Feeding Britain’s Future
Help young people build skills and discover careers across the UK food system - join Feeding Britain’s Future.
We need your help
Many young people leave education without the knowledge, confidence or skills they need to take their first step into work, and too few understand the breadth of career opportunities available across the sector.
Added to this, around one million young people are currently NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).
A quiet crisis building
Employers are facing shortages in the skills needed to transform and future proof the UK food system. Read more about the full extent of the workforce challenges faced by our industry in our report A Quiet Crisis.
The food industry needs a collective effort to encourage and support young people to pursue opportunities in the sector.
Become part of the movement
Provide opportunities for young people
Provide flexible work experience for young people, in collaboration with food businesses across the supply chain, and commit volunteer time from five or more employees, for IGD's schools' programme helping us reach 50,000 students/year.
Participate in the Mmmake Your Mark Campaign
Engage your people to create content celebrating careers in food this September, using our campaign toolkit. Feature the core campaign, ideally with owned media space and connect us with your communications lead.
Advocate for the movement
Ask five or more organisations across your value chain to commit to Feeding Britain's Future – a draft email and LinkedIn post is available for you to share with your contacts.
Engage in free learning
Enrol all new starters on the new starter course and integrate relevant courses into internal learning pathways to help us train 6,000 learners this year. Contact [email protected].
Pledge your support
Email feedingbritain'[email protected] by 25 May 2026 to formally join the movement and share your high-res logo with us. This secures your Chief Executive and Senior People Leader a place at our launch event on 4 June.
Help create real, measurable impact for young people by making a clear and powerful commitment.
Our plan
Feeding Britain’s Future aims to tackle workforce challenges.
It brings employers, educators and communities together to unlock confidence and aspiration for young people while strengthening the resilience of the UK food system.
It is about creating opportunities that help young people build the essential confidence and employability skills and understanding of the industry, while helping employers to find and develop future talent.
Shared ambition
By 2030, we aim to build a confident, skilled, future‑ready workforce and position the sector as a modern, purpose‑driven career choice for young people.
This movement focuses on three pillars:
The call to industry
Together we will unlock confidence, aspiration and opportunity for every young person, and secure the future of a sector that touches every household, every day.
We will help young people build skills and discover opportunities across the food industry through:
School and early careers learning programmes
Work experience and university partnerships
Careers services and industry wide campaigns
We invite organisations across the UK food system to join a coordinated, sector wide effort. Every employer, large or small, has a role to play.