Production workers talking in a food factory setting

Supporting IFTSA competition winners with a UK tour and visit to Campden BRI

9 January 2025

Having sponsored the Graduate Research Video Competition , in association with the US Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Student Association (IFTSA) for many years, we were delighted to support our latest round of winners on their recent UK tour and visit to Campden BRI.

The competition prize winners, which included 2023 winner Jenna Fryer, and this year’s winner Ivannova Lituma, enjoyed an exciting 10-day tour, which included visits to key food manufacturers, retailers, research facilities, regulatory bodies and events.

Introduction to the best in UK Research and Technology

Besides gaining a detailed tour of our main Chipping Campden site and our dedicated new wine laboratory and testing centre in Guildford, our packed itinerary introduced our prize winners to many further innovations in the UK food industry.

Food manufacturing and retail

In the area of food manufacturing the graduate students were able to experience first-hand what our industry is doing to develop more sustainable farming, with visits to innovative food manufacturers including Jones Food Company and Leaf Lab , who are both specialists in vertical farming.

They were also given an insight into the retailer’s perspective on food, with a visit to Marks and Spencer’s HQ .

Research and academia

With ongoing developments in technology crucial to moving the food industry forward, our prize winners were also able to see what we are doing in Britain to tackle global food challenges.

During their 10-day tour the students got to learn about the latest developments in agri-tech and agri-robotics at the University of Lincoln , while at the University of Leeds , they were given an insight into how the food industry is using artificial intelligence.

Research institutes

Similarly, research institutes have a key role to play in supporting the food industry.

The students were introduced to several key research institutes for our industry. These included:

The Quadram institute , who works to address global challenges in human health, food and disease
Earlham Institute , whose mission is to decode the scale and complexity of living systems so we can understand, benefit from, and protect life on Earth
John Innes Centre , who is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science, genetics and microbiology
The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) , to hear about the latest advancements in plant science research.

Wineries, vineyards and related colleges

Wine production and related industries are a real growth area for the UK food industry, so besides visiting our new wine laboratory and testing centre in Guildford, our prize winners got to see some of the UK’s finest wineries, and supporting companies and organisations.

This included visits to wineries including Digby Fine English , and tours of Encirc/Accolades Wines , bottling plant Encirc , and a post-production winery called Artelium .

In addition, the itinerary also included a visit to Plumpton College , who run a range of related courses including a BA (Hons) degree in the International Wine Business.

Regulatory bodies and events

The legislative aspect of any industry is critical and even more so in the food industry, so the students’ tour of the UK, included a meeting and presentation to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) , as part of the FSA’s “Food for Thought” sessions.

Keeping with the legislative theme, the students even got the chance to experience a parliamentary tasting event at the House of Commons, “Innovation for Healthier Diets” organised by the Food & Drink Federation (FDF); showcasing FDF members’ innovations in supporting healthier, more balanced diets through healthy new product development, reformulation and portion control.

On the events side, the students also got the opportunity to hear about the latest European developments in plant-based foods at the Plant Based World Europe Exhibition at the ExCel centre in London, on the penultimate day of their tour, which ended with a traditional Pub dinner with members of the IFT British Section.

The perfect platform to advance food industry careers

Having supported the work of IFT for many years, we are committed to helping the food scientists of tomorrow through the IFTSA. We want to encourage bright and talented students to stay within the food industry, and by giving them the opportunity to practice their communications skills, provide a platform to help them advance their careers.

The competition is an ideal medium, as it provides graduate students with a great opportunity to showcase their research in a creative way, which can be on any subject related to food science or technology. The students are required to submit a three-minute video to communicate the research that they have conducted in their graduate studies. In addition, they also need to submit a personal statement explaining why they should be selected to receive the study tour and detail how they plan to capture their experience.

Following their entry completion, each finalist receives an award certificate and up to five free copies of Campden BRI Guideline documents from our publications store. The winner of the competition will then go on to receive a tour of the UK/European food and drink industry ecosystem.

