The shortlist for this year¹s Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards has been announced.

The shortlist

New Product award

Henshelwoods Fine Foods, Rothesay, Isle of Bute - “Chutney For..” range
Inverness Fish Farming, Delfour Hatchery, Kingussie – Oak-smoked native Scottish Brown Trout
The Isle of Skye Baking Company, Uig, Isle of Skye – Sweet biscuit range
North Highland Products Ltd, Lybster, Caithness - Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Mey Selections meatballs Shetland Seafish, Whalsay, Shetland – Oak Roasted Mussels

Health Enhancement award – no award given

New Business award

Alba Farm Shop, Breakish, Isle of Skye
Bogbain Adventure and Heritage Farm, Inverness
The Isle of Skye Baking Company, Uig, Isle of Skye
The Lime Tree, Fort William
The Whisky Coast, Oban

Entry to a New Market award

Loch Duart Ltd, Scourie, Sutherland
Lossie Seafoods Ltd, Buckie
Nevis Bakery Ltd, Fort William

Environment award

Loch Duart Ltd, Scourie, Sutherland
Scottish Seafarms, Whalsay, Shetland

Best Use of Local Food award

Cawdor Castle Ltd, Nairn
The Frigate Café and Bistro, Ullapool
The Lime Tree, Fort William
North Highland Products Ltd, Lybster, Caithness
Taste of Tain, Tain

Innovation award

Highlands and Islands Local Food Network, Cromarty
Highland Park Distillery, Kirkwall, Orkney
Inver House Distillers Ltd, Balblair, Tain
North Highland Products – Barrogill Whisky, Lybster, Caithness

Individual Contribution award

Robert Campbell-Preston, Taynuilt, Argyll
Hazel Gordon, Conon Bridge, Ross-shire
Carole Herd, Tain
Calina MacDonald, Carbost, Isle of Skye
John Tait, Whalsay, Shetland

Gary Williamson, chairman of the judging panel, said: "We were delighted with the entries for this year's awards and found it extremely difficult to come to conclusions about which should be shortlisted in each category. The quality of entries exceeded last year's strong field and is a clear demonstration of the strength of the food and drink sector in developing new products, creating new businesses and applying innovation to grow the sector."

Shona MacLennan, Highlands and Islands Food and Drinks Forum co-ordinator commented: "As we can see from the shortlist, there's development right across the board - from smoked mussels to rhubarb vodka, from large international companies to small one-person businesses and from Bute to Shetland and all places in between. This reflects the diversity of the area and the local food and drink economy. But what I'm particularly looking forward to is seeing all the folk at the awards ceremony, receiving recognition for their continued hard work and being an inspiration to others to succeed in the same way."

The judging panel for this year¹s awards comprises:

•  Wendy Barrie, food writer, director of Scottishfoodguide.com, trainer and consultant,
• Alan Craigie, chef, The Creel Restaurant, Orkney,
• Grant MacNicol, chef, Dornoch Castle Hotel, winner of the Scottish Chef Young Chef of the Year Award 2007,
• Alan Topping, food and drink buyer for Brodie Countryfare, and
• Mark Georgeson, senior food and drink manager, Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The judging panel is chaired by Gary Williamson, managing director of Williamson Foodservice and major sponsor of the awards.

The winners of this year¹s Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards will be announced at the awards dinner in the Drumossie Hotel, Inverness on 14 September. Tickets are priced £50 per person, and tables of 10 are available as well as individual tickets.

Further information and tickets for the awards dinner available from Shona MacLennan, Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Forum co-ordinator; Tel: 01599 534999; email: shona@solas-biz.co.uk