Cooke Scotland will join the local community in celebrating the exceptional quality of products from Scotland’s northern isles as sponsors of the Orkney Food & Drink Festival 2025.
Taking place on the weekend of 20 and 21 September, the festival is being organised by membership body Orkney Food & Drink/Taste of Orkney, with the aim of showcasing the huge range of food and drink produce from the islands and celebrating the skilled craft of the people who make them.
As one of the major employers in Orkney and the northern isles, Cooke Scotland has joined trade body Salmon Scotland and fellow producer Scottish Sea Farms in sponsoring the highly anticipated festival.
Salmon is the UK’s top food export and more than ten percent of it is farm-raised in Orkney, where Cooke exclusively raises its organic salmon.
Robert Peterson, Orkney area manager at Cooke Scotland, said: “It is a pleasure for Cooke Scotland to join the Scottish salmon sector in sponsoring this festival to showcase and celebrate the finest food and drink Orkney has to offer.
“We hope everyone gets an opportunity to taste our delicious salmon, raised right here in the cold, fast-moving tidal waters of Orkney – the perfect conditions for our salmon to become firm, muscular and full of vibrant flavour.”
Staged in Kirkwall Grammar School, the festival will involve celebrity cooking demonstrations from the likes of chef James Martin, questions and answer sessions, tastings, special food and drink experiences and a host of other attractions. Local producers will also have the chance to promote and sell their goods at event stalls.
Kerry Leask, project manager for Orkney Food & Drink/Taste of Orkney, said: “There were plans to hold an Orkney food and drink festival back in 2020, but unfortunately the pandemic put paid to those. Since then, we’ve been looking at how we could showcase our amazing producers with a truly memorable event that will be a big draw for local folk and visitors alike.”