Highland Food and Drink Awards deadline approaches businesses are warned
Businesses across the Highlands and Islands have until 24 June to enter the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards (HIFAD).
Sixteen interesting and diverse categories, to suit businesses large and small, can be entered for free, online at www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com
The awards ceremony will take place on Friday 1 November at venue partner, The Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness. Tickets will be available to buy later in the year.
The awards aim to showcase and celebrate the excellence and achievement of those in the food and drink industry, and represent the diverse nature of the sector, highlighting the hard work of producers, processors, and retailers, alongside tourism and hospitality businesses.
Keen to outline how easy it is to enter the awards, as well as the benefits that businesses can enjoy when they take part, Marian Armitage, author and chair of Shetland Food and Drink, who is a member of the awards steering group, said: “We keep the entry process as simple as possible, as we know that time can be restricted when you are busy running a food, drink, hospitality or tourism business.
“You can enter as many categories as you feel are relevant, therefore increasing your chances with minimum extra effort.
“It’s always a worthwhile exercise in itself to have the achievements and successes of your business reviewed, and those who have entered in previous years have told us that the feedback they receive from the judges can be thought- provoking, offering hints or ideas for a future direction, or focus.”
Yvonne Crook and her husband Mike, owners of event and outside catering company, Good Highland Food, are the current Ambassadors of the Year.
Now on the HIFAD Steering Group for 2024, Yvonne knows better than most what winning an award can achieve.
“Mike and I were delighted to win Ambassadors of the Year last year,” said Yvonne. “It was the icing on the cake to receive this recognition after many years of hard work.
“Winning an award has many benefits from increased profile and brand awareness; endorsement from your industry for your business or product, and potentially increased sales.
“You can spread the word in marketing literature, social media, websites, local press or within packaging or promotions, the list is endless!
“Perhaps most importantly, it’s a boost to staff morale and motivation. And you can take those hard working staff to the awards dinner and ceremony - it’s a fabulous night out!”
Being shortlisted is a great accolade in itself too, and brings with it guaranteed press coverage and other PR activity, helping to build your brand with new and potential customers.”
No88, a kitchen and bar in Lerwick, won Best Eatery last year.
One of its four owners Angela Manson, said: “Our win proved to all of the team at No 88 that our hard work and commitment has its rewards. We proudly display our award above the serving hatch for everyone to see, and have had numerous guests who heard about us through the PR from the awards event.
“As a team we all work hard to keep and raise our standards at every opportunity. Winning the Best Eatery award has given us the boost needed to keep going, and has helped raise our profile in the hospitality world.”
The Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards are once again supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
HIE’s Elaine Jamieson, who is head of Food and Drink and Life Sciences, said: “The Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards offer a fantastic opportunity to celebrate this ambitious, innovative and dynamic industry and provide a valuable chance for individuals and businesses to get together, make new contacts and strengthen existing relationships.
“Categories where we would particularly like to see more entries coming in before the closing date include Innovation, Supply Chain, Independent Retailer, Best Marketing, Sustainability, and Best Start Up.
“We’re also keen to see more nominations for our popular Ambassador and Young Ambassador of the Year categories.”
Elaine thanked the many sponsors involved in this year’s Awards. These include: Scotland Food and Drink, Safffery LLP, Highland Industrial Supplies, Seafood Scotland, Be Personnel, Wester Ross Fisheries, Salmon Scotland, Food and Drink TechHUB and Highland News and Media.
“Your support and involvement, in what is a showcase for the Highlands and Islands, is vital and hugely appreciated,” she said.
Food and drink businesses throughout the region are invited to follow the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards on their social media to keep up to date with the latest news and announcements.
Find them on Instagram at @hifadawards and on Facebook.
For further information on the categories and to apply, visit www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com
Yvonne Crook expanded on their past year and said:
“We were very proud to win the HIFAD Ambassadors of the Year Award in 2023.
“This recognition would simply not be possible without all the hard work that goes into the awards themselves and also the fantastic array of Highland Food and Drink producers in the community across the Highlands and Islands.
“Through our event and outside catering business, we are so proud to be able to take the fantastic range of local produce and showcase it at local events providing some of the best Highland Food and Drink Experiences in the Highlands.
“As an example, last Christmas our Good Highland Food Team hosted a Texan couple getting married at Dalcross Castle.
“Their wedding meal was Haggis piped in with all the character of Spud The Piper. It was addressed by Willie Cameron and his Sonsie Face.
“The next course was pheasant delivered by Kingussie based International Hunting following the couple’s morning shoot, the main course was venison fillet delivered by Simpson Game and there followed a cheeseboard of Highland Fine Cheeses with Mike’s famously good Homemade Chutney.
“Not forgetting our canapés of Great Glen Charcuterie and Hand Dived Shetland Scallops supplied by Billy 'the Fish' of Seastocks, our favourite Hebridean Oatcakes delivered to us for many years by John Munro drivers and then Isle of Skye Fudge to accompany the coffee.
“The hugely talented Bruce MacGregor played fiddle and told Highland stories throughout the evening – this was a complete Highland Food and Drink Experience, local food, local stories, local culture, local talent – we are truly a unique Highland community with unique Food and Drink Experiences to offer visitors from across the world and we are proud to have been recognised for 20 years of Good Highland Food and our focus on use of the fantastic local produce we have here in the Highlands.
“We would urge our fellow Highland Food and Drinks businesses to support the development of the awards, to put forward an application , not only to reap the benefits from recognition as we have but to continue to elevate the importance of local food and drink in the Highlands.
