Food Manufacturing Industrial Symbiosis Solutions (F-MISS)

英国食品和饮料行业的价值超过1000亿英镑，使其成为该国最大的制造业，雇用400万人，每年产生1210亿英镑，该行业的增长是克服英国退欧和新冠肺炎经济后果的关键（桑坦德，2023年）。该行业占经济总量的6%，约有8，285家中小型企业（包括微型企业），营业额略低于220亿英镑，2022年员工人数为14.8万人（英国政府，2023年）。在食品领域，中小企业占据了78%的业务、28%的就业和16%的营业额（政府，2023年）。尽管中小企业在食品和饮料制造业中占有重要地位，但它们在当今的经济环境中挣扎求存，面临着通货膨胀的极端挑战（8月21日至22日增长4.1%），供应链中断（乌克兰和新冠肺炎危机）和劳动力短缺（英国退欧），为生存创造了完美的风暴（食品和饮料联合会和FoodCircle，2023）。此外，消费者的偏好已经转向气候友好型和可持续性产品，而中小企业由于缺乏投资研发/新工艺和创新的能力而难以跟上这些要求。我们正在开发新的工业共生和商业模式创新，以克服这些挑战，使英国中小企业食品制造业更具弹性，稳健和可持续性。

The UK food and drink sector is valued at \>£100bn, making it the largest manufacturing sector in the country employing 4 million people and generating £121bn annually, whereby growth in the sector is key to overcoming the economic consequences of Brexit and Covid(Santander,2023). This sector makes up 6% of the total economy, with approximately 8,285 small and medium enterprises(SMEs, including micro), which have a turnover of just under £22bn and comprise 148k employees 2022(UK Govt,2023). In the food sector, SMEs accounted for 78% of businesses, 28% of employment and 16% turnover(Govt,2023).Despite their strong presence in food and beverage manufacturing, SMEs are struggling to survive in today's economic climate, facing extreme challenges in the form of inflation(4.1% increase Aug 21-22), disrupted supply chains(Ukraine and Covid crises) and labour shortages(Brexit), creating the perfect storm for survival(Food and Drink Federation & FoodCircle,2023). Furthermore, consumer bases have shifted preferences towards climate friendly and sustainable products, which SMEs can struggle to keep up with due to the lack of ability to invest in R&D/new processes and innovations that meet these requirements.We are developing new Industrial Symbiosis and business model innovations to overcome these challenges, making the UK SME food manufacturing sector more resilient, robust and sustainable.