Arran’s Local Produce

something to suit every palette

The range of fine food and drink that is produced here on Arran is as varied and diverse as the wonderful island landscapes. The cheese, whisky, fish, meat, chocolates and even ice cream are all hand made on this tiny island. Every single one of these locally created products are available to us all-year long. The people who make these products are united by a common commitment to quality and taste and all share a passion for their craft, as well as this beautiful island. From internationally renowned companies, to small artisan producers, the main aim of each one is to delight you with the true taste of Arran.

The Island Cheese Company

Producing award winning cheeses is not an easy task, but at Home Farm in Brodick that is exactly what Arran’s Cheese Shop has been doing for nearly 25 years. With Arran Blue, Arran Camembert and Arran Brie cheeses winning Golds and Silvers at the World and the British Cheese Award and the Cheese Shop’s Mustard Flavoured Cheddar being voted Best Scottish Retail Product a commitment to quality has to be the principal motivation. As well as their own soft cheeses made in Blackwaterfoot, they produce a range of flavoured cheddars that are available at the Home Farm shop and at various outlets on Arran and throughout Scotland.

Arran Chocolate Factory

The Arran Chocolate Factory and its mouth-watering array of handmade truffles, fudges and chocolates has become one of the island’s great food experiences. James McChlery first began making chocolates about 15 years ago and since then he has continued to experiment with flavours and filings to create one of the country’s finest range of hand made chocolates. How about sampling champagne and ginger truffles, mandarin marzipan or passion fruit crèmes? Supplying a select group of independent and corporate customers throughout Arran and the rest of the country, they also create very unique wedding favours all produced on the island. Go to the website www.jamesofarran.com where you can now also order online.

A Taste of Arran

Arran Dairies is a 4th generation family run firm established on the Isle of Arran in 1978 but with a heritage of food production on Arran dating back to the 1930s. From these early years we increased business to supply Arran with high quality liquid milk and cream from the islands happy cows from the islands dairy farms. These farms are so important to Arran, its residents and visitors alike. In 1999 we began to manufacture ice cream to allow the company to diversify, grow and flourish and add value to the milk produced on the island. Our first goal was to supply Arran with our rich and creamy luxury ice cream. This was achieved quickly and very soon it became evident that our provenance-based products were being sought by chefs and consumers from all over Scotland. In September 2014 we made the decision to stop milk production and focus all of our efforts on ice cream. The development of our ice cream business and our

partnership with Taste of Arran has moved our small island based company in to being a supplier of artisan ice cream products throughout the UK and abroad and we are very pleased that our ice cream has won regional and national awards. “Big Tastes from a Small Island” Look out for our newly launced Arran Dairies Ice Cream Golden Ticket Competition offering Arran-based prizes such as hotel breaks and luxury food hampers to the lucky winners.

Wooleys

At Wooleys branches in Brodick and Lamlash, we freshly prepare a wide range of products which are available daily. Fresh baked bread and rolls, cakes, pastries and tea bread, pies, bridies, sausage rolls and other savoury items. Scones and pancakes, filled rolls and sandwiches and soup. And of course, oatcakes! But never a company to rest on their laurels, Wooleys have now introduced a delicious new biscuit range for you to enjoy. The 3 varieties just launched are punchy ginger , seriously coconut and raspberry infused cranberry. They are available from both Wooleys shops and from various outlets round the island.

Isle of Arran Distillery

Today Arran can boast one of the finest ranges of malt whiskies in the world. Using only traditional methods of distilling with wooden washbacks and copper stills designed to an exact specification, the distillery produces award winning whisky which is now distributed all over the globe. Arran Distillery uses no peat in the production process, with the exception of the Machrie Moor bottling, and does not use any caramel for artificial colouring - unlike most other distilleries - and as a result the malt produced can rightly be described as ‘the true spirit of nature.’; Today the distillery is producing whisky day and night to make single malts that range from a 10 year old to a delectable new 18 year old, speciality cask bottlings, as well as Arran Gold whisky liqueur. The distillery has also forged close ties with 14 other food producers on the island to develop mustard, ice cream and chocolates all flavoured with this wonderful whisky.

The Arran Butcher

The well established Arran Butcher shop has lots of different products to tempt you. They also have a mobile shop which services customers around the north end of the island, and they can deliver to your home anywhere on Arran. Their products are also available in many retail outlets around the island, and appear on many local menus. Their main shop is in Blackwaterfoot on the west coast of the island, only 15 minutes by car from Brodick. Here they offer an extensive selection of quality meats including traditional cuts of naturally reared beef, pork and lamb and wild venison. They also have a fantastic selection of fresh fish and an ever growing range of homemade produce including delicious steak pies, sausage rolls their very popular Arran haggis and mash bridies. It is here that they proudly make their very own Isle of Arran black pudding and haggis - which is available to buy online at: www.tasteof-arran.co.uk If you can’t get to their shop, their mobile shop travels round the north of the island on a Friday morning. If you would like it to stop outside your door to see what they have available, or to drop off your order, just call on 01770 860354. You can also find a wide range of Arran Butcher products in all three Co-operative Food stores and local shops around the island. And when you’re out for a bite to eat, look out for their products on the menu.