Harrods buyers tempted north of the border

11th November 2009

Scotland Food and Drink, in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is hosting an exclusive 'Meet the Buyer' visit from Harrods today (11 November). The event, aimed at food and drink businesses across Scotland, gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their products as part of the Access to Markets programme.

The event in Inverness will provide 19 Scottish producers with an opportunity to secure lucrative listings in the stores world-renowned Food Halls.

Buyers from the famous Food Hall along with the Harrods Executive Chef will be present at the event. The Harrods buyers have selected 19 high-quality producers to meet from across Scotland including Nevis Bakery, Moray Seafoods Ltd, Loch Fyne Oysters and Caithness Beef and Lamb Ltd.

During the visit, Harrods buyers will also take the opportunity to visit local producers, including Connage Highland Dairy, Delfour Hatchery and Benromach Distillery.

Gerry McGuigan, senior development manager at HIE, said: "This is an excellent opportunity for food and drink producers in the Highlands and Islands to have their products on sale at one of the most prestigious Food Halls in the world. We are delighted to be able to host the Harrods buyers here in Inverness and look forward to them being suitably impressed by the quality of the produce on offer."

Paul McLaughlin, Scotland Food & Drink chief executive, said: "Scotland Food & Drink's Meet the Buyer programme has a track-record of generating substantial new listings for participants. Harrods buyers require the highest calibre, quality suppliers and we are confident that Scotland holds an abundance of products which meet their strict criteria."

James Wierzrelewski, Executive Chef at Harrods, said: "We know that Scotland is home to some of the finest produce in the world and we already sell a breadth of luxury Scottish products in the Harrods Food Halls. Since opening its doors in 1849, Harrods has prided itself on a reputation for excellence and innovation and we are excited to be meeting a host of Scottish producers we believe shares these values."

For more information on this and other Meet the Buyer events, please visit the Scotland Food and Drink website at www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org

- Harrods is meeting 19 producers at the 'meet the buyer' event - Summer Harvest Oils, Coco Chocolate, Stoats porridge, Heather Hills honey, Highland Chocolatier, Chrystals Shortbread, Nevis Bakery, First Milk Cheese, Good Natured Fruit, Belhaven Fruit Farm, Shetland produce (fish and seafood), Loch Fyne Oysters, Moray Seafood, Connage Highland Dairy, Rannoch Smokery, Findlaters Fine Foods (patés and pies), Caithness Beef & Lamb, Yorkes of Dundee (meat) and Scott the Butcher

- Scotland Food & Drink is the lead organisation helping to deliver the 'Sustainable Economic Growth' workstream of the Scottish Government's first National Food and Drink Policy. As a result, its members, through involvement in one of four working groups, can help shape the future of the food and drink industry in Scotland.

- Scotland Food & Drink aims to grow the value of Scotland's food and drink sector, make it more profitable and deliver greater global success in a fiercely competitive market. Its mission is to grow the industry from £7.5bn to £10bn by 2017 and its vision is to build Scotland’s international reputation as 'A Land of Food and Drink'

- Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is the Scottish Government's regional development agency for an area which covers half of Scotland, from Shetland to Argyll and from the Outer Hebrides to Moray. Visit www.hie.co.uk for more information.