The judging for the Grampian Food Forum Innovation Awards 2014 will feature 25 companies.
Judges Donald Reid, food and drink editor of events magazine The List, and Martin Green, manager of Asda’s Bridge of Dee store in Aberdeen, assessed 32 products before whittling down the list of potential award winners.
Mr Reid said: “Innovation is crucial to any business and the products on show display how local companies are responding to the market and modern food trends, and aspiring to produce quality food and drink.”
Mr Green added: “We have seen great products and it is good to see so many small businesses in the north-east thriving and continuing to deliver something new.”
The list included chocolatiers, farm shops, craft beer makers, fishers of langoustines, and a baker who makes gluten-free bread from lentils.
The shortlist is: Allarburn Farm Shop, Associated Seafoods, Balmakewan Farm Shop, Berry Scrumptious, Brewmeister, Chalmers Bakery, Cocoa Ooze, Deans of Huntly, Deeside Brewery, Eat on the Green, Felicity’s Chocolate, Fresh Food Guru by Andrew Gordon, Gordon and MacPhail, Hamlyns of Scotland, James Rizza and Sons, J.G. Ross Bakers, John Ross Jr (Aberdeen), Mackie’s of Scotland, Macphie of Glenbervie, Ola Oils, Pulsetta Foods, Speyside Craft Brewery, Speyside Specialities, The Green Grocer and The Little Fudge Shop.
The winners will be announced at a presentation dinner on March 20 at The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa.
Meanwhile, entre preneurs from across all businesses hoping to strike gold in the Grampian Awards for Business Excellence 2014 have been given an extra week to perfect their entries following a 45% rise in registrations.
The closing date was initially set for tomorrow, , but Enterprise North East Trust, which runs the awards, and headline sponsor RBS – Ahead For Business decided to extend that to March 14 after 181 businesses registered for one or more of the 10 award categories.
The awards, in their 15th year, are aimed at encouraging entrepreneurial companies and individuals.