Local Food Economy
Food Economy, Access and Opportunity
Work continues across Bristol to create meaningful opportunities in the city’s food sector, supporting skills development, employment, and pathways into work.
Bristol City Council’s Food Talent Pathway programme has exceeded its targets, with strong demand and high levels of participant engagement. The initiative successfully connected young people with local food businesses, leading to positive employment outcomes and valuable real-world experience. While council funding for the programme has now ended, key learnings are being built into new employment initiatives, including Future Bright and Work Well.
The Youth Guarantee Trailblazer, a new employment support programme for young people in and around Bristol, has recently launched. As part of a national pilot, it provides tailored one-to-one guidance alongside practical training and development opportunities, helping young people gain the confidence, skills, and experience needed to move into meaningful work.
Procurement
Bristol is working to strengthen connections across its food supply chain, bringing together producers, suppliers, and public sector partners.
The next Good Food and Eating Well event is scheduled for 25 February at the University of Bristol’s Vet School, highlighting suppliers from North Somerset. The event aims to spark conversation, share learning, and connect everyone involved in the local supply chain.
Work is also ongoing with the National Advisory Board (Dynamic Procurement Advisory Board), which is developing a guide outlining different routes to market for small suppliers looking to work with the public sector. In parallel BFN is partnering with Bristol Business Improvement District (BID) to organise free networking and learning events for the city’s food sector in 2026, providing opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and business growth.
