Shetland Kitchen Co attend the Royal Highland Show

COPE’s Shetland Kitchen Co recently attended the 200th Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, Edinburgh. We were part of Shetland’s first ever collective attendance at the event as part of an initiative organised by Shetland Food and Drink. With an estimated footfall of approximately 200,000 visitors the show is the largest national event of its kind.

SFAD’s aims were to promote member businesses and the excellent food and drink produced locally, as well as Shetland’s unique qualities in terms of provenance and tourism offering. We were part of a sixteen strong delegation, including six Vikings in full regalia. This collective effort involved a trade stand in the Scotland’s Larder Food Hall, the SFAD catering trailer showcasing Shetland seafood and lamb, and a range of talks and demonstrations as part of the show’s Presidential Food for Thought Initiative, which focused on the Highlands and Islands.

Shetland Kitchen Co were a key part of the trade stand in the Food Hall, there together with three other SFAD member businesses: Island Larder, Shetland Reel and Nort Finest. We presented our Shetlandeli range of chutneys and relishes alongside an array of the very best artisan food producers from all over the country. Visitors were keen to taste Shetlandeli products and fascinated to learn about our social purpose and the impact COPE has within the Shetland community. Consumer feedback highlighted that people are keener than ever to spend their money thoughtfully and really want to support social enterprises like ours.

The event was also attended by the Shetland Flock Book Society, a collective of Shetland Makers in the Arts and Crafts Area, and the local Young Farmers organisation, which meant that we were really able to put Shetland on the map.

Osla Jamwal-Fraser, who attended the event for COPE, said “It’s been great for us to be able to connect with visitors, show our range and let them taste the quality of our chutneys and relishes, but also to have the chance to chat and see people engage with our mission and the whole ethos that underpins everything we do here at COPE.

“It’s also been great to see Shetland businesses come together and work to promote our products as well as Shetland as a whole. Participating in an event that’s all about the wider impact we can have for our community, marries perfectly with COPE’s core social purpose and values”.