Ellie Sinclair
Age: 23
Back in 2015, Ellie Sinclair had a novel idea. She decided to start an experiment and grow chillies, something not very common in the Aberdeenshire countryside.
By utilising the benefits of the wider family business as an agricultural contractor and waste haulier, Ellie was able to use a proportion of the power generated from the onsite Anaerobic Digester to heat a greenhouse where she grew a range of tomatoes and chillies.
From these tomatoes and chillies Ellie has created VegCø, a fantastic mini enterprise where she created a core range of sauces and spice mix pots.
“As a family business, we wanted to put the power from our anaerobic digester to good use and diversify slightly from our agricultural background. I love food and really wanted to work in the food and drink industry so, with my experience of the family business and a degree in Business and Media Studies, I was able to develop a new brand and product range.”
VegCø is Ellie’s very own branch of the family business, but that doesn’t mean she gets to neglect other areas.
“I absolutely love what I’m doing, but with the experience I have built around other areas of the business, I still need to split my team across the other parts, for example the haulage side of the business.”
Ellie’s brand is fresh and colourful, very much like the products she has created. From hot and sticky pineapple sauce to spicy and sweet chilli jam, Ellie’s entrepreneurial spark has seen her purchase a van and build a network of customers. Best of all though, her success is driven by green energy! For Ellie, green energy and delicious food go hand in hand.
“I love being part of something new and exciting. Believe it or not, this experiment was never actually meant to get this far. I just started growing chillies and tomatoes in a greenhouse!
“I am so proud of where we have got to and I love having the ability to tell the story behind my company, encapsulating renewable energy as well as our provenance.”
Ellie may only be 23 herself but she is testament to the fact that with hard work and dedication, the sky really is the limit. She also believes it is hugely important for young people get involved within the food industry as it’s an industry that will constantly have demand.
“The food and drink industry in Scotland is incredibly creative with thousands of hidden gems of small business just waiting to be started. The pride and passion that local food producers have for their products is unbelievable and I think we definitely need more young people in the industry.”
Ellie’s #ScotFoodGoals are to further develop VegCø to the point where she can look at expansion within the greenhouse as well as in the production kitchen where she creates her amazing products. She would also like to have the ability and income to be able to employ some staff.
Patrick MacHugh
Age: 26
Swapping the world of international badminton to start a coffee brand isn’t the most conventional of career paths but for 26-year-old Patrick MacHugh it was something he had been keen on exploring for a number of years.
After eight years of playing professional badminton and representing Scotland around the world, most recently at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Patrick decided to hang up his racket and start his own business.
In February this year, Patrick, alongside his business partners, brother Finlay and friend Ross, launched Power Press Coffee, an e-commerce business offering a range of ‘performance coffee’ products ideal for pre-workouts at the gym or to kick-start the working day.
“In my last few years of playing I always had a coffee before my session to give me that physical and mental boost. I also started doing some research in to the true effects of caffeine on performance and when is best to consume caffeine before high-intensity exercise.
“For me, it was my love of coffee that led me to this industry. As an athlete you tend not to drink alcohol very often so coffee became a very sociable event for me. I also believe there has been a massive cultural change with younger people looking for coffee shops instead of pubs which I think is a positive sign.”
Patrick is not the only athlete behind the brand, his older brother Finlay also played badminton and now works as a strength and conditioning coach for Scotland’s top athletes, while Ross is a full-time member of the British curling squad.
“Power Press Coffee has been created by athletes who understand the daily grind that it takes to make it. Having only been an athlete it was a really steep learning curve for me but I am so happy I made the decision to start my own business.”
For Patrick, being able to visit different countries and experience their coffee culture really helped develop Power Press as a business and brand.
“I believe there has been a huge cultural change with people’s behaviours when it comes to coffee. People are constantly seeking out new food and drink experiences and this has really given rise to new places and businesses opening up. It’s an exciting prospect.
“Having travelled around a lot of different countries I have seen their attitudes towards food and drink and I think that is something Scotland is quickly developing and rivalling places such as Australia that have set a benchmark – especially in coffee terms.
