Shortlist for Highlands & Islands Food & Drink Awards

A record number of entries were received for the 2010 Awards, which aim to recognise and encourage high standards and excellence within the food and drink industry. The winning entries will be revealed at an Awards Dinner hosted by BBC Scotland’s Catriona Shearer on 29th October at Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.

Seafood and aquaculture businesses included in the shortlist are Wester Ross Fisheries Ltd, Lossie Seafoods Ltd, Grieg Seafood Hjaltland UK Limited and Loch Fyne Oysters Ltd.

Best use of local food and drink is one of the eight categories for this year, which also include awards recognising healthier food and drink, good environmental practice, innovation, businesses working in collaboration with each other, as well as new products and new businesses and the popular Taste of the Highlands & Islands Restaurant of the Year Award.

The food and drink industry in the Highlands and Islands generates sales in excess of £1 billion per annum and supports around 30,000 full-time equivalent jobs across the region. There are over 250 processing businesses and it is a key sector in the region generating over £500 million in overseas sales.