With the deadline set for this Friday, 9 March, at 5pm, entries can be made online here and the team behind the event say businesses of any size within the Scottish food and drink industry are able to enter.
Increasingly recognised by both trade and consumers as recognition of phenomenal quality, winning a Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Award has become a highly acknowledged accreditation to receive.
Previous winners include Graham’s The Family Dairy, Aldi, The Scottish Salmon Company and Stewart Brewing.
This year’s Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards are split across 22 categories including Export Business of the Year, Brand Success, Scottish Sourcing and Environmental Sustainability with awards also being available for businesses and individuals involved in the dairy, beef, distilling, brewing and fish and seafood sectors.
To coincide with the Year of Young People 2018, the age limit for the Young Talent category has been raised to 26 and under, while a brand new category for Innovation has also been introduced to this year’s programme.
As the deadline for entries approaches, The Scotsman is also once again calling for people to nominate those who they believe are at the forefront of Scotland’s food and drink industry in the search to find Scotland’s next Food Pioneer – an award created by us in 2016, with previous winners including Graham Suttle, co-owner of Kained Holdings and Edinburgh chef Fred Berkmiller.
You can nominate an innovative company or person who has made a groundbreaking impact on Scottish food and/or drink for this very special award before Friday 24 March here.
• READ MORE: The Scotsman needs your help to find Scotland’s next Food Pioneer
James Withers, CEO of Scotland Food & Drink said: “We’re lucky here in Scotland to have such a diverse food and drink industry. As the industry grows, it’s important that we recognise and celebrate this change wherever possible.
“With the addition of a new innovation category, we hope to welcome many new and established pioneers in the industry, who are helping to make Scotland the worldwide food destination we are aiming for.
“Not only do the awards provide a platform to showcase your business, but they also contribute to building invaluable trade relationships and offer networking opportunities. So I would encourage all businesses to enter if they can and we look forward to seeing you all on the night.”
Alan Laidlaw, chief executive of RHASS, co-sponsors of the awards, said: “The Awards are not just a great way of raising brand awareness, being shortlisted increases credibility, motivates employees and provides lots of marketing opportunities.
“I would urge some of the great Scottish businesses to take the time to enter to get amongst the incredible brands who have questioned if they were good enough and are now winners. Just do it!”
Lucie Jurakova, assistant manager at 2017 Product of the Year winners, The Chocolate Tree, who helped launch this year’s awards, added: “I would encourage everybody to enter as you never know, you might just win!”
The winners of the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards will be announced at a glittering awards ceremony and dinner on 7 June at Edinburgh’s EICC.
Tickets for the event are selling fast and those wishing to attend are encouraged to book soon to avoid disappointment.