As a young entrepreneur, Patrick is putting hi marketing degree from the University of Strathclyde to good use in the food and drink industry which offers something exciting for young people with ideas considering a career in the sector.
“The food and drink industry in Scotland is constantly changing and adapting making it a very exciting environment with loads of possibilities. On top of that, if you look at it from our perspective at Power Press Coffee, health and fitness is something that is a top priority for the government and is heavily promoted. We want to encourage people to live an active and healthy lifestyle, and with our specific products tailored towards various performance levels, it will hopefully open up lots of opportunities.”
Patrick’s #ScotFoodGoals are to continue to grow Power Press Coffee and promote the benefits of healthy eating and drinking to encourage a healthier and happier lifestyle for Scottish people. Working alongside gyms ad health companies, Patrick wants to show how caffeine can be used to enhance natural performance and as an alternative to pre-workout shakes.
Facebook: @PowerPressCoffee
Instagram: @powerpresscoffee
Watch Patrick's #ScotFoodGoals video
Rory Campbell
Age: 27
From Portpatrick to New York and back again, Rory Campbell knows quality sea food.
Growing up in a small fishing village, Rory was brought up helping in his family’s restaurant and on his father’s fishing boat.
“I’ve worked in just about every job in the restaurant. I started off washing pots and pans when I was 12 and I go out with my dad on my his fishing boat occasionally to help catch the crabs and lobsters that are served in the restaurant.”
As Rory got older, he found himself becoming more passionate about Scottish food, leaving his course in sports science to pursue a career in food and drink.
“I knew pretty quickly that sports science wasn’t for me. I swapped courses to start getting the right qualifications to work as a chef. After completing my course I was lucky enough to get to move to New York for six months where I interned with some of the most passionate and mindful chefs I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.”
Between working in the incredibly fast-paced kitchen of the exclusive NoMad Hotel in Manhattan and tasting his way around the incredible culinary scene in New York, Rory able to see the perception of Scottish food.
“Seeing the likes of Angus beef and Scottish salmon and langoustines on the menus of some of the top restaurants in New York was really inspiring and made me realise just how highly regarded our produce is overseas.
“I was also able to see first-hand the difference in the taste and texture working with non-Scottish seafood and it made me realise that we take the superior quality of our seafood for granted. Diners in Manhattan knew that the word ‘Scottish’ on the menu meant quality whereas we don’t really think anything of it here.”
Since working in New York, Rory’s been continuing to perfect his craft working as a chef in his family’s restaurant in Portpatrick with a particular focus on seafood.
“Staying in a rural village, I like to keep up-to-date with what’s going on in the food scene, particulary in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Both cities have amazing restaurants, cafes and pop-ups with chefs that like to do things a little differently.”
“I follow a lot of restaurants, chefs and food bloggers from all over the UK on Instagram. There’s one chef from Cornwall who shares a lot of his seafood ideas and he’s someone who I take a lot of inspiration from. Instagram has really helped revolutionise how we view food and follow food trends which is amazing. It’s really made the food scene accessible to young people.”
“The hospitality industry has a reputation for long hours which puts a lot of people off, but I want to help the change this perception. It’s a great industry to work in with so much variety which means that there’s something to suit every skillset, whether your niche is seafood, burgers, coffee, doughnuts or fine-dining and the list goes on. There’s been so much growth over the last few years, but I think that this is only the beginning.”
“Working in my family’s restaurant I’ve seen how hard it can be recruiting and retaining staff, but I don’t think people realise how amazing a career in food and drink can be for a lot of people. There are so many more training opportunities available now and there are so many people who have the knowledge and the skillset and the passion to share it with the next generation.”
For Rory’s #ScotFoodGoals he wants to see the industry continuing to grow. He wants to help people realise that we’re lucky enough to have some of the best quality produce (especially seafood) on our doorstep.
For his own personal goals, Rory knows that seafood and nutrition will always be his passion and he’s looking forward to continuing to learn and cooking. Rory’s planning on travelling more to see what people around the world are doing in the world of food and will be sharing his journey on his Instagram.
