Strong Appetite for Scottish Food & Drink at first Showcasing Scotland UK

Over 75 of Scotland’s leading food and drink producers gathered in Glasgow on 14 May for the first-ever Showcasing Scotland UK – a high-impact, one-day event that delivered hundreds of business-to-business meetings with influential buyers from across the UK. 

Held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Glasgow, the event was hosted by Scotland Food & Drink on behalf of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership, bringing together a carefully curated mix of suppliers and buyers in a fast-paced ‘speed-dating’ format. The evening prior featured an informal networking dinner, setting the tone for a bustling day of commercial opportunity. 

This inaugural UK-focused event built on the global success of previous Showcasing Scotland formats and aimed to unlock a projected £1 billion growth opportunity in domestic markets identified in the national industry strategy, Sustaining Scotland. Supplying the World. 

From retailers and wholesalers to chefs, hoteliers and online operators, buyers from across the UK connected with a diverse range of Scottish brands, producers and manufacturers with the ambition and trading capability to sustain business in the UK markets. The event generated high-value conversations and promising leads, demonstrating growing demand for high-quality, Scottish provenance-led products. 

Feedback from attendees shone a positive light on the event, with 80% of attendees feeling more positive on their growth prospects as opposed to 12 months ago, and some companies forecasting a potential £200K in sales through the Showcasing Scotland UK event.  

Stephanie Pritchard, Head of Customer Relations & Markets at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “Showcasing Scotland UK was designed to put the full strength and diversity of Scottish food and drink in front of the UK’s most influential buyers – and it delivered.  

“Having identified a sizeable opportunity in the UK market, we saw strong commercial conversations, new partnerships forming, and a real appetite for products rooted in quality, sustainability and provenance. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s clear this event has created tangible opportunities for growth across the sector.” 

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, added: “I was absolutely delighted to welcome such a vibrant gathering of producers and buyers to the Showcasing Scotland UK event in Glasgow. Our food and drink industry is vital to Scotland’s economy and it was great to see our producers showcasing the very best food and drink the country has to offer so well. 

“Our food and drink sector is worth around £15 billion to the Scottish economy, with over 17,000 businesses employing around 123,000 people, including many in rural and island communities. This new edition of the tried and tested ‘Showcasing’ series is an excellent opportunity to promote Scotland’s reputation for high quality food and drink within the wider UK Market.” 

The event forms part of a wider calendar of Showcasing Scotland activity, including regional events delivered across the country between January and April 2025. These events continue to spotlight Scotland’s best food and drink, champion regional producers, and create real business outcomes.