Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards 2021

INDUSTRY AWARDS: WINNERS

Scottish Retail Food & Drink Award winners unveiled!

CREATED TO HELP GET MORE FANTASTIC SCOTTISH FOOD AND DRINK PRODUCTS ONTO MORE SCOTTISH RETAIL SHELVES, THE WINNERS OF THE INAUGURAL SCOTTISH RETAIL FOOD & DRINK AWARDS HAVE ALREADY STARTED GAINING NEW LISTINGS!

With interest in local sourcing arguably higher than ever, a new industry awards has recognised and rewarded some of Scotland’s finest food and drink products.

Created specifically to help get more of Scotland’s fantastic food and drink products onto more Scottish retail shelves, the Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards have already seen winners gaining new listings, despite the winners of the inaugural awards only being announced very recently.

After almost three weeks of intensive judging involving hundreds of products and more than 60 expert judges from across the food and drink sector, the results include a selection of outstanding Scottish products targeting retail listings in Scotland.

Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards Director, Helen Lyons, said: “We were delighted to see so many fantastic Scottish food and drink producers take part in the awards which have one very simple goal: to get more of Scotland’s fantastic food and drink products onto more Scottish retail shelves.

“The Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards were created not only to help producers secure listings but to help retailers unearth fantastic Scottish products to stock in their stores.

“With interest in locally, regionally and nationally sourced products arguably higher than ever among Scottish retailers and consumers, this has been a fantastic time to win a Scottish Retail Food and Drink Award. I would like to congratulate all of the winners on their fantastic achievement.”

PLATINUM WINNERS

Every category winner was eligible to be considered for the ultimate Platinum Awards. A further judging session allowing the judges to analyse these products once more and vote for their Platinum winners.

PLATINUM – FOOD

Small Producer

Thule Ventus, Salt Cod Paté

Large Producer

Mackie’s Of Scotland, Traditional Real Dairy Ice Cream

Own Label

Aldi, Specially Selected Steak & Porter Ale Pie

PLATINUM – DRINK

Small Producer

Lunun Gin, Lunun Gin

Large Producer

GM Spirits, Edinburgh Rum

Own Label

Aldi, 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky

AWARDS SECURE NEW SPAR LISTINGS FOR MCGHEE’S

Glasgow-based McGhee’s Bakery has secured fantastic new listings in Spar Scotland as a direct result of winning Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards. Spar Scotland will be listing McGhee’s award-winning Hand Crafted Ginger & Marmalade Slice from next Monday.

The listing came as a direct result of the product winning a Scottish Retail Food & Drink Award and will see it go on sale in all of Spar Scotland’s 107 company-owned stores as well as being offered to over 300 independent Spar retailers in Scotland.

“When we first got involved with the Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards it was because the Awards shared the same go and aims as we hold dear in Spar Scotland,” says Stephen Brown. “We are both committed to getting more fantastic quality Scottish products onto more Scottish shelves and we are delighted to be listing McGhee’s Hand Crafted Ginger & Marmalade Slice.”

Gordon McGhee says: “We were absolutely delighted to w a Scottish Retail Food & Drink Award and it’s a real testamen to our new product development team. Naturally, we’re also over the moon that winning an Award has led to this new listi with Spar Scotland. We absolutely look forward to sharing this delicious and award-winning product with a much wider audience across Scotland in over 100 Spar stores initially, an potentially hundreds more. This product really demonstrates skill and craftsmanship of our skilled bakers and I’m sure the product will be popular with shoppers, growing sales for Spa Scotland.”

And that wasn’t the only good news for McGhee’s. The discussions with Brown and Spar Scotland also led to an initiative which will see the bakery’s iconic Crispy Morning Roll spreading its wings beyond its Glasgow heartland. The product secured a Highly Commended prize at the recent Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards.

“We will be trialling the Crispy Morning Roll in regions like Fife and Dundee,” explains Brown. “In Glasgow, the product is an absolute institution – and for very good reason. It’s a perfect example of a simple product done really, really well – and we are aiming to establish whether customers outside of Glasgow will be similarly enchanted.”

McGhee is similarly excited: “Our Crusty Morning Roll is a phenomenal product in and around Glasgow and we feel it’s time that more customers further field got the chance to try it. We’re really excited about working with Spar Scotland to spread the word!”

