The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland has launched the eighth round of its Reformul8 Challenge Fund, offering financial support to small and medium-sized food and drink manufacturers across Scotland to develop healthier products. Each successful business can receive up to £5,000 to assist with projects aimed at reducing fat, sugar, salt, and calorie content or increasing fibre, wholegrain, and fruit and vegetable components in their recipes. The funding is designed to cover any part of the reformulation process, including ingredient trials, consultancy with product development experts, and laboratory analysis. Additionally, recipients gain access to free support from FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health team.

This latest funding round is backed by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and Scotland Food & Drink, underlining ongoing commitment from public and industry bodies to improve dietary health. Since its inception, the Reformulation for Health programme has already facilitated £374,000 in funding, helping 92 Scottish SMEs, including well-known brands such as Taylors Food Group, Simon Howie, Shore, Arran Dairies, Bon Accord, and Aulds Delicious Desserts, to reformulate products for healthier profiles.

Joanne Burns, Reformulation for Health Manager at FDF Scotland, emphasised the importance of this support, saying it is essential for the food industry to develop healthier food options that meet evolving nutritional standards and consumer demand. She urged businesses to take advantage of this opportunity to improve their Nutrient Profile Model scores, align with salt reduction targets, or respond to retailer requests for healthier products.

Joe Hind, Head of Programmes & Policy for Scotland Food & Drink, highlighted how the initiative coincides with recent government actions to harmonise regulations concerning the promotion of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) with those in England and Wales. This regulatory alignment creates a timely incentive for Scottish producers to innovate through recipe reformulation, ensuring traditional favourite products become healthier.

Food Standards Scotland’s Laura Wilson echoed these sentiments, pointing out that reformulation is a crucial strategy to rebalance the food landscape toward healthier, more accessible, and affordable options. Research from FSS indicates that efforts such as portion size reduction and calorie reduction through reformulation are among the most effective industry-led methods to improve Scotland’s dietary health outcomes.

The Reformulation for Health programme, funded by the Scottish Government, has a track record of supporting hundreds of food businesses in their reformulation efforts, contributing to the removal of millions of calories, tonnes of salt, and sugars from widely consumed products. It also offers broader initiatives beyond funding, including guidance on voluntary and legislative health targets, nutritional labelling, and health claims.

Recent expansions include targeted support for SMEs in the out-of-home sector - cafes, restaurants, and similar outlets - through the Healthier Food Service Fund. This fund provides similar financial assistance to reformulate products with a focus on reducing unhealthy ingredients while boosting beneficial ones such as fibre and whole grains. Recipients have included diverse businesses such as Sandwich Larder, Brose Oats, Saltire Patisserie, Malcolm Allan, Tempo Tea Bar, and Rowan Glen, highlighting the programme’s wide reach.

The Reformul8 Partnership, a collaborative element of the programme, connects ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, caterers, academia, and other stakeholders to foster innovation and share successful reformulation case studies, promoting healthier supply chains and product offerings throughout Scotland.

Food Standards Scotland’s partnership with FDF Scotland reinforces this joint endeavour to tackle excessive calories and other nutritional challenges, especially in the out-of-home food sector, where research revealed many products like cakes and pastries contain high calorie counts detrimental to public health.

With applications for the current funding round open until 5 September 2025, Scottish SMEs in the food and drink industry are encouraged to seize this opportunity. Interested businesses can obtain further information or support by contacting FDF Scotland’s Reformulation for Health team via email.