Dare to Dream offers food for thought

This year’s Dare to Dream was delivered by Jackie Wild, chief executive of SmartParc, who revealed that her dream was already happening – with Derby playing a key role.

SmartParc is working in partnership with SEGRO to develop a high-tech food manufacturing site called SmartParc SEGRO Derby on the former British Celanese site at Spondon.

It aims to be a hub for forward-thinking food businesses seeking sustainable and efficient operations, a collaborative workspace and a first-class location with excellent connectivity.

The vision is to create 100 SmartParcs all over the world to address what Jackie describes as a “broken global food system”.

Following an introduction by Paul Simpson, chief executive of Derby City Council, she began her Dare to Dream address by sharing some shocking statistics about food waste with the Annual Business Event audience.

She said: “Across the world, the food system is the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and the leading cause of deforestation, drought, freshwater pollution and the decrease of aquatic wildlife.

“But it might surprise you to know that a third of all food produced each year, that’s 1.3 billion tons, is wasted.

“If food waste itself were a country, it would be the third-largest producer of CO2 after China and the US.”

Jackie also spoke about the impact of climate change on global food production – and the UK’s over-reliance on imports.

She said: “UK food security is at risk. We remain reliant on imports. Forty per cent of the food we eat in this country is imported, which is 40 million tons per annum.

“The Government has recognised it, stating in their food security report that the UK continues to be highly dependent on imports to meet consumer demand.

“However, many of the countries that we are bringing our food in from are also equally challenged by climate change, which drives up cost.”

But Jackie said that Derby – and the Midlands region – “has the answers and a successful blueprint to follow”.

She said: “This is where my dare to dream starts. SmartParc is my dare to dream.

“SmartParc addresses the issues facing the industry. SmartParc SEGRO Derby is the first of our low carbon campuses.

“When fully developed it will offer 2.2 million sq ft of dedicated food space and provide 5,000 jobs for the local community.

“It will have a food manufacturing innovation and technology centre, which will help entrepreneurs to scale their businesses up, as well as providing space to support the new food solutions and technology, such as vertical farming.

“But the thing that really makes SmartParc SEGRO Derby really unique is the shared energy centre, which allows us to recycle the heat from refrigeration to use in all of the production facilities.

“In the first five years of its operation it will save 27,000 tons of CO2.”

Jackie explained how SmartParc was now blazing a trail in the industry.

She said: “Before SmartParc there was no asset class for sustainable food production.

“When I first spoke to investors no-one believed it would work – or that it was important.

“But it is important, it does work – and it is proving to be very successful. And it is a first that was made in Derby.”

Big names in the food industry are now moving into SmartParc SEGRO Derby – with more in the pipeline.

Jackie said that a new 400,000 sq ft manufacturing and distribution centre for bakery chain Greggs was currently being fitted out – and that is had recently completed HelloFresh’s largest distribution centre in the world.

According to Jackie, once complete, SmartParc SEGRO Derby will represent an investment of close to £1 billion.

In her closing remarks, she said: “We have to eat. If we don’t address these problems the country will be finished. We cannot continue to import our food.

“We have to make it here – and we have to invest in our systems to allow that to happen.

“I’m very, very proud that our journey has started in Derby. We’re going to build 100 of these parks around the world – we’re already working on the next five.

“Thank you for welcoming us to Derby. Although I live in London now, I was originally born in Derbyshire  – and I feel very proud to be associated with this amazing place.

“My dream certainly wouldn’t have been successful without the help and support of the people of this community.”