Scotland's food and drink identity

Article published 04/04/2024

Food, drink and hospitality are integral to Scotland’s identity. It’s who we are and what we do.

Our produce is renowned across the world for its exceptional quality and provenance. Our hospitality is famed for its warmth. These are an essential part of our way of life, our environment and our communities, right across Scotland.

Scotland’s rich and diverse natural larder gives us the right ingredients to deliver outstanding and unique produce and experiences, which are created with skill and care, combining tradition with innovation.

Our seas, lochs, fields and mountains help us to deliver food and drink that is revered for its quality and unrivalled provenance.

Our dynamic and tenacious people work with passion and dedication to bring food and drink to consumers, and we are proud to share the characters and the places that create these delights with visitors from near and far.

Scottish food and drink are so much more than their reputation. We make the most of the ingredients on our doorstep and our extraordinary food and drink heritage by producing and serving delights that honour our traditions and crafts.

A selection of cheeses

A selection of cheeses. Credit: Ardardan Estate

We are also innovating for our future and our sustainable practices are respected across the world. We are constantly creating exceptional experiences that share what we do, show how and where we do it, and provide opportunities to savour the taste of it.

Sharing Scotland's food provenance through food tourism experiences

The sharing of Scottish products through food and drink tourism is a growing industry. Opportunities for visitors to eat, drink and engage with Scottish produce are an important part of the visitor experience and can often be the prime reason for making the trip.

Food and drink tourism takes on many forms from tours to tastings, to food festivals, markets, masterclasses, trips or trails.

Visitors want to buy local produce in restaurants, cafés and shops. They want to meet the chefs, bakers, distillers, foragers and all the talented producers and makers behind the products they enjoy.

They want to appreciate, purchase and consume Scottish products in the place where they were grown or crafted.

So much of Scotland’s food and drink reflects who we are and what we are.

Food and drink tourism experiences bring our products alive, forge connections around the globe, and share our pride and passion in what we do.

Our innovative spirit comes alive in food and drink tourism. Scotland has created world-leading experiences to show off our food and drink in new ways to visitors from home and abroad.

We are proud to offer visitors memorable, exceptional experiences across our land and waters, where they can immerse themselves in our world and savour what we produce.

Experiencing the best of Scottish produce

It's important that the produce available in shops, cafés, bars, restaurants and hotels reflects the best of our produce, so that every guest can savour its excellence.

Whether it’s our lush, grass-fed milk, our perfectly aged whisky, our premium shellfish caught straight from our cool crisp waters, our freshly brewed soft drinks, beer and cider, our luscious berries and flavourful potatoes.

These are all cornerstones of our food and drink reputation to be shared with every visitor.

Scotland has a long history of excellence in food and drink. We are proud to offer the very best culinary delights which we grow and produce, and we proudly continue our heritage of innovation to protect, promote and share for the future.

Visitors enjoying whisky during an experience at Lindores Abbey Distillery