Press release
Wilbo’s Blends in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Manchester has been awarded a share of the £17.4m funding from Innovate UK’s Better Food for All competition.
Wilbo’s Blends Co-Founder and Director, Lisa Miles says:
“Through this funding Wilbo’s Blends will support individuals and families using a blended diet with innovative products, making a positive impact to people’s diets and associated healthcare costs. Wilbo’s Blends is proud to be seen as an innovation that will help create a healthier tomorrow.”
Wilbo’s Blends is known for developing the UK’s first 100% real food meals for tube feeding. This funding now offers an exciting opportunity to develop the products further for special medical purposes and undertake a clinical trial at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.
This will be the first 100% real food clinical trial for tube feeding in the UK and potentially heralds a dramatic shift in the equity of care provided to people requiring a feeding tube. The potential impact of gaining access to a real food diet may sound simple enough, but for those that are tube fed, it is in fact quite revolutionary.
There is a growing trend within the tube feeding community of what is called a blended diet, using a range of real food as an alternative or in addition to artificial formula. In support of this Wilbo’s Blends is further developing meals that will provide organic, natural, gut friendly nourishment, and with a shelf-life of 12 months.
Wilbo’s Blends combined with those using a blended diet at home and a growing body of academic research is helping to re-configure the outdated perception that commercial formula is the first and only option for tube feeding. This shift has the potential to reduce NHS spend on commercial formulas, whilst also improving equity of care, quality of life and outcomes for tube-fed individuals and their families.
Inspired by Wilbo
Wilbo’s Blends gets its name from William, the son of the company founders, and who is affectionately known as Wilbo. William has a rare form of epilepsy, very complex care needs and is tube fed all his food via a gastrostomy (tube).
Wilbo’s dad and Co-founder of Wilbo’s Blends, Gareth said:
“We have seen the huge benefits of a real food diet in William first hand, but we have the lived experience to know the challenges that come with it and the number of barriers that still exist. We set up Wilbo’s Blends to make the blended diet more accessible and hopefully a little bit easier.”
Innovate UK - Better Food for All
The competition identified cutting edge projects suitable to receive funding for innovations to improve nutrition.
Through the Innovate UK Better Food for All, 47 winning projects will each receive a share of £17.4 million to improve food quality, create functional foods, boost nutrition, develop new proteins, and extend the shelf life of healthy and fresh foods.
Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology George Freeman MP said:
“By continued investment in research and development, collaborating with industry leaders, and creating an environment where agri-food innovators can thrive, we will ensure that UK leadership in agri-food is at the forefront of our science superpower mission, to shape a brighter, more sustainable future for our nation.”
Dr Stella Peace, Executive Director for the Healthy Living and Agriculture Domain at Innovate UK, said:
“These projects showcase the extensive range and quality of innovation within the agri-food sector of the UK. With global challenges like food security, sustainability, and nutrition, creative solutions are needed to make a tangible impact. At Innovate UK, we are committed to driving transformational change in food production and manufacture to shape the future economy and society as a whole.”
Contact
https://www.ukri.org/news/17-4m-funding-for-better-food-for-all/
