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Food and drink summit
08/05/2009
A Ministerial summit to discuss the global challenges facing the food and drink sector will take place next week.
Ministers from all four of the UK Governments are to attend the meeting in Edinburgh on Monday, May 11 which will be chaired by Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead.
Topics for discussion include:
- The need to develop sustainable policies in the face of international food shortages
- The Impact of the economic downturn on the food and drink sector - including security, access and affordability
- Global challenges around population growth
Speaking ahead of Monday's summit, Mr Lochhead said:
"We need to ensure that we have a sustainable food and drink industry able to capitalise on its strengths and its innovations in the decades to come.
"That is why I have invited the Food Ministers from all UK Governments to come to Edinburgh - to discuss how we might meet these global challenges. We are determined to develop a food policy fit for the longer term that allows industry the opportunity to flourish. I am delighted that such an important and symbolic meeting is taking place in Scotland.
"Food and drink is one of our key strengths as a nation. The sector supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and is worth over £7.5 billion to the economy.
"The threat of international food shortages and the current economic downturn means food security, access and affordability are more of an issue now than they have been for a generation. But the fundamentals of quality, health and environmental sustainability remain strong, themes that are absolutely central to our new national food and drink policy."
Congratulating the winners of last night's Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards in Glasgow, Mr Lochhead said:
"I'd like to congratulate all of the winners and indeed everyone who was shortlisted for the awards. They are worthy food champions in their own right and reflect many of the aspects of our vision for securing the freshest, finest future for Scotland's food and drink.
"These awards are a welcome opportunity to showcase our world-class, mouth-watering produce, and in Homecoming Year what better time to be spreading the message that Scotland truly is a land of food and drink.
"We will shortly unveil the next stages of Scotland's first-ever National Food and Drink Policy. It will aim to boost business, put even more Scottish food on consumers' plates and deliver major health and environmental benefits."
The full list of category winners from the Scotland Food and Drink Awards 2009 is as follows:
2009 Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards
Retail - Soup, Preserve, Accompaniments - sponsored by The Grocer
Summer Harvest, Madderty, Crieff - Extra Virgin Cold-pressed Rapeseed Oil
Retail - Fish & Seafood - sponsored by The Grocer
Salar Smokehouse, South Uist - Flaky Smoked Salmon
Retail - Bakery & Cereal-based - sponsored by The Grocer
Border Biscuits, South Fauld Road, Lanark - Deliciously Different Range Of Biscuits
Retail - Meat (Red, White & Game) - sponsored by The Grocer
Simon Howie Butchers, Findony, Muckhart Road, Dunning - Scottish Dry Cure Bacon
Retail - Drink (Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic) - sponsored by The Grocer
Berry Good, Tiree Cottage, Watten, Caithness - Berry Good Vodka Infused With Scottish Berries
Retail - Fruit or Vegetable - sponsored by The Grocer
Angus Soft Fruits, East Seaton, Arbroath - Good Natured Fruit - Strawberries, Raspberries & Blueberries
Retail - Dairy, Confectionery & Snacking - sponsored by The Grocer
Graham's The Family Dairy, Airthrey Kerse Farm, Bridge of Allan - Graham's Gold Jersey Dairy Products
Food Service - sponsored by Sodexo
Iain Burnett - The Highland Chocolatier, Legends of Grandtully, Grandtully, Perthshire - The Velvet Truffle - Gourmet Chocolate Truffle
Product Innovation - sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink
Carmichael Estate Farm Meats, Westmains, Carmichael, near Biggar - Venison Rashers
Healthy Choices/Healthy Eating - sponsored by Food & Health Alliance
Summer Harvest Extra Virgin Cold-pressed Rapeseed Oil
International Business of the Year. - sponsored by Scottish Development International
Gourmets Choice, Shore Street, Portsoy - Exporters of salmon products to the international food service market
Marketing Initiative of the Year - sponsored by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland
Graham's The Family Dairy for Graham's Gold Jersey Dairy Products
Success Through Working in Partnerships - sponsored by the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society
Argyll Food Producers - "Food From Argyll", Campbeltown - Mix of products from primary and secondary producers
Environmental Sustainability - sponsored by Envirowise
Macsween of Edinburgh, Dryden Road, Bilston Glen, Loanhead, Edinburgh - Makers of award-winning haggis
Food Tourism - sponsored by VisitScotland
Cocoa Mountain, Balnakeil, Durness, Lairg - Europe's most northerly chocolate maker
Product of the Year - sponsored by Scottish Enterprise
Salar Smokehouse's Flaky Smoked Salmon
Business of the Year - sponsored by Scottish Enterprise
Macsween of Edinburgh
The Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards, now in their eighth year, are organised and co-sponsored by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and Scotland Food & Drink. Other sponsors include The Grocer, Scottish Enterprise, Envirowise, Food & Health Alliance, Scottish Development International, Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, Sodexo and VisitScotland.
Scotland Food & Drink is the industry-led organisation which aims to grow the value of Scotland's food and drink sector, make it more profitable and deliver greater global success in a competitive market. Its mission is to grow the industry from £7.5 billion to £10 billion by 2017 and its vision is to build Scotland's international reputation as 'A Land of Food and Drink'.