Food and Drink Federation

Food and Drink Federation
Abbreviation	FDF
Legal status	Non-profit organisation
Purpose	Umbrella group, with subgroups, representing the UK and drink manufacturing industry
Location	6 Catherine Street, London
Region served	UK
Membership	UK food and drink manufacturers
Director General	Melanie Leech
Main organ	FDF Council
Affiliations	SFDF
Website	Food and Drink Federation

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is a membership organisation that represents and advises UK food and drink manufacturers.

Membership

Its members are companies of all sizes as well as trade associations and groups dealing with specific sectors of the industry.

The food and drink manufacturing industry employs around 400,000 people and as many as 1.2 million in ancillary services; it accounts for 15% of the UK's total manufacturing sector by value; it buys two-thirds of what farmers produce.

Functions

The Federation is responsible for communicating to and from a range of audiences including the UK government (particularly the Department of Health; the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), regulators, consumers and the media.

The Federation tackles a range of issues on behalf of its members under the three core areas of health and wellbeing; food safety and science; and sustainability and competitiveness; it also aims to highlight the work industry conducts under these areas. For example its Five-fold Environmental Ambition sets out where manufacturers are looking to make a difference to the environment through reducing CO2 emissions; sending zero food and packaging waste to landfill from 2015; reducing the level of packaging reaching households; improving water efficiency to reduce water use; and embedding environmental standards in their transport practices to achieve fewer and friendlier food miles.

Product reformulation has also been another major focus for the Federation, highlighting the industry’s ongoing work to reduce salt, trans fats, fat and sugar in food products. The industry’s efforts have been supported by the UK's Food Standards Agency, the UK Government and others.

Members

Extract of members of the FDF - full members list:

Structure

Food sector groups

Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Group - is a member of the CAOBISCO European association
Frozen Food Group - has an Ice Cream committee and is a member of the Euroglaces ice cream association.
Grocery Trade Liaison Committee
Meat Group - is a member of the European CLITRAVI processors' association
Organics Group - is a member of the European group of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements
Out of Home Group
Seafood Group - split into groups for Shellfish, Tuna, Salmon and Fish, and a member of the Sea Fish Industry Authority Advisory Working Group, and the executive committees of the NWRAC and NSRAC
Vegetarian and Meat-Free Food Industry Group
Yogurt and Chilled Dessert Group

Affiliated groups

In the same building are the Snacks, Nuts and Crisps Manufacturers Association SNACMA, the Association of Bakery Ingredient Manufacturers ABIM and the European Snacks Association ESA.

Scottish Food and Drink Federation

The organisation has a Scottish division (SFDF) that runs autonomously and is based in Edinburgh. It deals directly with the Scottish Executive and is wholly responsible for the Scottish food and drink manufacturing industry, having its own Executive Committee. The drinks industry in Scotland is an important part of its economy, and its exports.