Food Town, Food People. Grimsby has one of the largest concentrations of food manufacturing, innovation, storage and distribution in Europe.
We are the centre of the UK’s seafood industry and we have:
- Around 500 food-related companies
- Grimsby Fish Market: a European leader, handling around 20,000 tonnes of fresh fish per annum
- Grimsby Seafood Village: incorporating 21 seafood processing units within the Port of Grimsby
- Specialist food storage and distribution, including 230,000 tonnes of on-port/adjacent cold storage capacity at Grimsby
- Proven supply chain of specialist food sector service companies
- Leadership in innovation food technology and research
- A ready and able workforce with a strong food culture
- Strong food traditions including European PGI recognition of Grimsby Traditionally Smoked Fish
- Fast access to UK food production areas and consumer markets, from a ‘north-south central’ location, within 1 HGV driver shift
- Direct port access, providing sea freight connectivity to European and global markets
- Specialist services including process and refrigeration plant engineering/maintenance
- Specialist expertise including packaging, food waste management and sustainable energy
- Recognised excellence in the production of chilled, prepared meals and soups
North East Lincolnshire is strategically located for fast access to UK and international food and seafood production areas, and consumer markets. These location advantages have supported the growth of an advanced food and seafood industry ecosystem, with specialised skills, services, training provision and R&D. Additional advantages for businesses include significant labour and property cost savings and specialised property solutions.
Major companies already thriving here include:
- Young’s Seafood – Europe’s leading seafood firm has three local production sites and is headquartered in Grimsby
- Country Style Foods – a modern craft bakery company that works closely with leading retailers and food service companies
- Hain Daniels Group – Manufacturers of chilled soups using the New Covent Garden Soup Company brand, supplying all major retailers
- Morrisons – Chose Grimsby as the location for their first fish processing facility and continue to expand
- Hilton Seafood – Formerly Iceland Seachill, the major Icelandic owned frozen and chilled seafood supplier was bought by Hilton Seafood in 2017 for £80m
- New England Seafood – a major supplier of fresh and frozen premium sustainable fish and seafood in the UK and one of the largest importers of fresh tuna
Humber Seafood Institute
The £5.6 million Humber Seafood Institute was the first of its kind to open in the UK and is Located in the heart of Grimsby’s flagship business park, Europarc, the HSI is the home to a number of seafood, agriculture and food logistic companies in the region.
The Institute offers meeting rooms, product development kitchens, refrigeration research facilities, chemical and environmental laboratory equipment, process hall and microbiological laboratories.
UK Food Valley
Already responsible for producing one-eighth of England’s food, Greater Lincolnshire is developing the UK Food Valley Programme to position its UK leading food sector as a Top 10 Global Food Cluster. The UK Food Valley will support growth and encourage inward investment through promoting the scale, diversity and importance of the food sector to the area, and by ensuring that existing food sector companies and new investors are supported. Learn more about the UK Food Valley.
Convergence and Opportunities
Grimsby’s concentration of food processing companies presents several areas of opportunity for companies involved in biotechnology, ranging from potential use of fish waste in biotech research; extraction of Omega-3 oils from fish; and the use of microorganisms in the food-processing industry.
If you’re interested in our chemical and process industries, perhaps looking to relocate or expand on the south Humber bank, talk to us to find out how we can help you.
