Bowhouse, Fife’s new food innovation hub is unveiling its expanded portfolio of makers based at the St Monans site alongside new funding to support start up food and drink businesses.
In the ten months since it opened, seven micro and small producers have based themselves at the venue, working on diverse produce from shellfish and heritage flour to craft beer.
Now Fife Council Economic Development is supporting Bowhouse to assist businesses by giving them scope to test their products, trade and position their business. This funding will provide a range of benefits designed to help businesses grow including business advice through Business Gateway Fife’s services, collaboration, and free pitches at the popular Bowhouse Food Weekend events. Businesses interested in applying for this opportunity should email market@bowhousefife.com.
Founder Toby Anstruther said:
“Bowhouse is a place for making – making food by transforming raw ingredients from the East Neuk’s farms and waters into finished products ready for eager customers locally and further afield. Bowhouse replaces a missing link in the food chain from farmer to consumer and there is a clear appetite for this, as our growing number of makers demonstrates. I’m delighted to be working with Fife Council to offer new food and drink businesses the opportunity to test the market, collaborate and grow.”
Pamela Stevenson, Lead Officer (Enterprise & Business Development) at Fife Council said:
“Bowhouse is an exciting development for Fife’s growing food and drink sector. We’re delighted to be working with the team there to encourage entrepreneurs to test the market, trade and engage in the wider opportunities around Bowhouse and its Food Weekends. This is part of broader activity taking place to boost Fife’s food and drink sector.”
Producers based at Bowhouse now include:
· Langoustine the Box – this company works with local shellfish fishermen to make langoustine, lobsters and crab available to the public.
· Scotland the Bread – a group that campaigns for real breadmaking and grows a range of grains at Bowhouse that is both nutritionally sound and good for the natural environment.
· East Neuk Organic Brewing & Distilling – the team is setting up the facilities to make a small range of beers and spirits, some using local ingredients like seaweed in the fermentation process
· Minick’s Butchers – this local artisan business is experimenting with maturation techniques in meat at his Bowhouse facility
· Keeping the Plot – this florist is growing edible flowers in the fields around Bowhouse
· Bibi’s Little Bakery – this local bakery is creating a range of macarons
· The Coffee and Pizza Company – a new enterprise that roasts its own coffee and produces woodfired pizzas on site in a casual dining outlet due to open this summer.
· Fit to the Core, offering pilates, yoga, fitness classes and nutritional coaching, also operates at Bowhouse.
Based on Balcaskie Estate, Bowhouse provides food and drink producers with a dedicated space in which to operate as well as providing economies of scale in terms of distribution, collaboration and advice. In addition a large, covered market space is available for events, which include the popular Bowhouse Food Weekends that have drawn over 20,000 people to to see, discuss, taste and buy the best local food and drink in a vibrant atmosphere with live music, street food and workshops.
Producers make use of a range of sizes of production units all with full temperature control, environmental health compliance and mains gas, electricity and water. A variety of spaces and units are still available at Bowhouse.
Find out more about Bowhouse and to find out more about production units and support for food and drink businesses by emailing market@bowhousefife.com or calling 01333 720200.
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