Watch Rory's #ScotFoodGoals video
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight aims to attract more young people to choose food and drink careers
27,000 jobs to fill by 2022 to bolster industry’s continued success
The organisation responsible for Scotland’s food and drink sector is encouraging more young people to choose a career in the industry and help double its value by the year 2030.
Scotland Food & Drink is using its annual Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight as a platform to highlight the huge diversity within the industry and position it as a fantastic and rewarding career for young people.
The organisation has set out a long-term vision to fill around 27,000 jobs by 2022 to ensure the industry continues to grow. This follows the Ambition 2030 cross-sector growth strategy unveiled in 2017 in which the organisation announced its goal of doubling the value of the industry to £30 billion by 2030.
Harnessing the Year of Young People, this year’s campaign, entitled #ScotFoodGoals, is focused on the future of the sector. Designed as a platform to champion the talented young people in the industry and promote the amazing career opportunities, the campaign encourages Scots to share their goals for the future of the sector and promotes the collective role we all play in ensuring its continued to growth and success.
#ScotFoodGoals will also continue to celebrate the dedicated consumers, entrepreneurs, retailers, caterers, producers, wholesalers and many more, and encourage everyone to eat, drink, promote, sell and cook Scottish.
With the Fortnight officially launching on Saturday (1 September), James Withers, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, was joined this morning by Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, and a group of young people who are each contributing in their own way to the ongoing success of the industry.
During an event held at Thomsons Coffee Roasters in the Argyle St Arches in Glasgow to launch Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, Ellie Sinclair, Patrick MacHugh, Rory Campbell and Jenny MacDonald each spoke about their experiences of being a young person working in the food and drink industry, why they believe it’s important to attract more under 30s and what their goals are for the future.
Speaking at the event, James Withers said: “The global reputation Scotland has for its food and drink is unparalleled. Now is an exciting time to be involved in the sector in Scotland and the opportunity for the next generation to raise the bar ever higher is hugely compelling.
“By 2030 we want to have doubled the value of Scotland’s food and drink industry. While this is a challenge, we believe it’s achievable, especially with more young people choosing careers in food and drink.
“You don’t have to look far to see the amazing contribution young people are making. Our #ScotFoodGoals campaign will act as a springboard to show just how diverse and rewarding a career in food and drink can be.”
Aiming to stimulate discussion and showcase the wealth of opportunities in the food and drink industry, a number of young people have been recruited to act as Food & Drink Fortnight ambassadors and spread the word about how fulfilling, exciting and diverse a career in the sector can be.
From 19-year-old Finlay MacDonald running his own successful chocolatiers in the Highlands and Ellie Sinclair, 23, from Aberdeenshire with her own business using renewable energy from the family farm to make chutneys and sauces, to former international badminton player Patrick MacHugh from Glasgow who has swapped his racket to develop a performance coffee brand and Fraser Cameron, one of the youngest sous chefs to work in a Michelin star restaurant in Scotland. The impact young people are making on the industry is widespread.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy, Fergus Ewing said: "Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight is vital in helping to promote the outstanding produce we have here in Scotland, as well as celebrating those who grow, make, cook and sell it. With 2018 being the year of the young people, it is also a fantastic platform to champion and promote the diverse and amazing opportunities within our food and drink sector.
"The next two weeks is therefore the perfect opportunity for everyone to get involved in thinking more about where our food and drink comes from and I would encourage as many people as possible to visit one of the many exciting events taking place during the campaign throughout the country."
Louise Macdonald OBE, Chief Executive of Young Scot, said: “There is so much opportunity for young Scots in the world of food and drink, locally and nationally, and it is wonderful to see this as a focus for the Year of Young People 2018. There are so many incredibly passionate and talented young people across the country – like our amazing Young Scot Award winner Finlay MacDonald – and it is vital we create more opportunities for them to find pathways into careers in one of Scotland’s most thriving sectors.”
The annual Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight will run 1-16 September. To learn more about Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight and how you can be involved visit: www.fooddrinkfort.scot or engage with campaign on social media: @Eat_Scottish (Twitter), @Eat_Scottish (Instagram) and @eatscottish (Facebook.)
