The Northwest Regional Development Agency has issued a tender for agencies to be involved in a £1.5m marketing scheme to promote the region's food and drink sector.

As well as raising awareness of the Taste accreditation scheme will look to improve the quality of local produce in the region, help tourism business to source more local produce and improve consumer awareness of outlets which sell locally produced food and drink.  

The campaign is seeking an agency to build a website which will be launched so food and drink businesses and tourism outlets can make better connections, share knowledge and increase trade.

The website will be available to members of the public and include information on events, activities, maps and trails.

Taste will also allow tourism operators such as hotels, B&B’s, cafes and attractions which serve good to use local produce through the production of a guide book, while the five tourist boards alongside Food Northwest will great a new food tourism category at their award ceremonies.

David Hunter, head of Rural Development at the NWDA, said: “The Taste accreditation scheme will be an essential tool in helping to build business confidence and quality. It will be a boost for local food and drink producers who will sell more and get their brands better known, while raising awareness of tourism operators selling fantastic produce made on their own doorsteps.”

The programme will go live next May, with an aim of establishing the scheme by 2013 as self financing and respected by the industry and consumers as it targets at least 750 new businesses across the region.

It is anticipated that the programme will safeguard 90 jobs and create 45 across the Northwest.