength and now has more than 10,000 active members and is the UK’s No. 1 Craft Beer Club.

Company founder James Brown said: “I didn’t know what to expect when I attended the first Chiasma event but it was an intense two days with entrepreneurs, industry experts and designers all in the same room with a £20,000 carrot - something special was bound to happen.

“It's a great opportunity and lots of fun, I'd definitely recommend it.”

The Design in Action (DiA) Food Futures event takes place from October 20 to 22 at DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane Hydro. For more information, visit www.designinaction.com/chiasmas/foodfutures/

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