Public description VISION Growing Kent & Medway (GK&M) will deliver an uplift in Kent and Medway's economy through inclusive and innovation-led growth. The cluster focusses on the region's advanced horticulture, fresh produce packaging, food and drink processing industries, and enabling technologies that drive innovation and growth. As the UK prepares to leave the EU, GK&M will establish Kent & Medway as a world-leading region for the climate-smart production and processing of high-value, nutrient-rich foods and plant-based compounds. GEOGRAPHY Kent & Medway is home to the majority of the UK's high-value horticulture, processing and packaging, and a major gateway to global markets. The growth opportunity is significant with building blocks for success in place. However, spending just 1.5% of GDP on R&D, productivity in the region is under-performing because levels of collaborative research and innovation (R&I) lack intensity; entrepreneurial capacity is under-exploited; and there has been a steady erosion in numbers of knowledge-based workers. This is in contrast to other regions where investment to address similar challenges has led to significant prosperity. GK&M will turbo-charge the research, innovation and enterprise environment to boost growth in this critical sector delivering 1,744 additional jobs and £39.3M annual GVA by 2030. Furthermore, the region has some of the widest social inequalities in the UK which is a barrier to achieving prosperity and well-being. GK&M will drive inclusive wealth creation so that untapped human capital can contribute to, and share in the region's prosperity. NETWORK GK&M comprises a world-class consortium of research excellent partners (NIAB EMR, Natural Resources Institute/University of Greenwich, University of Kent); significant Agri-food companies (APS Produce, Berry Gardens Growers, Chapel Down, Gusbourne Estate, Richard Hochfeld Group, Thanet Earth, Worldwide Fruit); an innovative technology integration business that operates across supply chains (Geku Automation); and a world-leading packaging company (Smurfit Kappa). It is backed by strong civic and business support with partners from the Kent & Medway Economic Partnership and Locate in Kent. OBJECTIVES We will stimulate research, innovation and business growth by: People and Spaces: Providing state-of-the-art infrastructure that gives access to innovation, demonstration and research facilities to help businesses and human capital grow. Collaborative Research & Innovation: Raising investment in industry-driven R&I and stimulating the technology commercialisation for climate-smart food production, novel plant compounds, value- addition and waste minimisation. Enterprise: Fostering a vibrant, supportive environment in which businesses can innovate and thrive. Workforce 2030: Developing a strategic framework for upskilling and professionalising the sector.

The British apple industry is continuously asked by UK retailers to extend availability; this being achieved by implementing ever more sophisticated storage technologies. Whilst this demand is driven by a brand loyalty to domestic production, the industry is increasingly challenged by imports. In order that primary production of UK apples can be fully utilised and be made more competitive, a paradigm shift is needed to improve how apples are stored such that the focus is moved towards ‘flavour-life’ rather than being just driven by firmness and sugar content. The proposed work will develop novel sensor and allied storage interventions which will control ripening whilst maintaining ‘flavour-life’. This offers a route to incremental storage extension to help reduce the reliance on imports and extend the window in which high quality British fruit can be offered.