Taste Of Orkney Food and Drink Shortlist Revealed

Awards categories for the event, organised by Orkney Food and Drink and sponsored by NorthLink Ferries and Highland Park, cover everything from the best bar and takeaway meals to the finest bakery, fish, drink, and dairy products. There are also awards for the top café, local food retailer and peedie product.

The shortlist has been drawn up following months of public voting on the Orkney.com website.

Winners will be announced at a gala awards dinner being held in Kirkwall Grammar School on 15 October. The top business in each category will receive a prestigious Taste of Orkney Food and Drink Awards trophy.

Edgar Balfour, project manager for Orkney Food and Drink, said: “The public response to the online voting process was tremendous, with over 21,000 votes received, so we’re very grateful for the support the event has received. All the nominated businesses are fantastic ambassadors for Orkney’s vibrant food and drink sector, with those shortlisted clearly going the extra mile in the eyes of their customers. It’s also a huge delight to be staging a real live event and everyone involved is very much looking forward to October’s awards dinner.”

He added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our event sponsors, NorthLink Ferries and Highland Park, and all the local food and drink businesses who have generously sponsored individual award categories. In Orkney, our food and drink businesses work together for the benefit of the sector and the islands’ economy, and there’s a strong desire to recognise and celebrate the success of fellow producers and retailers.”

Billy Robb, customer service director at Serco NorthLink Ferries, commented: “We are proud to support the Taste of Orkney Food and Drink Awards and celebrate the achievements of Orcadian producers, who have helped put the Northern Isles on the map as a must-visit destination for food and drink lovers. We would like to congratulate the finalists on their achievement and wish them good luck as the awards progress.

“At NorthLink Ferries, we’re committed to using locally sourced produce wherever possible. It’s with thanks to our trusted suppliers from Orkney and Shetland that our guests enjoy a delicious and wide-ranging food and drink menu on board our ships, which receives positive compliments from residents and visitors alike.”

Graham Bruce, visits and retail operations manager at Highland Park, said: “Orkney is renowned globally for its incredible variety of food and drink produce and its fantastic quality. We are extremely proud to be one of the sponsors.”