Award shortlist joy for eatery

Crieff Food Co has been shortlisted for food hall of the year at the Farm Shop and Deli awards.

The local eatery and shop is also up for an award in the best newcomer of the year category.

Owner Jamie Landale told the Herald: “We are all thrilled and have, via Facebook and Instagram, thanked the most important people in making this venture a success - our suppliers, lovely staff and customers.”

Crieff Food Co is one of only four Scottish businesses up for an accolade among the 51 shortlisted entries spanning 11 categories.

The awards, held in partnership with The Grocer magazine, recognise the very best standards in speciality retail and celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement.

Jamie added: “There really is some heavyweight competition on the shortlist so this is absolutely fab for us and Crieff.”

Entries were shortlisted by an expert judging panel led by broadcaster and journalist Nigel Barden.

He commented: “Hard work, long hours, a dedication to artisan quality, to service and locality; these are the tenets that set the ‘great’ apart from the simply good.

“Each year the bar is raised in terms of quality, making the judging process and deliberation over the shortlist so difficult.

“I’m delighted to have had such a high calibre team of fellow judges to help create what we now consider to be the defining class of of 2020 awards.”

Each year the bar is reaised in terms of quality, making the judging process over the shortlist difficult