Welcome to Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2018
Welcome to our annual celebration of the best of food and drink in Scotland.
Every corner of the world is waking up to the fact that Scotland’s produce is without peer. The quality of our air, our water and our natural resources is the envy of the world and the passion, creativity and inventiveness of our people is driving the sector forward. There is no doubt that now is an exciting time to be involved in food and drink in Scotland.
2018 is also Scotland’s Year of Young People and what better opportunity to celebrate our talented and innovative young people than by shining a light on the impact and contribution they are making to our vibrant and diverse food and drink industry. An industry which continues to grow on a global scale.
Food and drink in Scotland is changing and it is now becoming more of an experience than ever before. With new and exciting restaurants, artisan cafes and food markets springing up as well as street food festivals and pop-ups breathing exciting new life into city and rural venues, this year’s Fortnight will celebrate the young talent driving the future of our food and drink experiences with flair and passion.
Our food and drink sector has been built on centuries of tradition so while embracing the new we will also continue to celebrate the old, particularly the young people working to keep the more traditional trades alive.
This year’s Fortnight will take place from 1-16 September and will have a fresh new look and feel. Our campaign for this year’s Fortnight is themed around the future of Scotland’s food and drink industry. It will be a platform to champion our talented young people and celebrate consumers, entrepreneurs, retailers, caterers and producers highlighting the fact that everyone has a part to play in ensuring its continued survival and growth. Essentially, we want to encourage more people than ever to buy, eat and promote Scottish food and drink. We have an amazing group of young ambassadors lined up to be the face of the campaign, from chefs and retailers to farmers and producers.
This pack will give you all you need to know about getting involved in this year’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight. However, it is just a starting point and we look forward to discussing creative ideas with you and supporting you in your efforts to put Scottish produce centre-stage this September.
Thank you,
James Withers
Chief Executive, Scotland Food & Drink
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight hailed a success
For two weeks in September, Scots get behind Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, a celebration which champions our fantastic industry and which touches every corner of our country.
This year, the Fortnight celebrated producers, chefs, businesses and schools who are all playing their part in showcasing the exceptional Scottish food and drink industry.
A focus of the Fortnight was the #onethingfortnight campaign, this challenged the public to change just one thing about the way they engage with Scottish produce. Lots of people joined in, with everything from schools incorporating fresh, local produce into lessons to people pledging to try more of Scotland’s diverse seafood.
The hashtag #onethingfortnight got over 140,000 people talking on Twitter, with half a million people engaging with #scotfoodfort. Businesses embraced the fortnight, with NorthLink Ferries, Brakes and NFU Mutual all picking up awards for their support. S2 pupils at St Ninians High School in Kirkintilloch were rewarded for their efforts throughout the campaign, after adapting a standard Home Economics class to research what vegetables were in season and use them during their lesson.
Having reached a further one million people through the media, organisers have now turned their attention to 2018, which will see Scotland celebrate The Year of Young People. The Year of Young People (#YOYP2018) 2018 is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing young personalities, talents, and achievers that make up Scotland. It’s all about inspiring our nation through its young people’s ideas, attitudes and ambitions.
If you are, or know someone, under the age of 26 who has been doing wonderful things within the Scottish food and drink industry, we’d like to hear from you. Please email info@foodanddrink.scot.
Glasgow school pupils scoop award for championing Scottish produce
Talented secondary school pupils in Kirkintilloch have scooped a national award for their efforts at championing Scottish food and drink and supporting local producers.
S2 students at St Ninians High School in the north of the city have been crowned the winner of the Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2017 schools challenge – an initiative which encouraged primary and secondary schools up and down the country to champion Scottish produce during Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2017.
During the Fortnight, which ran from 2-17 September, the St Ninians pupils adapted a standard Home Economics vegetable bake recipe by incorporating vegetables that were sourced locally and seasonally. The students used the seasonality calendar on the Scotland Food & Drink website to choose which vegetables were most appropriate for the recipe, and also used their cooking as a topic for discussion in class around the advantages of shopping locally and seasonally.
Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink, said:
“Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight takes place every year and it’s a fantastic way of celebrating our growers, producers, chefs and restaurateurs, as well as our vast and delicious Scottish larder.
“It was so encouraging to hear about St Ninians’ efforts in engaging with the Fortnight and its principles – not only did they make a delicious meal to take home but they also took the Fortnight as an opportunity to understand more about the benefits of eating and sourcing locally. Their win was incredibly well- deserved.”
As a prize, the S2 pupils received a variety of inspiring Scottish recipe books to use for their cookery classes, as well as a £50 voucher and tour opportunity for the Secret Herb Garden in Edinburgh.
St Ninian’s Home Economics Teacher, Elaine McKune said:
"We are delighted to receive this award and it great to be a part of this campaign. We enjoyed taking part and as a department, we feel very passionately about the promotion of using local and seasonal produce in our cooking. The challenge fitted in well to our curriculum plans and we were able to adapt our lessons for that fortnight".
Fiona continued:
“We now look ahead to The Year of Young People in 2018 and are seeking inspirational young people with great food or drink stories to help us better tell the world about Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight when it comes around again next year.
“Please let us know what you are up to, or what a young person you know is contributing to the Scottish food and drink industry. We would love to hear from you.”
Northern Isles ferry operator scoops gold award for championing Scottish produce
An Aberdeen-based transport provider has scooped a Gold award for its efforts at championing Scottish food and drink and supporting local producers.
NorthLink Ferries, which is operated by Serco and provides ferry routes to Orkney and Shetland from Caithness and the North East of Scotland, was crowned the winner of the Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2017 business challenge – an initiative which encouraged businesses of all shapes and sizes to change just one thing to promote Scottish produce during Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2017.
During the Fortnight, which ran from 2-17 September, the ferry operator introduced Shetland mussels onto their ferry menus for the first time, offering passengers the opportunity to taste a quality locally sourced product prepared to a high standard by their team.
The company also took the opportunity to promote their regular local suppliers, including Stockans Oatcakes, Orkney Brewery, Shetland Farm Dairies and award winning Shetland based social enterprise company Cope Ltd, who are their main sandwich supplier, whom NorthLink Ferries endorsed with the Fortnight’s day that was highlighting picnics.
Speaking at the official prize giving at the NorthLink Ferries terminal in Aberdeen, Fiona Richmond, Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink, said:
“Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight takes place every year and it’s a fantastic way of celebrating our growers, producers, chefs and restauranteurs, as well as our vast and delicious Scottish larder. NorthLink Ferries did a tremendous job of getting involved and really embraced the ethos of changing just one thing to promote Scotland’s food and drink, which is why they are receiving this Gold award.”
Seumas Campbell, Customer Service Director for Serco NorthLink Ferries, added: “We are extremely pleased to have received the award for our involvement in Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2017. The campaign is a great way of recognising the country’s fantastic range of suppliers and produce and we couldn’t think of anything better than joining in to showcase the contribution the North East, Caithness and the Northern Isles’ make to our menu options.
“Our passengers often comment on the great selection of fresh, locally sourced meals provided on board and with the introduction of Shetland mussels we offered a new element to the menu for the fortnight, alongside Shetland Lamb which has been a staple on our menus over the years. This gives us the opportunity to gauge whether or not a particular dish would be a hit on our menus and could add to our network of more than 40 of our food and drink suppliers that have a production centre or head office within a 50 miles radius of our operating ports.”
Meanwhile, the Silver business award went to food wholesalers Brakes, which has Scottish bases in Inverness, Oban, Dundee and Newhouse. Brakes used the Fortnight to launch a new Scotch Beef range and hold a cookery masterclass for their sales team which was judged by Masterchef professionals winner, Gary Maclean.
Insurance providers, NFU Mutual won the Bronze award for their excellent use of social media during the Fortnight. The company used Twitter, and the Fortnight’s hashtags, to urge their Scottish partners and agencies to participate in the Fortnight by changing one thing. The company’s Stathaven branch also ran a competition online, offering a hamper from Millers Larder, who make preserves and chutneys as the prize for the winner.
