The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
North-east taste of success
Eleven ‘world-class’ food and drink producers take the plaudits
Food and drink innovation around the north-east was celebrated at an awards dinner near Aberdeen last night.
A total of 11 winners, ranging from ice-cream and beer-makers to a popular tourism attraction, were unveiled at the prestigiousNorthEast Scotland Food and Drink Awards at Ardoe House Hotel at Blairs.
The gongs were the climax of a competition attracting 74entries across all categories.
There were successes from all parts of the region’s food and drink industry, from innovation award winner Speyside Craft Brewery to Castleton
“Awards have highlighted that north-east food and drink is world-class”
Farm Shop, which came away with one of the accolades for best new retail product and “best young business” Fierce Beer.
Ben Iravani of Monkey B a r s Aberdeen and Langstane Liquor, the Aberdeen firm behindPorter’s Gin, was named north-east f o o d and drink e ntrepreneur of the year.
Castleton won its award in the category for firms employing 11-50 people, thanks to its strawberry tart jelly.
The best new product award for smaller businesses went to Westfield Farms and its stoneground spelt flour.
And the top product gong for larger companies went to Mackie's of Scotland for two seasonal flavours in its Indulgent ice-cream range, lemon meringueandchocolate orange.
Gordon Castle’s walled garden was named best food tourism experience andMurdoch Allan Bakers was honoured for investing in skills development.
Summerhouse Drinks was judged to have had the most successful product from last year’s awards, its Walter Gregor's tonic water.
The Bay Fish and Chips at Stonehaven i s no stranger to awards and it added to its collection, thanks to some fishcakes, with the accolade for best new foodservice product.
Denise Middler of J&I Smith Bakers got the Denis Emslie “above and beyond” award
The awards are the result of a partnership between Opportunity North East (One) and Aberdeenshire Council, andpart of a wider programme to support food and drink businesses of all sizes through business growth, innovation, strengthening the supply chainandmarketandskills development.
Competition judge, Angus Bell, solutions category manager for Morrisons supermarkets said: “As these awards have highlighted, the north-east Scotland food and drink offering is world-class.”