• Owned and run by the same family since 1949, unique creamery Orkney Ice Cream took home both Product of the Year and Dairy Product of the Year (Small Business) at the 2025 Excellence Awards, held last night.
• The glittering ceremony saw 24 awards presented to businesses from across the food and drink industry, including Mackintosh of Glendaveny, which took home the Sustainability Award, and Charles Macleod, which was named winner of Meat Product of the Year for its Stornoway Black Pudding.
• More than 500 people attended the 2025 Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards last night at Glasgow's Doubletree by Hilton, hosted by journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Wark.

For a quarter of a century, the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards have celebrated the best of Scotland's food and drink sector – and on 4 September, the tradition continued, as industry leaders gathered to honour this year's finalists and winners.

Family-run artisan ice cream producer Orkney Ice Cream emerged as the evening's biggest winner, taking home both Product of the Year and Dairy Product of the Year (Small Business). 

Celebrating 76 years and three generations of craftsmanship, the family-run business has built its reputation on championing local ingredients and pushing the boundaries of flavour – from indulgent Toffee Fudge and comforting Apple Crumble to the zesty twist of Marmalade Cheesecake.

The Excellence Awards have been the highest accolades in the industry for more than 20 years, and this year comprised 12 tasted awards and 10 business categories. 

Charles Macleod won the Meat Product of the Year for its provision of high-quality Stornoway Black Pudding, made with Scottish oatmeal to give a unique texture and flavour. In the business categories East Lothian butchery John Gilmour Butchers secured the Best for Scottish (Independent Business) award, while Mossgiel Organic Dairy secured the Organic Business of the Year. 

As part of its on-going commitment to sustainability, this year, Scotland Food & Drink has introduced a new trophy design for The Excellence Awards, commissioning Midton, an industry-leading specialist in cast acrylic, to craft an eye-catching design. Working out of their facility in Argyll, Midton's team of specialists have been producing high end, bespoke products for world-renowned companies for over 40 years. The new Scotland Food & Drink Trophies are made from Remade, Midton's in-house range of recycled acrylic materials, developed from reclaimed offcuts.  

Iain Baxter, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: "The Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the outstanding producers whose passion, innovation, and hard work continue to drive Scotland's food and drink industry forward. The quality of this year's entries has been exceptional, showcasing the creativity and craftsmanship that set new standards for our sector. 

"Congratulations to all the winners and finalists – their success is a true reflection of the strength and reputation of Scotland's world-class food and drink community."

Celebrating their achievement on the night, Graham Bichan at Orkney Ice Cream, said: "It feels absolutely incredible to win Product of the Year, I am completely shell-shocked. 

 "Winning this Award is validation. We strive to do our best, and this is testament to that. I'd recommend all businesses to enter next year."

Ashley Connolly, Local Buying Manager for Scotland at Asda, headline sponsor of The Excellence Awards, added: "It's a huge pleasure to be part of this wonderful event once again. We've spent more than 10 years as lead sponsors of The Excellence Awards, and each year Scottish food and drink producers blow us away with the world-class quality of their products.

"This year has been no different, with outstanding products on offer from right across the country. Congratulations to this year's winners and finalists as they lead the way for Scotland's thriving food and drink industry."

The annual Awards, which recognise the highest quality produce alongside the leading individuals, suppliers, and companies, received more than 200 entries across all categories, and are organised by Scotland Food & Drink, supported by headline sponsor Asda.

For the full line-up of finalists, please visit Excellence Awards Finalists

For the full line-up of winners, please visit Excellence Awards Winners