Eat & Drink Dundee

Dundee has a population of approximately 150,000 people.  It is located on the banks of the River Tay and around 70% of Scotland’s fresh produce is grown within a 30-mile radius of Dundee.

Eat and Drink Dundee is hosted by Transition Dundee - a community-led social enterprise which aims to make Dundee a more sustainable, healthier and happier place to live through various climate focussed projects.

Eat and Drink Dundee’s aim is to help individuals and organisations work together to promote good, local food and drink for all in Dundee.  We aim to bring together partners, stakeholders and interested parties from across the city that are integral to the city’s food landscape.

The project was established during covid to help encourage and facilitate food and drink collaboration and partnership working within the city of Dundee – and with national agencies and organisations operating in neighbouring rural Perthshire, Angus and Fife. 

The project is jointly funded by UK Sustainable Food Places and Scotland Food and Drink’s Regional Food Group funding. 

The Eat and Drink Dundee Co-ordinator reports to the Board of Transition Dundee. 

The co-ordinator liaises with local public and private sector organisations and provides regular updates to the funding partners.

What we do

Recent projects and activities have included:

  • Supervising a student research project into food waste in the city.
  • Co-delivering ‘Tasting Tayside and Fife’ - a joint meet the producer/meet the buyer event with neighbouring regional food groups
  • Attending regular meetings of Transition Dundee, City Centre Management Evening Economy Group, Dundee Living Wage Action Group, Dundee Tourism Leadership Group, Sustainable Dundee Network, Botanic Gardens Networking Group, Tay Cities Food and Drink Sector Group and Dundee Community Food Network meetings
  • Organising a visit for an international food and travel writer
  • Maintaining the Eat and Drink Dundee social media channels
  • Organising Dundee’s first ‘Chefs Club’ gathering in association with members of Masterchefs Great Britain
  • Liaising with Dundee and Angus College, NHS Tayside, Abertay University, the University of Dundee and the James Hutton Institute on research and industry projects.
  • Assisting with the development work for the preparation of Dundee and Tayside Food Plans
  • Part of the BioRegioning Tayside ‘Feeding Tayside through the Climate Crisis’ food conference planning group – and hosting a panel session on cultural and social norms at the event
  • Assisting with links between researchers, NHS and Dundee City Council on diet-related research into 'Healthy Weight Tayside', a whole system approach to child healthy weight in the city
  • Arranging the creation of seasonal food videos
  • Planning and co-ordinating a series of food tourism workshops held during Scottish Tourism month in March 2023
  • Developing a Scotland Food and Drink regional ambassador project with Dundee and Angus College
  • Liaising with the organisers of Dundee’s first Restaurant Week and Dundee Cocktail Week
  • Assisting with the planning and delivery of a ‘Business Resilience’ conference for tourism and hospitality businesses with Living Wage Scotland, Dundee and Angus College and the local Chamber of Commerce
  • Facilitating at the Nourish Scottish Agriculture Bill consultation workshop
  • Assisting with promotion, and providing contacts for, the Transform Net Zero Knowledge Transfer Project in Dundee
  • Organising and facilitating a Scottish Government visit to Dundee – meeting representatives from academic and health organisations, community food projects and local food businesses  

Areas of expertise

Partnership & Collaboration

Food Vision & Action Plan

Awareness and Engagement

Tackling Food Poverty

Promoting Healthy Eating

Supporting Good Food Business

Good Food Procurement

Tackling Food Packaging & Waste