A highly commended award also went to insurance brokers Bruce Stevenson for their excellent efforts at promoting Scottish Food & Drink during the Fortnight.
Fiona continued:
“We wanted to do all we could to encourage food and drink business to support the ethos behind the Fortnight by changing one thing and getting their partners involved. It was challenging to choose our winners but they are all incredibly well deserved.
“We now look ahead to The Year of Young People in 2018 and are seeking inspirational young people with great food or drink stories to help us better tell the world about Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight when it comes around again next year.
“Please let us know what you are up to, or what a young person you know is contributing to the Scottish food and drink industry. We would love to hear from you.”
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight Looks Ahead to Year of Young People 2018
Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight 2017 ended on Sunday 17th September, having spent 16 days celebrating all those who grow, make, cook and sell Scottish produce and encouraging the great Scottish public to change one thing (#onethingfortnight) by choosing more Scottish food and drink.
Having reached around a million people throughout the Fortnight, the organisers have now turned their attention to 2018, which will see Scotland celebrate The Year of Young People.
The Year of Young People (#YOYP2018) 2018 is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing young personalities, talents, and achievers that make up Scotland. It’s all about inspiring our nation through its young people’s ideas, attitudes and ambitions.
What better way to inspire a generation than through the love of great Scottish food and drink?
Scotland Food & Drink, the organisers behind Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, are looking for inspiring stories and inspirational young people who showcase just how accessible and exciting the food and drink industry is, whether it be in terms of offering rewarding careers or providing tasty and nutritional meals.
Do you know someone under the age of 26 who has been doing wonderful things within the Scottish food and drink industry? Perhaps they are a young farmer who has grown a business from nowhere, perhaps they work in your restaurant, school canteen or café, perhaps they volunteer at a charity soup kitchen or perhaps they share their culinary passion via a blog or on social media? We would love to hear their story.
James Withers, Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink, said:
“We are delighted to have celebrated a superb Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight this year and so many people have engaged with our #onethingfortnight challenge by changing just one thing about how much Scottish food and drink they eat.
“We now look ahead to The Year of Young People in 2018 and are seeking inspirational young people with great food or drink stories to help us better tell the world about Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight when it comes around again next year.
“Please let us know what you are up to, or what a young person you know is contributing to the Scottish food and drink industry. We would love to hear from you.”
Please get in touch on Twitter using this year’s hashtag #onethingfortnight or by emailing fortnight@foodanddrink.scot
Brunch Recipe by Justin Maule: Ayrshire Bacon, Apple and Shallot Tart Tatin
Justin Maule, Wild Fig Food
Ayrshire Bacon, Apple and Shallot Tart Tatin, Stornoway Black Pudding Hash, Strathdon Blue, Rocket, Pickled Beetroot
Serves 1
Ingredients
Hash
- 100g new potatoes, diced and boiled
- 1 banana shallot
- 1 slice Stornoway black pudding
- glug of olive oil
Tart
- 1 pkt butter puff pastry
- 3 banana shallots peeled and halved to equal size
- 2 slices smoked Ayrshire bacon
- 1/2 green apple sliced
- small splash of olive oil
- small knob of butter
Salad
- bunch of wild rocket
- crumbled Strathdon blue cheese
- 3 slices pickled beetroot
Method
Hash
- sauté cooked potato pieces, add the shallot and black pudding
- cook till potatoes are browned and black pudding is cooked
- keep warm
Tart
- warm a blini pan with the bacon strips and cook to render fat, remove
- half the shallots and cut the bacon into strips
- arrange shallots in blini pan and cook over a medium heat
- return bacon to centre of shallots
- arrange apple slices round the outside of shallots and cook till soft (5 mins)
- cut pastry to fit over the blini pan and place on top of shallot, bacon and apple, tucking in to encase the tart
- place in oven till pastry has risen and browned
To Serve
- plate tart with warmed hash
- crumble cheese and mix with rocket place beside tart and garnish with pickled beetroot
