Food  News

Food Exchange announces chance for young food business to win an office rent free for one year, worth £20k

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Published on
April 12, 2018

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New Covent Garden Market’s Food Exchange in Vauxhall is searching for the UK’s most exciting food start-ups and entrepreneurs as it launches a bursary of a year’s free office residence worth £20,000.

The bursary, which is now open for applications, will see the Food Exchange call for entries from fledgling food companies including manufacturers, tech, producers, recipe developers, stylists, photographers, magazines and PRs. The five-strong judging panel is made up of food industry expert including BBC Good Food magazine’s lifestyle editor Lulu Grimes, Evening Standard columnist and freelance journalist Victoria Stewart, MD of street food market KERB Simon Mitchell, co-founder of The Snaffling Pig Company Andrew Allen and business development director for New Covent Garden Market Helen Evans.

The winning business will enjoy a year’s rent and service charge free in one of the building’s contemporary, light-filled private studios with space for six staff with air conditioning and wifi, as well as access to shared meeting rooms, kitchen amenities, a rooftop terrace, showers and bicycle storage – all just 10 minutes’ walk from Vauxhall station.

Part of a significant £130m investment, the Food Exchange is a bold new home for London’s food entrepreneurs of every flavour, that opened in February this year. The facility is unique to the UK, comprising a workspace, kitchen space and food culture venue for everyone and everything to do with food. Private studios are ready to rent now for all types and sizes of businesses working in food. The Food Exchange is partnering with Mission Kitchen to create London’s largest shared kitchen space, alongside co-working space, for London’s small and ambitious food makers.

New Covent Garden Market’s aim is to create London’s greatest cluster of food entrepreneurs and to nurture the future of food. An incubator for innovators and the food stars of tomorrow, the Food Exchange spans three floors and as a new home to the winner will provide the opportunity to become part of this incredible food community and develop amongst like-minded entrepreneurs.

Helen Evans, New Covent Garden Market business development director and co-chair of the Greater London Authority London Markets Board, said:

“This is a brilliant chance for a young food business to join a thriving community of industry peers at the Food Exchange as well as freeing up valuable cash to invest into the business, thanks to a whole year rent free. We’re looking forward to hearing from some of the most exciting people in food and drink right now and welcoming the winner into what’s set to become a hub for the capital’s most forward-thinking food entrepreneurs.”

Applicants for the office bursary must be over 18 and own a UK based food business which is less than three years old. It’s free to enter and the deadline for submissions is Sunday 29th April 2018.

Simply head to www.foodexchange.london to find the entry form and full information. Three businesses will be shortlisted and invited to pitch to the judging panel ahead of the winner moving into the office in early June.


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