Seventeen of Scotland's leading food and drink businesses are celebrating their win at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards.
With 22 award categories celebrating excellence across Scottish food and drink, the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards showcased a broad spectrum of food and drink companies from across the country. Winners include small start up companies like Island Girl (producers of Ooft sauce) and recently formed Ronan Foods (producers of a range of free-from foods); family farming businesses like Glenrath Farms (a free range egg producer) and Graham's The Family Dairy (Scotland's largest independent dairy); and Mathiesons Bakery, which dates back to 1872.
A surprise award was given to Alan Hardie of West Lothian bakers, Paterson Arran in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Scottish food and drink industry.
The size of the event has almost doubled over the last two years and attracted an audience of 700 to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, where a meal showcasing the best of Scotland's larder was served. The Scottish television presenter, Kaye Adams, hosted the event.
In the course of their assessment of the entries, the judges tasted 115 food and drink entries and examined submissions for 154 entries from 102 businesses across all the categories.
The awards are organised by Scotland Food & Drink in partnership with The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS). The event's headline sponsor is Asda and the awards are supported by Think Local.
Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink, James Withers, said:
"We are thrilled to celebrate the standout successes of the Scottish food and drink industry with a record number of attendees at this year's Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards. The awards recognise our best food and drink products and businesses and each of our finalists merit the commendation. There is a food and drink revolution happening in Scotland, driving record sales at home and overseas. Tonight celebrates the talent that is driving that and which is cementing Scotland's place in the culinary world.
"I would encourage all finalists and winners to make the most of this recognition and to shout about their strengths. The awards take place during a massive year for Scotland and as the nation enjoys the limelight we will reinforce Scotland's justified reputation as a Land of Food and Drink."
Stephen Hutt, Chief Executive of RHASS said: "Food and travel are inextricably linked, so in this the year of Homecoming it is fitting to showcase Scotland's food and drink producers who are so crucial to Scotland's tourism sector. Tonight is full of brilliant moments created by passionate producers from Scotland's natural resources and RHASS is delighted to lend its support."
The full list of winners is as follows:
Soup, Preserves & Accompaniments (sponsored by Asda):
Island Girl, Borders Ooft hot pepper sauce
Fish & Seafood (sponsored by The Crown Estate):
Loch Fyne Oysters, the Kinglas Fillet
Bakery & Cereal based products (sponsored by Asda):
Mathiesons Bakery Ltd, Falkirk, Fresh Cream Bavarian Tarts
Red, White & Game (sponsored by Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight):
Macsween, Midlothian, Macsween Limited Edition Range: Venison Haggis and Threebird Haggis
Drink - Non Alcoholic (sponsored by Asda):
Cuddybridge Apple Juice, Scottish Borders, Cuddybridge Apple Juice and Scottish Sea Buckthorn
Drink - Alcoholic (sponsored by Shepherd & Wedderburn):
Spencerfield Spirit Co, Fife, The Feathery
Dairy (sponsored by Asda):
Glenrath Farms, Borders, Kitty Campbell Free Range Eggs
Confectionery & Snacking (sponsored by Asda):
Mackies at Taypack, Perth & Kinross, Mackie's Ridge Cut Potato Crisps
Foodservice Product of the Year (sponsored by Sodexo):
Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatier, Perth & Kinross, Un-enrobed Velvet Truffles & Spiced Pralines
Brand Success of the Year (sponsored by Palletforce):
Graham's The Family Dairy, Stirling
Health Initiative of the Year:
Ronan Foods, Yi Iced Desserts
Export Business of the Year (sponsored by Clydesdale Bank):
FA027 (trading as Intersea Food Scotland Ltd), Highlands
Innovation (sponsored by Queen Margaret University):
Rannoch Smokery, Perth & Kinross
Investing in People (sponsored by Skills Development Scotland):
Dean's of Huntly Limited, Aberdeenshire
Success Through Partnership (sponsored by SAOS):
FAO27 (trading as Intersea Food Scotland Ltd), Highlands
Environmental Sustainability (sponsored by Resource Efficient Scotland):
Albert Bartlett, North Lanarkshire
Scottish Sourcing (sponsored by Taste Our Best, VisitScotland)
Eileandubh Restaurant, Highlands
Scottish Food & Drink Entrepreneur (sponsored by Johnston Carmichael):
Graham's The Family Dairy, Stirling
Product of the Year
MacSween's Limited Edition Range: Venison Haggis and Threebird Haggis
Business of the Year
Graham's The Family Dairy
Small Business of the Year
Spencerfield Spirit
Outstanding Contribution to Food & Drink
Alan Hardie, Paterson Arran
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