A food testing firm has hailed the impact of a government programme designed to help businesses scale more sustainably.
Food Forensics, based in Norwich, is a leading scientific testing, analysis and risk management company specialising in food authenticity and safety.
The company participated in the Help to Grow: Management programme to further strengthen its growth strategy.
The programme was delivered by The University of Salford’s Salford Business School, which has supported hundreds of businesses over five years.
Barry Hilton, Business Development Manager at Food Forensics, explained: “We joined the programme at a point where we were already delivering high-value, specialist services, but wanted to ensure our commercial approach and market positioning truly reflected that.
“The experience gave us the space to think more strategically about how we present our expertise, how we engage with clients and how we continue to grow in a focused and sustainable way.
“The peer learning and mentoring were particularly valuable. Gaining insight from other businesses and experienced mentors helped us challenge our thinking and refine our approach.
“As a result, we’re now more deliberate in how we communicate our value, more focused in how we grow our client relationships, and more confident in aligning our pricing with the quality of what we deliver.
“It has been a highly valuable experience and has strengthened how we position ourselves for the future.”
During the 12-week programme, Food Forensics took part in workshops, one-to-one mentoring and peer learning, using the programme to develop clearer growth plans, introduce more structured systems and strengthen leadership.
Dr Ann Mulhaney, Associate Professor for Change Management at the University of Salford, said: “The calibre of leadership, openness to challenge and willingness to reflect has been exceptional.
“Over the 12 weeks, we’ve seen participants move from firefighting to making confident, informed decisions about how their businesses grow, lead their people and adopt new ways of working.”
Help to Grow: Management is delivered through a national network of 64 accredited business schools, with the ambition to support 30,000 SMEs across the UK.
The 12-week, 50-hour programme is 90 per cent government-funded, reducing the cost to £750 per participant. On completion, participants join a national alumni network, providing ongoing opportunities for support, collaboration and continued development.
