It’s not often that HMRC gives you a present. Well, if they do then why not open the box? Since its introduction in 2013 HMRC has been encouraging companies with patented products or exclusive licenses to opt into its latest lucrative tax inventive – Patent Box. The incentive was introduced in order to promote the […]
THE life sciences sector in Scotland employs almost 40,000 people and its 700 businesses turn over £4.3 billion – but its ambitions reach much, much higher. The Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland, published in February, aims to increase the industrial turnover of the sector to a whopping £8bn by 2025. It looks like a stretch […]
“We are moving from a consumer market that is motivated by deference to one of reference.” is the topic of my talk at the up and coming Scotsman conference in November on food and drink. What on earth does that mean? Since the second world war mass produced products were developed into big brands by […]
In the world of fast moving consumer goods (“FMCGs”), and in particular food and drink, whether a consumer buys one product or a rival brand involves numerous sub-conscious factors, many of which relate to packaging and appearance, and brand owners seek to have distinctive, attractive packaging for this purpose. But can it be protected to […]
One of the less obvious impacts of the Brexit vote and the decision to leave the EU is the effect that this has had on the labour market in the food & drink industry and the potential for increased cost of food as a shortage of workers leads to competition for workers and increased wages […]
By 2030, farming, fishing, food and drink will be the most valuable industry in Scotland. It will be recognised at home and abroad as a model of collaboration and a world leader in responsible, profitable growth. That sounds like a lofty statement I admit. But that is our vision; the ambition of the Scotland Food […]
Are you an Investor or adviser wondering how Brexit will affect the economy? If the answer is YES you cannot afford to miss our upcoming conference on the 28th of March in Edinburgh. Enter today to win 2 FREE tickets for our Investment in a post Brexit world conference. 5 pairs are up for grabs. The […]
Among the keys to a successful business are the recruitment and retention of the best employees, as well as the creation of a stimulating and enjoyable company culture that makes people want to keep working for you. The latter can be difficult to achieve but if you are prepared to consider what your employees truly […]
It’s not a myth that anywhere we go in the world Scots get a warm welcome. I’ve travelled quite a bit in the last few years while expanding my business, and I’ve always found this to be true – whether it’s travelling for a sporting event, a vacation, a sight seeing mission or a business […]
If there’s one thing I have learnt since starting my company, Appointedd, it’s that moving forward means taking one step at a time and not trying to map out the entire journey from the beginning. Besides being an impossible task, stalling progress while you try to plan for every possible twist and turn is a […]