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Food tourism is Scotland's future
You can hardly switch on the TV these days without encountering Jamie Oliver extolling the delights of Italian regional cuisine, or Rick Stein waxing lyrical about the glories of Cornwall and its wealth of local food. So is this just good TV or are these programmes a true reflection of a growing interest in regional food and its place of origin?
Catering in Scotland visits specialist food producer A Taste of Arran, and examines the importance of food tourism on Scotland's culture and economy…
The Isle of Arran, commonly referred to as "Scotland in Miniature", is a mere hour's ferry crossing from the Ayrshire coast and attracts thousands of tourists to its rugged, beautiful shores every year. Indeed, it's estimated that 90% of Arran businesses are related to tourism in one way or another.
In the late 1990s, the local enterprise company produced the Arran Taste Trail - a guidebook which focused heavily on local food and drink, featuring restaurants and producers in equal measures. Visitors loved the in-depth information and the project won a coveted Scottish Thistle Award in 2000.
The island has always enjoyed a rich heritage of quality food production but the Taste Trail made it clear that consumers viewed Arran's products as an intrinsic part of their holiday experience. As a result, "A Taste of Arran" was born in 2001, allowing tourists the opportunity to sample its culinary delights without even setting foot on the island.
What's truly inspiring about this company, and what sets it apart from the raft of marketing associations, producers' cooperatives and collaborative distribution schemes, is that, uniquely, A Taste of Arran does all of the above. From production, collection and distribution, to marketing, sales, and e-commerce (both retail and business-to-business), this gastro-tourism company ticks all the boxes and presents a business model that is unrivalled in the UK.
As winners of the CIS Excellence Food Tourism Award 2006, the company is well-aware that great food can be the crucial factor in creating an unforgettable experience out of a visit to the Isle, and producers work closely with tourism providers on the island to make sure the local food is widely available. However, they're keen to exploit the other side of the coin too, promoting the island via the shelves of specialist shops and delicatessens throughout the UK with their extensive range of quality food and drink products.
The oatcakes, cheeses, mustards, beers, whiskies and even ice-creams, which are all hand-made on the island, are readily available in quality restaurants and speciality shops across the country.
"We aim to inspire and educate consumers about the Isle of Arran as a tourism destination, as much as it is the home of great food," says Managing Director, Alastair Dobson. "We all have an over-riding commitment to the island and as a group we're keen to promote Arran as a great place to visit. Our marketing material will more often feature a stunning island landscape than a product shot, and inevitably when we attend exhibitions we sell as many holidays as we do food!"
Scotland, like Arran, has a wealth of wonderful food and drink products, and an industry driven by passionate individuals. We are lucky to have some of the finest ingredients in the world and, coupled that with stunning locations, combines to make a winning combination. Surely it's better to feast on fresh, Scottish langoustines sitting by an Argyll sea loch than on one of Spain's "Costas", which is where the majority of Scots encounter this native delicacy. We should, as they do on Arran, persuade more tourists to seek out the wonderful food Scotland has to offer, and encourage more chefs to follow the lead of those who use Scottish produce wherever possible on their menus, and not just in a signature dish.
It seems that the key to success is communication and collaboration. The ability of A Taste of Arran to forge links between both businesses and industries has set them head and shoulders above the competition. This diverse group of food companies has seized the initiative in linking the island's food and tourism industries, and is promoting excellence in both. At a time when traceablity, authenticity and regional branding have never been so important, Taste of Arran has it all.
You can find out more about A Taste of Arran, the island, and the people who make the award-winning products, by visiting www.taste-of-arran.com.
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature please see Catering in Scotland magazine September/October 2006.
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