Lochaber firms in spotlight at Royal Highland Show
Great Glen Charcuterie and the Sunart Soap Company will be in the spotlight at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh this June.
The annual celebration of rural life in Scotland returns in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic and this year’s show is a particularly special one as it is the 200th anniversary of the first show which took place in the Canongate.
Since moving to its permanent home at Ingliston in 1960, each region in Scotland takes its turn to be host and 2022 sees the Highlands and Islands using the opportunity to showcase its innovation and resilience over the last two centuries, as well as highlighting its best produce.
Honorary president Ewan Macdonald explained: ‘We’re immensely proud to be host region in this very special year for the Royal Highland Show.
‘We’re using the chance to demonstrate how we have survived and thrived for centuries in this part of the world by using our natural resources.’
With the theme ‘Scotland’s Natural Capital – Highlands and Islands’ a specially-created exhibition in the Presidential Initiative Marquee will focus on the rural economy, tourism and culture, food and drink, as well as renewable energy and tackling climate change.
A large section of the popular food hall has been given over to Highlands and Islands food producers including the award-winning Great Glen Charcuterie - set up in Roy Bridge over 15 years ago by Jan Jacob and Anja Baak. And there will also be a focus on the region in the Home and Gift Hall with a number of crafters, such as the Strontian-based Sunart Soap Company, selling their wares.
‘It’s a fantastic opportunity for exhibitors to reach up to 200,000 visitors that will attend the show over the four days from Thursday June 23 to Sunday June 28, added Ewan.
As Ewan highlighted: ‘Many of these small producers could never consider attending the show on their own, but through grants we’ve been able to make it more affordable. This is our chance to show the rest of the country the fantastic place we call home. It’s always been a place where we turn our challenges into opportunities.’