The Academy is a unique, market-focused, and commercially orientated training programme that helps Scottish food and drink businesses - at every stage of their growth journey - sell themselves, build their brands and thrive in grocery and foodservice markets.

This unique series of structured training programmes is designed by market-focused industry experts to enable real and sustainable business growth. Underpinned by tailored one-to-one support, each programme matches the needs of your business with appropriate specialists and mentors.

The Academy is focused on knowledge-sharing, upskilling, innovating and succeeding. It’s fundamentally about delivering real change for long term growth for your business. Change that’s rooted in the here and now, in the commercial realities of the world we live in but with an eye to the future, to ensure your business is agile.

Programmes include:

• Seeding Growth: start date - September 2021
• Accelerating Growth: start date - January 2022
• Commercial Excellence: start date - July 2021

Seeding Growth is geared towards early-stage Scottish food and drink businesses or those at the start of their growth journey. It aims to help drive sales and opportunities beyond your local market.

Accelerating Growth is for Scottish food and drink SMEs with aspirations to enter the next phase of growth. It will help identify and unlock opportunities to increase penetration and sales in UK markets.

Commercial Excellence is for highly ambitious commercial professionals and sales leaders in well-established Scottish food and drink businesses looking to achieve significant market growth.

Yes, if you are a food and drink producer or manufacturer based in Scotland with a trade-ready product.

The following are not eligible: third-party consultants, sales representatives, agencies or supply chain operators (including logistics, wholesalers, food service and retailers).

There is a standard fee for each programme of between £1,000 and £3,000.

Members of Scotland Food & Drink receive a discount (between 50-75%) relative to their business turnover. Members of Scotland Food & Drink Partner organisations receive a 25% discount.

Scottish food and drink businesses at every stage of business growth.

Seeding Growth spans 3 months, with 6 modules requiring 2 half-day sessions per module.

Accelerating Growth spans 6 months, with 4 modules requiring 2 half-day sessions per module.

Commercial Excellence spans 12 months, with 3 modules requiring 2 half-day sessions per module.

All group and mentoring sessions will be delivered virtually using the Zoom platform.

You do not need to be a member of Scotland Food & Drink to apply.

The Academy programmes are not suitable for pre-start-up businesses.

The Academy is not applicable to third-party consultants, sales representatives, agencies or supply chain operators (logistics providers, wholesalers, food service or retailers).

Please submit an enquiry and an adviser will be in touch to discuss your needs.