FOOD PRODUCTS | BAKERY

Large Producer | McGhee’s Bakery, Hand Crafted Ginger Marmalade Slice

Highly Commended | McGhee’s Bakery, Crispy Morning Rolls

BILTONG & JERKY

Small Producer | Big Beefys Biltong, Original Beef Biltong

BISCUITS – SAVOURY

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Oatcake Bites - Lockerbie Cheddar

BISCUITS – SWEET

Own Label| Aldi, Specially Selected Orkney Caramel Shortbread

Commended: Aldi, Specially Selected Shortbread Rounds - Lemon

CHEESE

Own Label: Aldi, Specially Selected Scottish Vintage Cheddar

Highly Commended| Lidl GB, Deluxe Orkney White Cheddar

CHOCOLATE, CONFECTIONERY, TABLET & MINTS

Own Label | Lidl GB, Caulder’s Confectionery Scottish Macaroon

Large Producer | Tilly Confectionery, Malt Whisky Tablet Innovation Award

Dr Heff’s, Dr Heff’s ‘Remarkable Mints’

DAIRY

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Jersey Milk

Small Producer | Mossgiel Organic Farm, Mossgiel Organic Whole Milk

FISH

Own Label | Aldi, Ginger, Chilli & Lime Infused Scottish Salmon Fillets

Small Producer | Thule Ventus, Salt Cod Pate

HOT BEVERAGES – TEA & TISANES

Small Producer | Wee Tea Company, Rhubarb Rooibos UK Producer

Thompson’s Family Tea, Thompson’s Scottish Blend

ICE CREAM

Large Producer | Mackie’s of Scotland, Traditional Real Dairy Ice Cream

MEATS – BURGERS & SAUSAGES

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Scotch Aberdeen Angus Dry Aged Steak Burger UK Producer

Kin & Kind, Hellbent Chakalaka

Small Producer | Uradale Farm, Beef Sassermaet

MEATS – HAGGIS, BLACK & WHITE PUDDING

Small Producer | The Farmer’s Son, Scottish Black Pudding Slices

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Black Pudding

Highly Commended | The Farmer’s Son, Scottish White Pudding Slices

MEATS – STEAK

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Scotch Aberdeen Angus Ribeye Steak, 36 Days Matured

PLANT BASED

UK Producer | The Russian Food Company, Galette Goodness - Wild Mushroom & Spinach

QUICHES, PASTIES, PIES

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Steak & Porter Ale Pie UK Producer

McColgan’s Quality Foods, Goats Cheese & Caramelised Red Onion Quiche

READY MEALS & ACCOMPANIMENTS

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Chicken Balmoral

UK Producer | Wilson’s Country, You Say Potato Fresh Cut Chips

SALT

Small Producer | Isle of Skye Sea Salt Co, Pure Sea salt Crystals

SALT – FLAVOURED SALT

Small Producer | Hawkhead Whisky Smoked, Whisky Smoked Black Garlic Salt

SNACKS

Small Producer | Growers Garden, Growers Garden Broccoli Chips – Cheese Large Producer

Tilly Confectionery, Mrs Tilly’s Scottish Tablet Popcorn

Highly Commended | Highland Crackers, Seeded Cracker Mix Spice Mixes

Small Producer | Spice Pots, Korma Spice Pot

Highly Commended | Zepice, Coconut, Lemongrass & Kaffir Lime Gourmet Curry

STORE CUPBOARD PRODUCTS

Small Producer | Aye Pickled, Kimchi Hot Sauce

Highly Commended | Isle of Mull Seaweed, Seaweed Chutney Screaming Chimp, Mango & Papaya

STORE CUPBOARD PRODUCTS – SOUPS

Own Label | Aldi, Specially Selected Sundried Tomato, Lentil & Smoked Paprika Soup

STORE CUPBOARD PRODUCTS – SWEET SPREADS

Small Producer | Sarah Gray’s, Raspberry Jam

DRINKS PRODUCTS

Beer | Gold Small Producer | Five Kingdoms Brewery, Dark Storm Stout

Own Label | Aldi, Anti Establishment IPA

Aldi, Williams Brothers, Rubus Grapefruit IPA

Silver | Small Producer Five Kingdoms Brewery, Captain Morrison’s IPA

Bronze | Small Producer Lerwick Brewery, Azacca Amarillo IPA

COLD BEVERAGES – COLD BREWS

Small Producer | Cushiedoos Drink Better, Cushiedoos

GIN

Gold | Small Producer Bothy Trading, Gin Bothy Gunshot Infused Gin

Lunun Gin, Lunun Gin

Own Label | Aldi, Eidyn Scottish Botanical Gin

Silver | Small Producer | Billingtons of Lenzie, Lenzie Gin

Bronze | Small Producer | Cairngorm Gin Company Ltd, Cairngorm Gin

North Point Distillery, Crosskirk Bay Gin

GIN – FLAVOURED GIN

Gold | Own Label | Aldi, Toradh Scottish Rhubarb and Ginger Gin

LIQUEURS

Gold | Small Producer | Cairns Exclusive Drinks Company, Cairns Scotch Whisky Liqueur

Hemisphere Brands, Magnum Cream Liqueur

OTHER SPIRITS

Gold | Small Producer | Badachro Distillery, Dancing Puffin Vodka

Large Producer | GM Spirits, Edinburgh Rum Own Label

Aldi, 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky

Silver | Small Producer Bothy Trading, Rum Bothy Spiced Rum

North Point Distillery, Skerra Spiced Rum