Robert Thain, House of Bruar: “The value of Scottish food and drink”

Food and drink in Scotland, like most countries, plays a huge role. Most places have a national food or drink, and often it is what they are known for. In Scotland we are very lucky to have so many food and drink icons from Irn-Bru and Whisky to Stornoway Black Pudding and Scottish Salmon.

All of these icons bring visitors which in turn boosts the local economies and often is what some areas become dependent on to survive. In my view, Scottish food and drink holds an extremely high value across Britain and is known for being of the highest quality. The whisky market alone accounts for a large proportion of trade within the economy.

Scotland has so many iconic food and drink products which are sought after all across Britain and indeed the world. As well as being iconic, this is the reason Scottish food and drink brands and products are famous right around the world.

Retailers looking to stock Scottish produce elsewhere in the UK would have to try Scottish classics such as Stornoway Black Pudding, Arbroath Smokies and Scottish smoked salmon. We also have countless delicious Scottish cheeses like Strathdon Blue, Caboc or St Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar.

Being a family-run business, relationships are extremely important to us at House of Bruar, whether that be the relationships with our suppliers, staff or customers. We are very proud of the fact that we are able to deal directly with 90% of our food and drink suppliers which allows us to foster a more meaningful and profitable relationship for both sides.

We may not have the same buying power as the supermarkets but the advantage we have over them is our ability to showcase brands to our 1.9 million visitors who visit us annually. We always strive to give our customers the very best experience when they visit us and leave them with a lasting impression.