What the competition and UK tour means to our winners

Besides the opportunity to showcase their research, the Graduate Research Video Competition offers winners the chance to see how the food industry works in other regions of the world, which is invaluable for their learning and future careers. Such sentiment was certainly echoed in their wider feedback by our 2023 and 2024 winners, following their tour.

Jenna Fryer, our 2023 winner, is a PhD student at Oregon State University, USA. Her research explores sensorial changes associated with smoke taint in wines affected by wildfires. It also looks to understand the flavours present in wildfire affected wines, mitigation strategies, and consumer opinions to help support the wine industry.

Having learnt a lot about the UK food industry and made many connections, Jenna has found the whole experience to be hugely valuable. Jenna comments:

For me, it’s really important to understand all the intricacies in the food industry. So, the opportunity to understand the food standards, regulations, and consumer preferences in another key region of the world has been invaluable. It will definitely help me in my future role.”

Our 2024 winner is Ivannova Lituma, who is a PhD Student at Louisiana State University, USA. In her research Ivannova explores Effect of UV-C light against Listeria monocytogenes on hydroponically grown lettuce and its effect on quality.

Similarly, to Jenna, the experience of what she’s seen in the UK, will be hugely beneficial to Ivannova in her future career, which she goes on to explain:

Besides the opportunity to connect with different industry leaders, the chance to see how legislation, research and some of the challenges faced by the UK food industry differs from that in the US, has been really useful. What I’ve learnt and experienced will also be helpful to what I decide to do in the future, whether that’s to stay in academia or move into industry."

More information about Jenna and Ivannova’s research videos and more general details about the IFTSA video competition can be found at: Graduate Research Video Competition - IFT.org .

Ongoing support for young talent in our industry

We are delighted to see how much value the latest graduate research video competition winners have gained from their experiences of the UK food industry.

Such feedback only serves to further strengthen our commitment to nurturing young talent, which besides supporting the IFTSA video competition, includes our ongoing support for the Ecotrophelia competition, the IFST Student LaunchPad and other student, early careers and continuous professional development initiatives.

Ecotrophelia

Ecotrophelia challenges teams of students from across Europe to develop an innovative, eco-friendly food and drink product. From idea generation through to the final packaged product, the aim is to provide student teams with hands-on experience of new product development.

Find out more about the Ecotrophelia competition .

IFST Student LaunchPad

We are committed to supporting the food scientists of tomorrow through our initiatives and partnerships, encouraging bright and talented students to have a career in the food industry and supporting new professionals on their career journeys.

In support of this, a number of our employees facilitate IFST (Institute of Food Science and Technology) events and act as STEM ambassadors. For example, we have now been hosting IFST Student LaunchPad events for nearly a decade.

IFST Student LaunchPad events are an opportunity for university students to make an impression and build a network, whilst receiving advice and valuable insights into possible career paths in all aspects of the food chain. With lots of speakers from various roles, career guidance from our recruitment/HR team and industry mentors, it provides a realisation moment for many University students.

All these initiatives are an excellent way of attracting young talent and raising awareness of the food industry as a great career option, which is why our commitment to them remains as steadfast as ever.

Get more details about our next Student LaunchPad event , which takes place on 21 February 2025.

Our other support initiatives for students, early careers and continuous professional development

We are also a Cornerstone Employer, as part of The Careers & Enterprise Company’s scheme established to build a bridge between employers and schools / colleges and to help all young people identify their best next step out of education and into the world of work. Similarly, we are part of both the Gloucester and Worcester Local Enterprise Partnerships, who we support in their activities to drive economic growth and create local jobs.

Our support for GCSE and A-level students include:

North Cotswolds Schools “Young Entrepreneurs Awards”
Local school science award sponsorship;
Visiting local schools to talk about food science;
- Talks for A-level biology and chemistry students
- Support with mock interviews for school students
Apprenticeships