Ards and North Down Food and Drink Business Support Programme

Mentoring, research, and group support is available for food and drink businesses to develop their knowledge, skills, and attitudes in key areas

Ards and North Down Borough Council has launched the Food and Drink Business Support Programme.

This programme offers mentoring, research and group supports to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes in key areas as highlighted by Taste AND (Ards and North Down) Members in a recent training needs survey.

Key areas include: 

• Food Labelling and Packaging Design
• Waste Minimisation
• Brand development
• Digital Marketing
• Staff Retention and Recruitment

A one-day trip to a Food Business Development Centre and an NI-based producer is also included.

Mentoring will be delivered from December 2025 to March 2026.

Find out more and apply for the Food and Drink Business Support Programme.

First published 4 November 2025