Declaration of intent for Matarsmiðjan á Flúðir (MSF), Hrunamannahreppur signed in Flúðir yesterday.
An agreement on the establishment and operation of Matarsmiðjan in Flúðir was signed yesterday in Flúðir. Atvinnuþróunarfélag Suðurlands, Háskólafélag Suðurlands, Hrunamannahreppur, Bláskógarbyggð, Skeiða- og Gnúpverjahreppur, Grímsnes- og Grafningshreppur, horticulturists, Matís and Háskóli Íslands have worked on the preparation of Matarsmiðjan.
In recent months, preparations have been made for the establishment of a food factory in the uplands of Árnessýsla, which will be a center for product development and processing of vegetables and to strengthen vocational and university education in the area through teaching and research.
In Flúðir, partners will rent premises and set up the necessary facilities for Matarsmiðjan's operations. The intention is to offer entrepreneurs and small producers expert assistance to develop products without spending a lot of money on facilities, equipment and operating licenses while products are being marketed.
The main goal of the project is to build a development center for small-scale food production, ie to establish small-scale production, product development and research of horticultural products in the area and thus create new and interesting opportunities in Flúðir and the surrounding area, but also to create an important platform for entrepreneurs and small producers complete their products for marketing.
Suðurlands' growth agreement supported Matís in the preparation of the food factory. This spring, the partners submitted a new application to the Growth Agreement of the South for the development of Matarsmiðjan.
A special association will be established for the operation of the food factory in Flúðir. The partners will work together to ensure the progress of the project so that the facilities can be used for development work, teaching, courses and experimental activities.
In the near future, an employee will be hired full time for the workshop. Matís invests heavily in its operations outside the capital area and in collaboration with companies and stakeholders throughout the country, but the company operates offices in six locations outside Reykjavík.
Matís, Ragnar Magnússon, head of the district committee of Hrunamannahreppur and Guðjón
Þorkelsson, division manager in the field Innovation and consumers at Matís signed
the declaration of intent.
For further information, please contact Guðjón Þorkelsson, gudjon.thorkelsson@matis.is, and Sjöfn Sigurgísladóttir, CEO of Matís, sjofn.sigurgisladottir@matis.is.