Best of Highlands and Islands food and drink to be recognised
THE best food and drink products from across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands are to be recognised in an awards programme later this year.
Entries for the tenth annual Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards are currently being sought.
The scheme aims to recognise businesses across the Highlands and Islands and the Cairngorms National Park area which are “displaying best practice, achieving exceptional standards and pushing boundaries”. This year’s awards programme features 12 categories, including Best Drink, Restaurant of the Year and New Business.
Business owners have until April 23 to submit entries. The shortlisted finalists will be announced in late June and the winners announced at an awards ceremony in October.
The Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards is organised by the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Forum and supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Quintin Stevens, of the awards committee, said organisers were passionate about generating interest in the awards across the industry.
“Throughout the spring we will be actively encouraging producers to enter their products into one or more of the award categories,” he said.
Stephen Rankin of wine, spirits and whisky wholesaler Gordon & MacPhail, which is sponsoring this year’s awards, said the event “both showcases and rewards all that is good about food and drink in the Highlands and Islands”.
“The awards really help to put the Highlands and Islands on the map as a region renowned for quality produce,” said Rankin.
