Good Natured Fruit brings Angus grower top food prize
Pesticide-free product among raft of winners at Scottish excellence awards
Published:
A pioneering strawberry and raspberry grower lifted Scotland’s top food award last night.
Arbroath-based Angus Soft Fruit (ASF) received the supreme award at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards in Edinburgh for its Good Natured Fruit range which is grown pesticide-free.
A host of other food and drink businesses were recognised at the prestigious event, where First Minister Alex Salmond presented the awards that are organised annually by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and Scottish Enterprise.
ASF launched its Good Natured range last year.
It is letting Mother Nature take the lead in defending its soft fruit crops against a range of insects and diseases that farmers would traditionally have turned to man-made chemicals to keep in check.
The control programme – using a range of natural treatments and predators – was five years in the making.
ASF has been at the forefront of soft fruit production for years and in 2001 launched its very own Ava strawberry to boost sales.
The berry has won widespread acclaim for its taste and ASF now allows it to be grown in the Netherlands under licence so it can be shipped throughout Europe.
Mr Salmond said: “Good Natured Fruit are deserving winners of this award. The company has paid testament to the high quality and freshness our home-grown produce is renowned for, as well as showing the natural health and environmental benefits of Scottish produce.”
Among other firms celebrating was North Highland Products, the Wick-based co-operative behind the Mey Selections brand.
It won two awards: the retail soup, preserve, pickle and sauce prize for its range of conserves and preserves and the new collaboration in supply chain accolade.
Mey Selections was launched three years ago and is supported by the Duke of Rothesay. It was originally set up to help boost farmers’ incomes through developing a range of premium-priced beef and lamb, but now takes in whisky, cheese, oatcakes, shortbread, honey and oat biscuits, honey and preserves, all of which are produced within a 100-mile radius of the late Queen Mother’s Highland retreat at the Castle of Mey in Caithness.
Adding to their prizewinning tally were Fraserburgh’s James Watt and Martin Dickie with the Paraddox Imperial Stout from their BrewDog brewery scooping the retail drink award.
Shortbread maker Deans of Huntly was a double awardwinner, taking the retail bakery and cereal-based prize in addition to the brand development title.
Also at the ceremony, ANM Group chief executive Brian Pack was presented with the RHASS lifetime achievement award which recognises outstanding contribution to Scotland’s food and drink industry.
He said it was a tremendous honour to have been recognised by his industry peers.
The principle operations of Inverurie-based ANM, a farmers’ co-operative, are Aberdeen and Northern Marts, meat processors Scotch Premier Meat and Yorkshire Premier Meat, caterer Highland Cuisine and rural estate agency Aberdeen and Northern Estates.
Other winners were:
Retail – fish and seafood: Loch Fyne Oysters, Clachan, Cairndow, Argyll, for its Loch Fyne oysters.
Retail – meat – red, white and game: Jian’s Dumplings, Edinburgh for its Chinese dumplings.
Retail – dairy, confectionery and snacking: Cream o’ Galloway Dairy Company, Gatehouse of Fleet, for its made fair ice creams and smoothies.
Foodservice: Hardiesmill, Gordon, Berwickshire, for its smoked and cured beef for salads and starters.
International business of the year: Barr Soft Drinks, Cumbernauld, for its Irn Bru and Strathmore Water exports to Russia, Australia and Spain.
Direct marketing development: Rannoch Smokery, Kinloch Rannoch, for its range of smoked meat and game.
Environmental: Cream o’ Galloway Dairy Company.
Healthy eating: Morton’s Rolls, Glasgow, for its Nick Nairn choice rolls.
Best from previous year’s winners: Graham’s The Family Dairy, Bridge of Allan.
Readers' Comments