Argyll businesses success at awards

TWO ARGYLL food companies came out on top at this year’s Quality Food Awards.

The Wee Isle Dairy on the Isle of Gigha was awarded the best chilled dairy product for their whole milk, beating supermarket giants Aldi, Asda and Iceland.

The Argyll Smokery in Dunoon was also successful, winning a ‘Q’ for their their smoked mussels. The smokery’s kiln-roasted salmon was also highly commended.

Both firms attended the award ceremony in London.

‘It’s just brilliant news for Argyll,’ said Allan McDougall, owner of Argyll Smokery.

‘Our family-run smokehouse and the Wee Isle Dairy strive to make quality products and to be recognised by experts for our efforts here right in the centre of London makes it all worthwhile.’

The quality food awards have been going for almost 40 years, recognising the ‘best in British food and drink’.

The awards were described as the Academy Awards for the UK food industry by winner Don Dennis. Speaking about the secret to his success, Don (above), director of Wee Isles Dairy, said: ‘All of our milk is from the herd of roughly 60 Freisian cows. Our milk is nearly unique in the UK these days, because we use old fashioned low-temperature pasteurising.’

Larger firms typically use a higher temperature allowing them to process milk faster.

‘We tried it once when we first got our equipment,’ Don said. ‘And immediately said never again. That enables them to sell on to the supermarkets at the lowest possible price. But the real cost is in the damage that brings to the flavour.

‘Our milk is bottled in returnable and recyclable glass bottles in order to have the least environmental impact, as well as to avoid tainting the flavour.’