North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards set to recognise industry excellence
North East Scotland is a powerhouse of the Scottish food and drink industry with premium products from land and sea, ambitious start-ups, scaling companies and global brands leading in net zero production and premium market development.
The North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards 2023 celebrates excellence and innovation across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
The awards are presented by Opportunity North East (ONE) in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council and reflect the breadth of the industry.
They recognize the achievements, entrepreneurship and products of food and beverage manufacturers of all sizes and stages of growth.
The awards are free to enter, with 12 categories to choose from ranging from Best New Product to Best Distilled Product and Best Young Business.
Food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK.
More than 22,000 people work in industry in the north east of Scotland and the region accounts for more than 20 per cent of all food in Scotland
and beverage dispensing.
Stanley Morrice MBE leads the Board of Directors for Food, Beverage and Agriculture at Opportunity North East.
He said: “The premium food and drink sector in the North East of Scotland is entrepreneurial, innovative and its products are in demand across the UK and internationally. Businesses large and small are successfully navigating the opportunities and challenges of today’s marketplace to create healthy,
sustainable, high-quality products that consumers are looking for.
“The 2023 awards provide the industry platform to celebrate their achievements in both innovation and market development.
“We want to see success stories of consumer-centric product development and hear from the companies that are putting innovation and sustainability at the heart of their operations,” said Mr. Morrice.
Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, Cllr John Crawley, said: “Food and drink remains a key sector in our economic development strategy and these awards showcase the region’s best food and drink producers, who play such an important role in the North play -east economy.
“Despite these tremendously challenging times – be it the impact of Covid, rising energy bills and the cost of living crisis – these manufacturers have tackled these obstacles head-on, ensuring their quality products continue to be available in the local, national and international markets.
“We are delighted to continue our partnership with ONE to recognize these success stories promoting the region as a pacesetter in the Scottish food and drink industry.”
Entries for the 2023 Awards should be submitted via the website – www.nesfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk – which also includes guidance and support.
The closing date for entries is Wednesday 1st March and the winners will be announced at the awards dinner on Thursday 8th June at The Chester Hotel, Aberdeen.
