Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provides advice and support to food companies across the region and sponsored this years Great Taste Awards. Lorna Maclennan development manager for HIE's food and drink team said: "Winning a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal in the Great Taste Awards is an accolade of the highest standard.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise has long been aware of the quality of food and drink produced in the area, but these 25 awards will help to spread this message to fine food buyers world-wide."

The six coveted Gold Awards were won by Tods of Orkney for thin oatcakes and their petticoat tails, Island Bakery Organics (Mull) for their chocolate gingers, Gilbert S MacTaggart Islay Butcher for traditional steak sausages, Gilbert S MacTaggart Islay Butcher for pork and herb sausages and the Highland Truffle Company (Elgin) for their plain fudge.

The Highlands and Islands Pavilion is part of HIE’s commitment to developing the food and drink sector and has provided a platform at key speciality exhibitions in the UK. At the Speciality and Fine Food Fair it will feature companies from throughout the area including Great Taste Award Winners Island Bakery Organics (Mull), Tods of Orkney and Stag Bakery and A. J. MacDonald on the Hebridean Cottage stand.

NOTES: The Great Taste Awards

Marketing, packaging and sales promotion are all fundamental to building successful brands. However, the Guild of Fine Food Retailers has always believed that taste is the most important criterion and this philosophy underpins the Great Taste Awards.

Teams of experts, including fine food buyers, delicatessen owners and leading food writers work together, but mark independently, as they blind taste foods in each class.

According to the organisers, these awards are the most stringent and fairest judging standards of any food competition and the prestige of Gold, Silver or Bronze in the Great Taste Awards carries an endorsement of superb quality and exquisite taste.