Finalists announced in 2024 Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards

A fantastic response has once again been received from hugely diverse food, drink and hospitality businesses from across the region.

Covering categories from Best Food & Drink Tourism Experience, Restaurant of the Year and Best Start Up, to Independent Retailer, Sustainability, and Supply Chain Business, the awards also recognise both an Ambassador of the Year, and a Young Ambassador of the Year.

The Judges, including representatives from Scotland Food & Drink, IQ International, Salmon Scotland, Wester Ross Fisheries and Food & Drink TechHUB, have had the very hard task of reading each and every entry to come up with this year’s exciting shortlist which they believe is a fair reflection of the enormous talent, quality and choice across food, drink and hospitality businesses in the Highlands and Islands.

Tickets for the Awards Ceremony, taking place on Friday 1 November at venue partner, The Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness are now available to buy at https://www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com/

Commenting on the awards, Jonathan Farmer from Wester Ross Fisheries, one of this year’s judges, said he had been delighted to see “so much innovation evident in the many high-quality entries in the awards.”

“We are seeing highly individual, authentic eating experiences created from the very best of Scottish produce from our region. These influential awards live within that, looking for creativity, sustainability, and quality. They celebrate everything that’s good about Scottish cuisine,” he said. 

Fellow Judge Tracy Cameron, Head of Membership & Commercial at Scotland Food & Drink, offered advice to those aspiring to a career of food and drink in the Highlands and Islands: “Explore all your options, as there are so many roles, from manufacturing to working in hospitality, with a great mix seen across this region.  I would always recommend that you try everything, get stuck in, and just see what’s out there that you would enjoy.”  

Chair of the judging panel, Laura Robertson from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said: “Once again we have seen a high number of entries into these awards, which are now in their 19^th year. Each category is, highlights the committed individuals behind a food and drink brand, a start-up, a restaurant, a street food stall, a distillery, or an experience. Our thanks go to everyone who has entered this year, and to our judges for whittling down the entries to represent the very best within the food and drink industry in the Highlands & Islands.”

“We look forward to our Awards Night Ceremony which will once again be an opportunity to come together, to network, and to celebrate the fantastic food and drink offerings we have in our region.”

Laura finished by saying: “Nominations for the Ambassador of the Year award, sponsored by Saffery, are still open for public nomination until the end of August. This special award recognises the outstanding contribution in the Highlands and Islands food and drink industry, be they male or female, young or old. The award celebrates and pays tribute to the hard work, commitment, dedication, passion and innovation demonstrated within the sector. If you can think of anybody who fits this category please submit a 500-word entry to hifad@luxevents.co.uk explaining why.”

Tickets for the Awards Night can be purchased through the following link:

https://fs25.formsite.com/hpX3bS/orskaekvzu/index

Food and Drink businesses throughout the region are invited to follow the Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards on social media, to keep up to date with the latest news and announcements. Find them on Instagram (@hifadawards) and Facebook.

For further information, please visit www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com